Christie Hennessy, born Edward Christopher Ross on November 19, 1945, in Tralee, County Kerry, Ireland, was an Irish folk singer-songwriter. At age six, he received his first guitar, crafted from a tea chest by his friend Jerry Quirke. Hennessy left school at eleven and began working as a messenger boy and later on building sites in London. In 1972, he released his debut album The Green Album on the small label Westwood, with only 500 copies pressed and little promotion. After a hiatus, Hennessy returned to music in 1992 with The Rehearsal, which outsold U2 in Ireland and achieved triple platinum status. Notable songs include "Roll Back the Clouds" and "Oh Jealous Heart," which both reached the top 10 in the Irish charts. Hennessy also wrote hits for other artists, such as Christy Moore's "Don't Forget Your Shovel". He died on December 11, 2007, in a London hospice.
