Enjoy an afternoon of entertainment from the Barry family, accomplished local musicians who play a range of instruments from the banjo and bodhran to bouzouki and guitar.

The Barry family are often introduced with reference to their musical grandmother; Margaret Barry, known through folklore as ‘Maggie, Queen of the Gypsies’. Margaret, although now deceased and buried in Laurencetown is well known across the UK and Ireland as she featured in a number of television programmes and documentaries over the years.

A talented lady indeed, Margaret taught herself how to play the zither banjo and the fiddle at a young age. It proved a profitable exercise because at the age of 16, after a family disagreement, she left home and started performing as a street musician, surviving on the income.Margaret went on to sing at fairs up and down the country and was a regular fixture outside Newry market, but she also spread her wings, moving to London where she became a well known face in the pubs and clubs of the ‘Irish’ scene during the fifties. Barry’s singing and banjo playing went on to become a main influence among the younger generation of ballad singers in Ireland and UK.

Venue: Millennium Court Arts Centre, William Street, Portadown

Admission is free but booking is essential. Book your space by clicking 'Register' on this event.

For more information on workshops contact Hazel Boland Email: hazel@millenniumcourt.org or call 028 3835 0935