Barry McCormack on The Clancy Brothers, Planxty and The Dubliners

“When I was with [previous band] Jubilee Allstars, I was really drawn to American roots music – its storytelling elements – and I think it was a natural progression for me to go back and look at Irish roots music. Like, listening to Planxty is the same as, in America, listening to Townes Van Zandt. So for me it was kind of about going back and saying, These are our people, and our stories.
“With The Clancy Brothers, it was kinda a revelation, ’cos you think… you know, Aran sweaters and everything. I picked up an album of theirs in a charity shop, and when I got it home I realised that they’re really smart, clued-in guys. It was a live album, from 1961, and what they say between songs is really quite witty, and sharp, for the time. And they were raconteurs and performers first, rather than singers, which I think is the same as the Dubliners: they came much more from an acting background.
“For example, there’s a Planxty song called ‘The Pursuit Of Farmer Michael Hayes’ that just totally blew me away. It’s a traditional song, and kind of a road song, about a guy who kills his landlord – you know, not today, but in the time of landlords – and basically he goes to nearly every town in Ireland being chased by the English… but if you listen to it, it isn’t political in any way. It’s more about someone feeling an injustice, because he’s just been evicted. And when you add the music to it, it’s phenomenal. It really blew me away, hearing things like that.
“I think our generation were brought up with a bit of a ‘corporate Celtic’ thing, of Riverdance and everything – whereas, for example, The Dubliners were just a really amazing, cutting-edge band, with two amazing performers, singing amazing songs, written by poets. Really classic stuff that, when you go back and listen to it – particularly, for me, Luke Kelly’s ballads – it sends shivers down your spine. And it was real, there was nothing watered down about it. There’s nothing watered down about Ronnie Drew’s voice. And they were on Top Of The Pops, you know, it wasn’t just an Irish thing. Like: Tom Waits has never been on Top Of The Pops.
“But yeah, I think it’s understandable that our generation has been a bit wary up to now of things that say, This is Irish. But I think we’re kind of ready for it now.”