The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #12612   Message #2986605
Posted By: GUEST,Dingle Spike
14-Sep-10 - 10:58 AM
Thread Name: Lyr ADD: The Boys of Barr na Sraide
Subject: RE: Lyr Req: The Boys of Barr na Sraide
Best version of this song I ever heard was sung by a kerryman called Jack McCarthy from Waterville who was part of the group Dingle Spike in London. He still lives there as far as i know and that band were largely responsible for keeping the Folk and ballad tradition alive in the 70s/80s in London, along with a few other smaller Irish groups.They influenced a lot of the bands who came later including The Pogues and Shane McGowan mentions them in his book. In fact several ex Dingle Spike members did play with the Pogues at diferent times and also with the irish based Celtic rock group Zozimus in the 90s.
But back to the song and you could hear a pin drop in The Swan in Stockwell London or The Archway Tavern in Holloway when Jack sang his songs from South Kerry and that was one of them.