Barra McAllister

Barra was born in Portmarnock Co. Dublin in 1982, after attending school there, he Studied traditional music performance while on the ceoltoir course. He also studied sound, arrangement,music technology, and composition. During the course of his school life Barra was taught the tin whistle by piper Tommy Martin and moved onto the flute aged 14.From then on he was taught by Majella O' Byrne and hasn't looked back since.

Barra has won numerous competitions throughout his life including county, provincial and all Ireland titles in both solo, ceili band and group, and has also toured England, Scotland, and the United States with Ceoltas Ceoltoiri Eireann. He also teaches/taught Flute, tin whistle, ceilidh bands and groups for Cluain Tarbh.At 17 Barra moved to Co. Clare where he formed a band called Bruadar with piper Micheal O' Connell, and Banjo/ guitar/piano player Karol Lynch.The band recorded and toured the album, but the call of his hometown was too much to ignore and he returned to Dublin at the age of 19.

He is the musical director of the Clasac touring Irish dance group, and travels to many C.I.O.F.F sponsered festivals working in France and China with the group this year alone.

Barra has travelled extensively with many other performers and bands including Electric Ceili (Brossela festival,Brussels) and Trostan (Vjylandi folk festival, Estonia). He also plays with singer Damien Dempsey, supporting Bob Dylan in Pearce stadium Galway, among other concerts. On the more experimental front, he plays in house music band Discoteca with Keith O' Reilly (DJ) and Giovanni Viscardi (Percussion) in the Village. Barra currently works as a session musician in Irelandand is currently working on his first album with long time collaborator and partner in crime Andy leighton.(see below!)