Barnbrack is a Northern Irish male vocal/instrumental
folk
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/
pop group, with band members Alex Quinn, Jimmy McPeake and Eoin McMahon. The word 'barnbrack' is a play on the
Anglicised Irish word "
Barmbrack
Barmbrack ( ga, bairín breac), also often shortened to brack, is a yeast bread with added sultanas and raisins. The bread is associated with Halloween in Ireland, where an item (often a ring) is placed inside the bread, with the person who rece ...
", a type of bread that contains fruit. Barnbrack separated in 2003, after the premature death of Quinn's wife, Deirdre, aged 55.
While Barnbrack have had many popular songs, such as "The Fly" and the "Unicorn Song", the band's only noted
chart success was with a
single called "Belfast", written by
Lisburn-born man and band member Alex Quinn. The song described the feelings felt by an
expatriate
An expatriate (often shortened to expat) is a person who resides outside their native country. In common usage, the term often refers to educated professionals, skilled workers, or artists taking positions outside their home country, either ...
, who is planning to return to
Ulster
Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United Kin ...
and the city he left behind. The song was released on the Homespun
label
A label (as distinct from signage) is a piece of paper, plastic film, cloth, metal, or other material affixed to a container or product, on which is written or printed information or symbols about the product or item. Information printed ...
. It entered the
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
on 16 March 1985, and reached no. 45; it was in the chart for several weeks.
In 2009, the ''
Belfast Telegraph'' reported that, after six years apart, the former members of the band were planning a reunion. The band is now back together and is currently touring Northern Ireland.
References
British vocal groups
{{UK-pop-band-stub