爱尔兰音乐家Jimmy MacCarthy的中国情结——记欧洲中国文化艺术交流与合作研究会名誉会长Jimmy MacCarthy

(记者 常魁星)爱尔兰关于名人、政治和金融的《PHOENIX》(凤凰周刊)杂志2021年第8期在杂志官方网站刊发了爱尔兰音乐家Jimmy MacCarthy发布最新视频的消息，歌手兼词曲作家Jimmy MacCarthy的新中国哲学方向在音乐界引起了关注。

视频让世界看到了中国在中国共产党领导下取得的巨大成就，Jimmy MacCarthy说：“这个国家有5000多年的历史，人口14亿，在人类进步的每一个指标上都超过了北半球的国家。”

去年12月，单身67年的传奇爱尔兰音乐家Jimmy MacCarthy与中国的陈秋梅结婚，证明了爱情永远不会太晚。陈秋梅和Jimmy MacCarthy共同创立了欧洲中国文化艺术交流与合作研究会和中外国际家庭联谊会，旨在为欧洲和中国之间文化艺术交流搭建一座多维度多元化的桥梁。陈秋梅是会长，Jimmy MacCarthy是名誉会长。他们共同组织举办了2021年“世界因爱而生”全球华人网络春晚、“赤子丹心100分钟中外艺术展”全球直播等活动，受到国际友人和海内外华人广泛关注和称赞。

结婚并不是Jimmy MacCarthy做出的唯一改变，他还卖掉了基尔肯尼历史悠久的詹金斯敦城堡。自从2006年买下这座城堡以来，他就一直住在那里。他对这所建于1825年的城堡进行了大规模的翻新，将附属的教堂改建为了106个座位的剧院，在2020年2月以最优惠的价格出售给了一位年轻音乐家。Jimmy MacCarthy的作品被很多大明星和著名乐队演唱和演奏。Chirsty Moore、Frances Black、Mary Black及著名乐队The corps和Westlife等演唱、演奏了他的作品;经典歌曲有Ride On、Bright Blue Rose、Katie and No Frontiers等。

Jimmy MacCarthy 在视频里宣布，在新冠疫情结束后，他尽快访问"伟大的中国"。他说：“我认为，中国共产党领导下的中国的未来是不可估量，它的崛起是不可阻挡的!”

JIMMY MACCARTHY’S NEW FRONTIERS

Date: July 23, 2021 - Affairs

WITH THE release of his latest video, singer-songwriter Jimmy McCarthy’s new Sinophilic direction has raised some eyebrows on the music scene.

The Cork composer recently made a video offering his congratulations on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, and praising the speech given by the party’s general secretary, the country’s president Xi Jinping.

“[The speech] let the world see the great achievements China has made under the leadership of the CPC,” said MacCarthy. “With a history of more than 5,000 years and a population of 1.4 billion, this country has surpassed countries in the northern hemisphere in every indicator of human progress.”

Proving that it’s never too late for Love’s Magic Bite, MacCarthy married his Chinese wife Qiumei (Annie) Chen last December.

“Jimmy MacCarthy, the legendary Irish musician who has been single for 67 years married me yesterday,” the new bride posted on the Facebook page of the Europe-China Culture and Art Exchange Association.

Chen and MacCarthy founded the association together, which aims to promote European-Chinese cultural and artistic exchanges. Chen is president while MacCarthy serves as the honorary president. They have also co-founded the Chinese and Foreign Family Association.

To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the CPC, which her daughter joined ten years ago at the age of 18, Chen organised a Chinese and foreign art exhibition called, “Loyalty to the nation.”

Getting married is not the only change MacCarthy has made recently, as he also sold the historic Jenkinstown House in Kilkenny, where he had lived since he bought it in 2006. He carried out an extensive renovation project on the 1825 home, converting the church attached to it into a 106-seat theatre, and sold it in February 2020 for €705,000.

While MacCarthy is not recording or performing live at present, his success was built on writing huge hits that were covered by the likes of Christy Moore, Frances Black, Mary Black, The Corrs and Westlife, like Bright Blue Rose, Katie and No Frontiers.

The pandemic coming to an end is something that Jimmy has a lot riding on, as he has declared his intention to visit ”the great China” as soon as possible.

“I think the future of China under the leadership of the Communist Party of China is boundless and its rise is unstoppable,” he said.