An obstacle confusion: the wonderful world of Barney McKenna

Barney McKenna, ???Banjo Barney from Donnycarney???, was one of the founder members of the Dubliners.

But he was also famous for another reason: he was capable of bringing any conversation to a sudden stop by uttering something so completely unexpected as to reduce everyone present to bemused silence.

An Obstacle Confusion is a collection of stories about Barney and his ???Barneyisms???.

It was compiled by the late Jim McCann, a former member of the Dubliners, and illustrated by Wendy Shea, a long-time friend of Barney.

These wonderful flights of fancy are must-reads for Dubliners fans, young and old. * The Dubliners were travelling through a wine-growing region in southern Germany and had stopped at a scenic restaurant with a wonderful view over the vine-covered hills and valleys.

They stood outside, gazing at the breathtaking, sun-dappled panorama, an occasional medieval castle peeking through the mist-shrouded trees, and basked in the beauty of the idyllic scene.

Barney eventually broke the reverential silence. ???Jaysus,??? he said, ???there???s a fair few hangovers growin??? up there.???