Songbirds: Margaret Barry

Street singer Margaret Barry on stage in America

In 2005 we were very grateful that RTE (Irish National Television) took our 6 part TV series Songbirds the First Ladies of Irish Song and broadcast it. (A synopsis is available here.)

I narrated and co-produced, Tom edited and co-produced and a friend, Jimmy Hayden directed.   It was our first time attempting a TV documentary and it was an amazing experience.  Last year a small satellite station also showed the series in the UK - only viewers with Sky TV could see it though.

So I wanted to share it with everyone now - the first episode is available free through You Tube and is also on my website.


This is the first episode featuring Margaret Barry.   She was a street singer who became a big part of the British Folk Revival in the 1960s, is honoured in the Smithsonian FolkLife Museum and played concerts with Bob Dylan and Joan Baez.   Not the prettiest of singers, but she was an incredibly well loved character who was a wonderfully interesting subject to research and to document.





The next 5 episodes will come online in the coming weeks and I'll give you a notice of it here on my blog as they come up.

Margaret Barry at home in Laurencetown mid 70s

I hope you get a chance to watch - it'd be great to hear your comments.

This blog is Day 16 of Sarah Allen's 30 day blog challenge