Draft:De Barra's Folk Club


De Barra's Folk Club
Entrance to De Barra
LocationClonakilty, County Cork, Ireland
Coordinates51°37′23″N 8°53′20″W / 51.62292°N 8.88901°W / 51.62292; -8.88901
Openedearly 1980s[1]
Key peopleEileen Barry, Bobby Blackwell, Ray Blackwell[1]
Websitedebarra.ie

De Barra's Folk Club (or simply "De Barra") is a pub located in Clonakilty, County Cork, Ireland.

History

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A grocery store and bar existed in the same location since 1940s,[2] but the pub in its current form was re-established by Eileen Barry and Bobby Blackwell, descendants of a family of grocers,[3] in the early 1980s in the location of a former grocery store and bar which belonged to their parents.[2][4] It has continued to be a family business for three generations.[5][1]

The pub has several sections, including one for concerts, a section devoted to the Lusitania ship disaster, and a section with a collection of masks.[2] There is also a snug, that is a more private room which traditionally was used by women.[6] Additionally, instruments are displayed on walls throughout the venue.[6]

 
Mask display in De Barra pub in Clonakilty, Ireland

Significance

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One of the pub's rooms is an auditorium[4] which regularly serves as a venue for gigs, trad sessions,[7] performances, social and protest events,[8] and fund-raising initiatives.[9] As an example of a recurring event, many concerts of the annual Clonakilty International Guitar Festival take place there.[1]

The pub is associated with Music Watchtower, a recording studio and music agency established in 2007.[10]

Performers hosted in De Barra included Noel Redding (who got closely involved with the pub and played there for over 20 years),[2], Damien Rice, Thurston Moore, Mic Christopher, Lisa Hannigan, Bell X1, Andy Irvine, Glen Hansard, Valerie June, Picture This, George Ezra, Mick Hanly, Ralph McTell, Christy Moore, John Spillane, Sharon Shannon, The Bothy Band, Luka Bloom, Freddie White and others.[11][12][5][13][2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Byrne, Niall (13 September 2017). "I always think of De Barra's as a pocket of resistance". The Irish Times. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  2. ^ a b c d e O'Connor, Amy (21 March 2018). "Everyone is the same once they cross the threshold': The Clonakilty pub where Jimi Hendrix's bassist played". The Journal. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  3. ^ "Did many things". Southern Star. 13 March 1993.
  4. ^ a b "De Barra's". Irish Examiner. 4 October 2008.
  5. ^ a b "Running De Barras is music to my ears". Evening Echo. 19 August 2022.
  6. ^ a b "A pub lover's dream". Ireland.com. Retrieved 21 October 2024.
  7. ^ "Listings". Irish Independent. 26 November 2004.
  8. ^ Seeger, David (25 May 2024). "Helpless to the horror at our doorstep". Southern Star.
  9. ^ "Amnesty International Clonakilty Group Flag Days". Southern Star. 22 October 1986.
  10. ^ "Gig Guide". Evening Echo. 17 January 2008.
  11. ^ "More than one St Pat's treat". Evening Echo. 16 March 1998.
  12. ^ Dromey, Paul (5 September 2002). "Sweet tunes from top class musician". Evening Echo.
  13. ^ "Freddie back in town to end tour". Evening Echo. 7 November 2002.