An Obstacle Confusion
The Wonderful World of Barney McKenna
Published on 30. September 2025
Book
Hardback
200 pages
978-1-912589-43-2 (ISBN)
Description
Barney McKenna - "Banjo Barney from Donnycarney" - was one of the founder-members of the Dubliners, the world-famous Irish folk musicians and singers who in 2002 celebrated forty years on the road as a band. For Dubliners fans, Barney's name immediately conjures up the image of the burly, bearded banjo genius who
dazzled the audience with his virtuosity while charming them with his folksy, no-nonsense personality. However, Barney was also well known for another reason: he was capable of bringing any conversation to a sudden stop by uttering something so completely unexpected, and at the same time so incomprehensible, as to reduce
everyone present to a bemused silence. These surreal verbal gems, collected in this book, have become known simply as "Barneyisms".
dazzled the audience with his virtuosity while charming them with his folksy, no-nonsense personality. However, Barney was also well known for another reason: he was capable of bringing any conversation to a sudden stop by uttering something so completely unexpected, and at the same time so incomprehensible, as to reduce
everyone present to a bemused silence. These surreal verbal gems, collected in this book, have become known simply as "Barneyisms".
More details
Persons
Jim McCann was a member of the Dubliners between 1974 to 1979, before embarking on a successful solo career. He returned to the Dubliners for their 2002 reunion tour, and collected "Barneyisms" when the band were on tour. He passed away in March 2015. Wendy Shea, a long-time friend of Barney McKenna, studied at the National College of Art and has worked for the Sunday
Independent, Irish Independent, Irish Press, Sunday Tribune and Irish Times. Wendy also worked on Richard's Cork Leg, which featured the Dubliners and toured widely, before transferring to the Royal Court Theatre in London.
Independent, Irish Independent, Irish Press, Sunday Tribune and Irish Times. Wendy also worked on Richard's Cork Leg, which featured the Dubliners and toured widely, before transferring to the Royal Court Theatre in London.