Margaret Barry

To Thread - Forum Home

The Mudcat Café ^TM
https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=94601
48 messages

Margaret Barry

11 Sep 06 - 09:26 PM (#1832279)
Subject: Margaret Barry
From: GUEST,Jim Martin

Just been watching quite a lot about Margaret Barry on TV recently, very interesting reminiscences by various acquaintances of hers (Pecker Dunne, Reg Hall).

Would be most welcome to hear from any of you who remember her (Jim Carroll?)

She seems to have made a very significant impression on the Irish trad music scene!

12 Sep 06 - 06:16 AM (#1832481)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: Leadfingers

I have some of Margaret on vinyl - An old mate ( No names , no pack drill) told me he wanted to learn some Irish songs , so I played him a few records - The Margaret Barry inspired the question " What language is she singing in?" OK -She did have a fairly strong accent BUT I ASK YOU !!!!
And her recordings with Michael Gormon are all gems !

12 Sep 06 - 06:35 AM (#1832494)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: The Sandman

angie bladen, of the four fools festival is someone you should contact . I remember her telling me she saw her live at the marquis of clanricade folk club,. if you p m me iwill give you some info.

12 Sep 06 - 06:46 AM (#1832497)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: Jim McLean

A story about Maggie, she was sharing a stage with Hamish Henderson who offered her another Guinness -- she wore a belt which held her Guinness bottles-- "I'll be sick if I had another," she told him. He persuaded her, however, and immediately after she threw up on stage!

12 Sep 06 - 06:51 AM (#1832498)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: Big Mick

Priceless tellin', Jim. Thanks for sharing it. I would love to see that belt. Think I will make one for meself. LOL.

All the best,

Mick

12 Sep 06 - 11:22 AM (#1832698)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: Marje

I have an old book somewhere that describes her as a lively old woman of 56.

... which goes to show how much the average age of folk singers and fans has increased since - well, since Margaret Barry was 56. Also how much people's perception of "old" has changed.

Marje (another lively old woman)

12 Sep 06 - 12:34 PM (#1832753)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: Divis Sweeney

Think she is buried up the road from me in Laurencetown.

12 Sep 06 - 12:48 PM (#1832764)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: The Sandman

The story I was told, Margaret Barry was appearing at a monday night club in london with micheal gorman.
they arrived with a crate of guinness, halfway through a song she was suddenly sick all over the front row, she carried on with the song she had been singing .

12 Sep 06 - 01:37 PM (#1832805)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: GUEST

Jim,
Only saw Margaret Barry once, not long before she died. Still very impressive.
You should try getting a copy of The Song Carriers programmes which have become available again after 40 years - and hear what MacColl has to say about her style as compared to other singers.
Jim Carroll

12 Sep 06 - 03:53 PM (#1832887)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: GUEST,Peter T.

What are the Song Carriers Programmes?

yours,

Peter T.

13 Sep 06 - 03:17 AM (#1833292)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: GUEST

Song Carriers
10 half-hour radio programmes of the British song tradition put together by Ewan MacColl and produced by Charles Parker in 1964. They include recordings of the best traditional singers on record from Britain and Ireland, Harry Cox, Sam Larner, Paddy Tunney, Joe Heaney, tthe Stewarts - you name it......
Most of us of my age cut our teeth on them, nothing as good since.
Jim Carroll

13 Sep 06 - 02:00 PM (#1833671)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: GUEST,Intrigued

So where are The Song Carriers programmes available, please?

13 Sep 06 - 04:05 PM (#1833757)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: GUEST

Song carriers
Will pass on an e-mail address to anybody interested when I can think of a way to do it
Jim Carroll

13 Sep 06 - 08:36 PM (#1833949)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: dick greenhaus

If anyone wants MP3s of the Song Carriers programs, please PM me--I can supply them at (my) cost (the price of a blank CD, a bit of ink and some postage.

13 Sep 06 - 09:02 PM (#1833962)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: Joe Offer

There's one very significant post in the other thread:

Hi!

I was a friend of Margaret Barry. She lived at my home on 2 occasions for about 2 and 4 months respectively.

I will tell you 2 things about her. First, she was full of malapropisms; a gynecologist would be, for example, a gyroscope. Second, a good portion of her repertoire came from 19th Century broadsides; she was probably one of the last singing broadside sellers in Ireland.

I have a book with 3 texts of "A much admired song call'd Remember Me" or "A much-admired Song entitled the Emigrant's Farewell to His Country" or "The Ship is Ready to Sail Away." Two of these texts have the phrase you're curious about. Here's how they read...

Do not grieve do not grieve,
The heart is true will ne'er deceive,
My heart and hand I give to thee,
Old Ireland boys remember me.

...and...

Don't forget, love-do not grieve,
THe heart is true and can't deceive,
My heart and hand I will give to thee,
Farewell my love, remember me.

I would not be too concerned with what Margaret sings.

All the best,
Dan Milner

22 Sep 06 - 06:16 AM (#1840667)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: GUEST,Jim Martin

Anyone know if there are any more TV items about this fascinating character in the offing?

23 Sep 06 - 05:19 PM (#1841625)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: DeeRod

During the Smithsonian Folklife festival which Margaret Barry attended
she was trying to cool herself in the administrative tent when a entourage of suits came through and flash bulbs (remember them?) were going off. The governor of the featured state, Kentucky, Wendell Ford later senator, was touring.
Margaret, being the shy creature she was, walked up to Ford, poked her finger in his chest and demanded "Who the hell are you that anyone should be wantin your picture?
I'M the Governor"
"The governor of what?"
"The governor of Kentucky"
"Well, what the hell is that?"

Of course they conclude having their picture taken together and Margaret reaches in to this huge satchel she called a purse and produces he picture taken with the Lord Mayor of Dublin.
"Now top that will ya" she says to Ford

    Written by an eye witness

26 Sep 06 - 10:20 PM (#1844173)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: Liam's Brother

Basically, there were two Margarets: the quiet homebody, and the one who undoubtedly did poke her finger in the chest of the Governor. She became an entirely different person when in public. She loved to play leading lady opposite male stars. At the Bunratty Pub on Kingsbridge Road, the Kerry fiddler, Johnny Cronin, used to clown around with her. She told me of many nights spent at the Brazen Head in Dublin in the company of Brendan Behan.

27 Sep 06 - 02:21 PM (#1844282)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: GUEST,Kevin Rietmann

Go to the Lomaxarchive website, which has a billion 30 second snippets of material. There are about 80 bits from interviews with Marg, stuff like "Margaret Barry talks about losing her hair." Not to mention her playing with Gorman. Dunno if there's a "Margaret Barry talks about throwing up on stage," I didn't snag the lot. Some fantastic music in there.
Kevin Rietmann

25 Oct 06 - 08:09 AM (#1868070)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: *#1 PEASANT*

I first met Margaret Barry via records in a small room at Durham University- van mildert college which I attended for a year.

I was amazed and purchased the record wore it out and purchased another.

The friends who introduced me to her made it to the USA to stay with me the next summer. I took them to the folklife festival at the smithsonian and whilst walking around there she was walking right next to us!

An amazing singer the ornamentation so wonderful.

Conrad

25 Oct 06 - 08:41 AM (#1868101)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: GUEST,George Henderson

Jim
Margaret ang and played with Bob Davenport in london for many years along with Michael Gormon, Joe Heaney and many others. Bob can be contacted via the web I think and would only be too pleased to give you some of his many stories. He really adored her.
George

25 Oct 06 - 09:34 AM (#1868176)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: GUEST,Shimrod

The Lomax recording of Margaret Barry singing 'Lagan Love' ('I Sang Through the Fairs' Rounder CD 11661.1774) is one of my 'top ten' favourite recordings of a traditional singer. It's interesting to note, though, that 'Lagan Love' is an 'art' song, with a known composer (Joseph Campbell), and not a trad. song, and MB probably learned it from a recording of John McCormack. On top of that her weird tenor banjo accompaniment is highly idiosyncratic and probably not 'trad.' (in a strict sense) either - although, to my ear, it is highly effective. Given the recent thread about 'what is traditional music' it makes you think ...

29 Oct 06 - 09:31 AM (#1871317)
Subject: Song for Holoween
From: Abby Sale

All our singing of "She Moved Through The Fair" basically comes from her wonderful version. It's a ballad when she does it.

23 Nov 06 - 06:26 AM (#1891534)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: Big Mick

This might be one of the best threads in the Mudcat collection. I love these stories. The Governor story is priceless.

Mick

25 Nov 06 - 01:40 PM (#1893340)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: Frank Maher

There's Some stuff on Youtube about her!!!!

25 Nov 06 - 03:31 PM (#1893410)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: GUEST,beachcomber

I once saw (and heard) Margaret Barry on stage, in my local pub. She was accompanied, if I remember correctly, by another lady who was billed as "Grainnemhaoil" who played a fiddle and sang some songs too.
But, I remember that Margaret's was playing a "zither banjo" (five -string) almost exactly the same as that played by the "Pecker" Dunne in his heyday.
Did M.B. also play tenor banjo ?

27 Nov 06 - 10:59 PM (#1894246)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: DeeRod

Glad you liked my story of MB & Wendell Ford,.At the same festival, I had my hurdy gurdy (of course) and Margaret was intrigued enough to offer me a tour of Ireland on the back of her bicycle. Alas declined.

28 Nov 06 - 06:51 PM (#1895095)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: kytrad (Jean Ritchie)

Margaret and Michael stayed with us for at least three weeks (maybe more) after, I believe, one of the summer weeks at Pinewoods Camp in Massachusetts. They had a gig or two in Manhattan, coming up, and so needed to hang out for awhile. What company! Lots of music of course, and jokes and stories,with George continually asking, "What's she SAYING?" Most memorable to me was her cooking of oatmeal for Michael's breakfast....it did no good to tell her that it was rolled oats and only needed cooking no longer than five minutes- she'd stand and keep adding water, stirring the pot for a full forty minutes. Michael would roll his eyes and tap his head. "Nah, no good to tell her- she's done so all her life....what's to do? I j'st drink it, close eyes 'n drink it down!"

There are pictures in George's 'performers' gallery' on my website, of the two of them "singing for pennies," using our back patio for the street, looking up at the windows watching for the coins to fall. Margaret was such an actor- and Michael followed her lead. But when she was tired, she'd just sit in the rocker and talk quietly of her life- the good and the bad times- and that was the real Margaret, I think- our childhood memories were very similar- not much money, hard times, hard work, mixed in with love, merriment, music and lots of joy to offset the sorrows.

When they were packing to go home, there was much talk begween them, not to be understood by us... finally Margaret shouted, "That's it- the little yellow fiddle!" and Michael agreed. They had decided to send to our son Jon who had been 'taking lessons' on Michael's fiddle, one of his old ones when they got home. So, about a month later, George and Jon had to drive to Kennedy Airport and bail it out, for a customs fee of eighty-five dollaars, "The Little Yellow Fiddle," with its own little bow, and it's still in our instrument closet today, a treasured possession and memory.

28 Nov 06 - 07:03 PM (#1895105)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: Folkiedave

Lovely stories Jean and thanks so much for that........

28 Nov 06 - 08:28 PM (#1895156)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: Big Mick

This whole thread is a priceless gem....

Mick

29 Nov 06 - 04:23 AM (#1895335)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: mustradclub

Margaret Barry played the Islington folk club a year or two before she died (Sorry I cant be more specific about the date) She also did a concert at C Sharp House on the same tour. She had not appeared in London for some years having been in America. By this time Margaret was far from being the large robust woman you see on her record covers she was in fact sadly very frail. However what a night we had all her old pals turned out both from the Irish and English community.

She was in great form and came accross as a very strong personality even telling Bob Davenport when to sing.

Her reputation was such that even younger members of the Irish community who would not have been around during the time Margaret lived in London turned out. In particular a trio of young brilliant female dancers who called themselves "The Hairy Marys". This was indeed probably the most memorable night I have ever spent in a folk club and I count myself as very luckly to have actually seen and heard her.

Also anyone listening to Peta Webb could hardly fail to notice the influence Margaret Barry had on her singing.

Ken Hall

29 Nov 06 - 08:37 AM (#1895482)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: GUEST,Jim Martin

That's great Ken, thanks very much.

What a night that must've been, wish I'd been there!

29 Nov 06 - 10:30 AM (#1895591)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: Kevin Sheils

I recently was loaned a DVD of a (pretty dreadful IMO) RTE TV series called "Songbirds" which focussed an episode each on the lives of 5 Irish singers one episode was on Margaret Barry and I was surprised at how she looked near the end of her life not having seen her at the events Ken refers to.

My memories are of the larger than life lady who would often drop into The Dublin Castle in Camden Town and give a song in the mid to late sixties.

Despite her frail appearance on the programme the "sparkle" was still there and the DVD had some fine archive stuff including some strange performances with the lady fiddle player that beachcomber refers to above.

If you can ignore the mostly awful stuff that pads the programme it's worth catching for the archive. I, of course, do NOT include the contributions by Reg Hall as part of the "awful" padding, as they are as good and to the point as one would expect. If you've seen the programme you'll know what I mean.

11 Feb 07 - 01:29 PM (#1964103)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: GUEST,Frank Hamilton

I have never heard "She Moved Through the Fair" don better.

Frank Hamilton

11 Feb 07 - 03:45 PM (#1964211)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: Lighter

Check out the new thread, "The Street Singer, A Humble Bbeginning."

It relays a recollection of Margaret performing in the '40s.

11 Feb 07 - 09:05 PM (#1964472)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: GUEST,Jim Martin

Wonderful recollections on the new thread!

23 Apr 07 - 09:33 AM (#2033384)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: Bob the Postman

In a brief autobiography the Canadian singer-songwriter Vera Johnson writes about her first visit to London in 1966:

"One of the people I met was Meg, the Queen of
the Street Singers. She took me out busking that first day,
singing under the arches, and it wasn't long before I lost my
voice. Meg had a strong soprano voice, beautifully clear and
resonant. (If you saw the movie Darling, I understand she was
featured at the end.)"

Would this Meg be Margaret Barry?

23 Apr 07 - 09:41 AM (#2033393)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: Kevin Sheils

I recall a London lady of that name "Meg" as a regular at places like the Cellar at CSH and the Troubador around that time. But she wasn't MB.

Can't recall her surname, somebody else will I'm sure. CR?

23 Apr 07 - 10:04 AM (#2033423)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: Jim McLean

Meg was sombody else. She was what we would now call a 'bag lady'. A nice person, small and rotund and always wore a headscarf which she tugged forward, every now and again, as she sang.

23 Apr 07 - 10:24 AM (#2033446)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: Kevin Sheils

That's the description of the person I recall Jim. I'm sure her name etc came up in another thread, one of those "who remembers bunjies" type of threads that were around a year or so back.

23 Apr 07 - 12:33 PM (#2033567)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: Jim McLean

I think her name was Meg Aitken ... just bells ringing!

23 Apr 07 - 12:59 PM (#2033580)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: John MacKenzie

She was definitely Meg, and the surname sounds right Jim. I remember her well, she used to turn up at Les Cousins often.
Giok

23 Apr 07 - 08:51 PM (#2033898)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: Bob the Postman

Bunjie's and Les Cousins seems to clinch it. Vera mentions both venues in the same paragraph cited above.

24 Apr 07 - 02:50 PM (#2034597)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: The Sandman

PETA WEBB sounds likePETA WEBB,not Margaret Barry,both are /were good singers but are different.

24 Apr 07 - 05:05 PM (#2034728)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: Herga Kitty

I think I remember hearing Meg at C Sharp House in the late 60s - in the main hall, too.

Kitty

03 May 07 - 10:39 AM (#2042272)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: Jim McLean

You won't believe this ! I've just come across an old notebook I used to carry around and on the back page there is this : MEG AIKMAN, 39 Maple Gdn Burnt Oak, Edgeware, written by her.

03 May 07 - 10:44 AM (#2042277)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: GUEST,Jim Martin

10/10 Jim!

My house is full of stuff I'm scared to chuck away.

It does sometimes pay off!

03 May 07 - 11:19 AM (#2042313)
Subject: RE: Margaret Barry
From: Kevin Sheils

Well done Jim

Aitken sounded right but it was a long time ago