Margaret Barry - The Flower of Sweet Strabane

THE raw, uncompromising voice of the street singer had to carry above the noisy chatter of the fair or football crowd. Ballad singer Margaret Barry rarely failed to gain attention with her gutsy voice, pronounced Cork accent and simple banjo accompaniment.

She was born in Peter Street, Cork, in 1917, into a family of travellers. Her grandfather, Bob Thompson, was an accomplished uilleann piper who had won the first Feis Ceoil in Dublin in 1897 and again in 1898 in Belfast. Both her parents and uncles were street musicians. She taught herself to play the five-string banjo and could also play the fiddle.
Her mother, Margaret Thompson, died when Margaret was only 12. Her father remarried. After a family row around 1933, Margaret started street singing and took off on her own, singing at matches and fairs.

The song collector Peter Kennedy first came across her in 1952: "She was then living in a small caravan with her husband, daughter and two grandchildren, in a sunken hollow by the roadside at Cregganbane, Crossmaglen, Co Armagh," he wrote in one of his album notes. "From there she used to travel on a bicycle, with her banjo slung across her back, with a piece of string, to the market squares, country fairs and sporting events such as football matches."

The traditional folk songs and ballads of Ireland were preserved by the '50s recordings of Margaret Barry. Accompanying her powerful but untrained vocals with rustic banjo picking, Barry was a musical influence for such trad-rock groups as Fairport Convention, Pentangle, and Steeleye Span. Her recording of "I Sang Through the Fair," inspired numerous interpretations and transformed the song into a classic of Celtic music. Starting her career as a street busker in Dublin, Barry attracted international attention when she was recorded in 1953 by folklorist Alan Lomax. She subsequently moved to London where she worked for Lomax as a housekeeper and cook. For many years, Barry was accompanied by Michael Gorman, a folk musician she had met while performing on a BBC television program of traditional music hosted by Lomax in 1953. In addition to her repertoire of Irish songs, Barry performed many English art songs and ballads.

Billy Bragg often mentions Margaret Barry as an influence.

[Darbycrowley]

Spent two wonderful days with Margaret back in the late seventies when she came and played two gigs for us at Folk Clubs we were running. Never met anyone as charming as her. Her Charisma was extraordinary and the share beauty of her voice the likes of which I have only seen a rare few times in my life. I never forgot thoes two days.she sung a verse of these as we motored to Kinsale for her gig in the blue Shark, a little known fact that Frank Sinatra was a huge admirer.

[nollaigfinn]

God bless Marggie Barry....you live one can express our land a people through song like you have done

[weewilma]

my god that lovely lady has a voice like an angel

[sandramorey]

She really is amazing. I Looked for years before I found "The Hills of Donegal", which I taught my Summer Singing group in 2019, before COVID. This is a beauty too. Thanks for posting her
wonderful songs. Oakland 2021

[margaretkflynn]

My aunt maggie Barry love this version no banjo just her own beautiful voice such talent I have doing a à bit of research on my grandfather Timothy cleary who also played the violin wish I did it sooner for my mother Marie who has passed rip mammy

[sweetsoulmusic]

My late dad's favourite singer. So beautiful. xx

[johnanthonyfingleton]

Great voice.

The Street Singer

Her voice rang out along the streets,
Like an Imams call to prayer.
A primeval tone
That came from a further place;
From a time no longer here.

Raw in its delivery-
Harsh emphasises on every word.
‘We may have great men’
And women too,
Let the Street Singer now be heard !

Her voice declared lost prophesies,
Forsaken loves and dreams,
Of pikes that that shone on full moon nights,
Of fairy secret places,
That only she had seen.

When she passed into the Shadowtime,
An void was left behind;
What we had lost,
The Gods had gained -
She was the last one of her kind.

[syndromman]

The heart just stops to beat to make sure it hears every note...

[TerryTerryTerry]

Favourite version - lovely and powerful in every way.

[seancourtney]

thanks for the Notes, I grew up in Cork, but only heard about her in passing. Extraordinary voice tones: Like Liquid Granite.

[charlotted.]

Does anyone know if she invented these lyrics or how old are they? Because it's the same tune as Spancil Hill so I'm trying to find out which one came first.