Barley Bree

{{Short description|Northern Irish-Canadian band}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Barley Bree | image = | image_size = | landscape =  | alt = | caption = | alias = | origin = [[Northern Ireland]] | genre = | years_active = 1973–1995 | label =[[Shanachie Records]] | website =  | current_members = Tom Sweeney Jimmy Sweeney P.V. O'Donnell Brian Doherty Seamus O'Hagan Nicky Bryson | past_members = }}

'''Barley Bree''' was a [[Northern Irish]]-[[Canada|Canadian]] band active from 1973 to 1995. It was formed in Northern Ireland in 1973, by Nicky Bryson, [[Buncrana]] fiddler P.V. O'Donnell, Seamus O'Hagan ([[Cookstown]]), and Jimmy Sweeney, a nephew of [[Tommy Makem]] and grandson of [[Traditional singer]] [[Sarah Makem]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Talented Sweeneys|url=http://www.cgim.org/sweeneyclan/misc/tomsweeney.html|website=Sweeney Clan}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Tommy Makem|first1=Barley Bree|title=I'll Tell Me Ma|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zXspcpsKHtw |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/zXspcpsKHtw |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|website=Youtube|accessdate=23 November 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In 1977, all except Bryson moved to [[Nova Scotia]]; Bryson was replaced by Tom Sweeney. In 1979, O'Hagan returned to Northern Ireland and the band continued on as a trio until 1995, when Tom Sweeney left to pursue a solo career.<ref>{{cite web|title=Barley Bree|url=http://www.theballadeers.com/noa/bb_01.htm|website=The Balladeers|accessdate=23 November 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Barley Bree|title=Ireland My Home|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwODMhTWT0E |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/xwODMhTWT0E |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|website=Youtube|accessdate=23 November 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Barley Bree|title=The Star of the County Down|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9k9-iOepDPk |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/9k9-iOepDPk |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|website=Youtube}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

Barley Bree widely toured [[North America]] and released eight successful albums.<ref>{{cite web |title=Barley Bree |url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/2439239-Barley-Bree |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=22 March 2022}}</ref> They also fronted a weekly television series called ''Barley Bree'' which lasted for two years. After breaking up, they reunited several times at the [[Milwaukee Irish Fest]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Various – Milwaukee Irish Fest Silver |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/9921778-Various-Milwaukee-Irish-Fest-Silver |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=22 March 2022}}</ref>

Barley Bree appeared with [[Tommy Makem]] and [[Cherish the Ladies]] on the 1992 CD and video, ''Tommy Makem and Friends in Concert''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Tommy Makem: Discography |url=http://clancybrothersandtommymakem.com/tm_d16a_and_friends.htm |website=clancybrothersandtommymakem.com |publisher=The Clancy Brothers & Tommy Makem |access-date=22 March 2022}}</ref>

Nova Scotia musician Brian Doherty (of Evans & Doherty)<ref>{{cite web |title=Who We Are |url=https://www.evansanddoherty.com/who-we-are/ |website=evansanddoherty.com |publisher=Evans & Doherty |access-date=22 March 2022}}</ref> joined the band as their recording bass player in 1985. In 2012, Kevin Evans, Doherty and Jimmy Sweeney released the album ''Sailing Ships And Sailing Men'',<ref>{{cite web |title=Evans & Doherty with Jimmy Sweeny – Sailing Ships And Sailing Men |url=https://www.discogs.com/release/15034510-Evans-Doherty-with-Jimmy-Sweeny-Sailing-Ships-And-Sailing-Men |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=22 March 2022}}</ref> a companion to a one-hour radio show they hosted on CBC’s Atlantic Airwaves.{{citation needed|date=March 2022}} Jimmy Sweeney still lives and performs in Nova Scotia.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jimmy Sweeney & Kevin Roach, Jan 2018 |url=https://www.oldtriangle.com/event/jimmy-sweeney-kevin-roach-31/ |website=oldtriangle.com |publisher=The Old Triangle Irish Alehouse |access-date=22 March 2022}}</ref> In 1998, he released the album ''Come Listen Awhile''.<ref>{{cite web |title=Jimmy Sweeny – Come Listen Awhile |url=https://www.discogs.com/master/1838893-Jimmy-Sweeny-Come-Listen-Awhile |website=discogs.com |publisher=Discogs |access-date=22 March 2022}}</ref>

P.V. O'Donnell settled in [[Manchester, Connecticut]], and worked as a fiddle instructor, played with the [[Hartford Symphony Orchestra]], recorded two albums and continued to perform and tour. He died of brain cancer on January 29, 2011.<ref>{{cite web |title=Patrick Vincent O'Donnell Obituary |url=https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/journalinquirer/name/patrick-o-donnell-obituary?id=20875555 |website=legacy.com |publisher=Legacy, The Journal Inquirer |access-date=22 March 2022}}</ref>

Tom Sweeney returned to [[Omagh]], [[Northern Ireland]], and carved out a successful career as a solo folk singer. He has released several albums including ''Daisy a Day'' and ''Poems of Ireland'', along with several very popular children's albums. In 1998, he was invited to the [[White House]] to perform for then President [[Bill Clinton]] at the annual [[Saint Patrick's Day|St.Patrick's day]] celebrations. To an audience which included [[John Hume]], [[David Trimble]] and [[Gerry Adams]], Tom performed a song he had written during the height of [[Northern Ireland]]'s [[The Troubles|troubles]] entitled "Anthem for the Children".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Sweeney|first1=Tom|title=Anthem for the Children|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQH28s2fxtE |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/NQH28s2fxtE |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|website=Youtube|accessdate=23 November 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

==Discography== {| class="wikitable" |Barley Bree |1982 |[[Dolphin Music|Dolphin Records]] |- |Barley Bree Live |1984 |Rego |- |Castles in the Air |1985 |[[Shanachie Records]] |- |No Man's Land |1986 |[[Shanachie Records]] |- |Speak Up for Old Ireland |1987 |[[Shanachie Records]] |- |Anthem for the Children |1992 |[[Shanachie Records]] |- |Love is Teasing |1993 |[[Shanachie Records]] |- |The Best of Barley Bree |1995 |[[Shanachie Records]] |}

==References== {{Reflist}}

[[Category:Folk music groups from Northern Ireland]] [[Category:Canadian folk music groups]]