The Barleycorn
Encyclopedia
The Barleycorn were an Irish traditional music
band who also played Irish rebel music
.
The band, consisting of Paddy McGuigan
, Liam Tiernan, Brian McCormick and John Delaney was formed in mid-1971. Other musicians joined over the years, while some of the original members left.
Their first recording was The Men Behind the Wire
, produced by Billy McBurney in Belfast and pressed in Dublin by Release Records in December 1971. After its release on 14 December the song shot into the Irish charts, selling far more copies than any other single until then released in Ireland, and remained in the charts for months. It reached #1 position in the Irish charts on 22 January 1972, where it remained for three weeks. After a gap of one week it returned to #1 for two weeks on 15 February. Royalties from the recording were donated to families of the internees.
Paddy McGuigan was the first to leave the band, despite arguably contributing the most to its success with his songwriting, in 1975. Liam Tiernan left the band in 1981 and emigrated to Boston were he started his own pub. John Delaney stayed with the group until 1995, when the group broke up. He emigrated to the United States.
After the late Derek McCormack, "one of the finest voices of his generation", joined the band about 1982, the band undertook a change of direction to showcase his lyrical voice. The singer/guitarist Paddy Sweeney was in the group before going on to join the Dublin City Ramblers
.
The Barleycorn released The Fields of Athenry
in 1982, reaching #7 in Ireland.
Folk music of Ireland
The folk music of Ireland is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres in Ireland.-History:...
band who also played Irish rebel music
Irish rebel music
Irish rebel music is a subgenre of Irish folk music, with much the same instrumentation, but with lyrics predominantly concerned with Irish republicanism.-History:...
.
The band, consisting of Paddy McGuigan
Paddy McGuigan
Paddy McGuigan is an Irish musician who played for some years with the folk group Barleycorn. He has written some Irish rebel songs, including "The Men Behind the Wire", "The Boys of the Old Brigade", and "Irish Soldier Laddie"....
, Liam Tiernan, Brian McCormick and John Delaney was formed in mid-1971. Other musicians joined over the years, while some of the original members left.
Their first recording was The Men Behind the Wire
The Men Behind the Wire
"The Men Behind The Wire" is a song written and composed by Paddy McGuigan of the Barleycorn folk group in the aftermath of internment.The song was recorded by the Barleycorn in Belfast and pressed in Dublin by Release Records in December 1971...
, produced by Billy McBurney in Belfast and pressed in Dublin by Release Records in December 1971. After its release on 14 December the song shot into the Irish charts, selling far more copies than any other single until then released in Ireland, and remained in the charts for months. It reached #1 position in the Irish charts on 22 January 1972, where it remained for three weeks. After a gap of one week it returned to #1 for two weeks on 15 February. Royalties from the recording were donated to families of the internees.
Paddy McGuigan was the first to leave the band, despite arguably contributing the most to its success with his songwriting, in 1975. Liam Tiernan left the band in 1981 and emigrated to Boston were he started his own pub. John Delaney stayed with the group until 1995, when the group broke up. He emigrated to the United States.
After the late Derek McCormack, "one of the finest voices of his generation", joined the band about 1982, the band undertook a change of direction to showcase his lyrical voice. The singer/guitarist Paddy Sweeney was in the group before going on to join the Dublin City Ramblers
Dublin City Ramblers
-History:The Dublin City Ramblers began life in the mid 60's as the Jolly Tinkers, but due to the existence of ballad groups with same name, they decided to change their name to the Quare Fellas. At this time the line up consisted of Patsy Watchorn, brothers Sean and Matt McGuiness and Pat Cummins...
.
The Barleycorn released The Fields of Athenry
The Fields of Athenry
"The Fields of Athenry" is an Irish folk ballad set during the Great Irish Famine about a fictional man named Michael from near Athenry in County Galway who has been sentenced to transportation to Botany Bay, Australia, for stealing food for his starving family...
in 1982, reaching #7 in Ireland.
Discography
- Live in the Embankment (1972)
- In America (1973)
- The Winds Are Singing Freedom (1974)
- For Folk Sake (1975)
- Live in New York (1979)
- Fields of Athenry (1982)
- Song for Ireland (1987)
- My Last Farewell (1988)
- Green & Gold (1989)
- Waltzing for Dreamers (1990)
- A Song for Ireland - The Very Best of the Barleycorn 2007 Dolphin DOL3CD 04