Magic of De Barras Clonakilty makes it an ever-popular venue for music enthusiasts

NOBODY is quite sure when John Spillane began his residency in De Barra’s Folk Club in Clonakilty, West Cork.

The pub’s manager, Ray Blackwell, says it was about 10 years ago, while the singer himself, who remembers first playing the venue more than two decades ago, is also hazy.

“I had played once a month in MacCarthy’s bar in Baltimore for about six months in 1998, 1999 and when that finished, after a few successful gigs in De Barra’s I kind of drifted into a monthly situation, perhaps in 2001? I’m not sure.”