Johnny Cash once sang “It takes a lot of keys to move here at Folsom” but a tribute act to the Man in Black has found that songs made famous by the country music legend are all they need to get inmates moving at Mountjoy. Cork-based tribute act Strictly Cash stepped into a burning ring of fire - or a sports hall off the prisoners’ D wing to be exact - yesterday, and did the great man proud with a “best of” set.  The concert, in front of 120 inmates, came 40 years and 10 days after Johnny Cash played his concert at the Folsom Prison, and Strictly Cash manager Denis Eivers said “It went very well - actually, it went perfect.” Instead of reprising the Folsom album, the 90 minute set was instead a Johnny Cash greatest hits package, as well as the chance to premiere a song written especially for the occasion, entitled “ Mountjoy”.

It’ll be a case of the Mountjoy Prison Blues when a Johnny Cash tribute band play Ireland’s jail. Strictly Cash will WALK THE LINE when they entertain 150 lags to mark the 40th anniversary of the king of country’s legendary Folsom Prison performance. THE BAND COMES AROUND tomorrow night when the Cork 5-piece led by Finbarr Winters will treat convicts on two wings of the ‘Joy to renditions of Cash classics like Riders in the Sky and Ring of Fire. Johnny Cash started playing US jails in the 1950s and went on to record live albums San Quentin and Folsom Prison.

Dublin prisoners are set to be entertained by a Johnny Cash tribute band in a bid to mark the 40th anniversary of his famous Folsom prison appearance. Strictly Cash will take to the stage in Mountjoy prison this week and will perform a song written especially for the prisoners.The group will play in front of a large audience of prisoners this Wednesday as cameras record the entire event for posterity. The Cash tribute band say they are delighted to follow in their idol’s footsteps and have no fears about performing for some hardened criminals. “It’s a commemorative concert for us and it’s a free gig for the prisoners. Johnny had a lot of empathy for these people. A lot of his songs are about people who have fallen on hard times and down and outs. The band have taken the opportunity to write a song especially for the Mountjoy prisoners. Like Cash’s Folsom Prison Blues, it deals with the prisoners being forced to cope with the sounds of the outside world, while incarcerated.

The band “Strictly Cash” supported by special guests, the Aghada male voice choir, present a great night of music and fun for Johnny Cash lovers at O’Meara’s, Ballinacurra, Midleton on Friday Sept. 28th. Admission is 10 euro and all proceeds go to the HOPE Foundation Himalayan Walk, 2007. This promises to be a great night for all, with a full Johnny Cash repertoire planned, from his earliest music to his last album. This is the band’s second charity gig for HOPE. Their authentic style, velvet voices and smooth presentation wowed the audience last year. Strictly Cash lead singer Finbarr says that the band’s raison d’etre is to keep alive the spirit of Cash’s music and bring his broad repertoire to new audiences. This year’s addition of the Aghada Male Voice choir, providing backing vocals and singing some of Johnny’s best loved gospel songs, will add a new dimension to the night and has stirred local interest. Many members remember seeing Cash perform on his many visits to Cork and have a passion for his music.

A Cork-based tribute band to the Man in Black aims to recapture a defining moment in music history this week. 40 years ago this month Johnny Cash rocked the world when he recorded At San Quentin, live from inside the walls of the state prison, and in doing so, secured for himself a place in the history books. Now, Strictly Cash aim to recapture a piece of that magic when they put on a special show at Crane Lane Theatre to mark the occasion. The Cork five-piece band will perform all the highlights of the original concert at San Quentin state prison as well as other hits from the Man in Black’s repertoire, including Hey Porter, Hurt, Jackson, Long-Legged Guitar-Pickin’ Man, as well as It Ain’t Me, Babe. Last year the Cork based band hit the headlines when they performed live in Mountjoy Prison to mark the 40th anniversary of Johnny Cash’s concert in Folsom Prison. The Dublin concert, in front of 120 inmates,came 40 years and ten days after Johnny Cash played his concert at Folsom. Strictly Cash play the Crane Lane Theatre on Thursday. Doors open at 7.30pm and the gig gets underway at 8.15pm sharp.

This picture appeared in the East Cork Journal 0n Wednesday 13th May, 2009, following a charity concert in the east Cork village of Ballinrostig in aid of the HOPE Foundation, which provides proper health, education, and a better quality of life for the street children of Calcutta. The perfect venue was the local pub, the Puck ar Buile, and the concert was open-air. Other performers were baritone Darragh McCann, and local ballad group, the Celtic Tones.