Traditional Irish Music | Original Irish Songs | Both Barrels Irish Band

Jim Farrell was born in 1966 in Halifax, West Yorkshire the youngest of four children and the only son of Jim and Theresa Farrell. His father originally came from Glenmalure in Wicklow.

A relative, Matt Farrell was shot in the massacre at Dunlavin Green. Another one married the brother of Irish rebel, Michael Dwyer who was from the Glen of Immal, next to Glenmalure.

Here, Jim's grandfather and grandmother were farmers. However, Jim's grandmother died shortly after his father's birth. His grandfather was ill with consumption at the time so they all moved with his great grandmother to Dublin.

Jim's father lived around Crocke Park, but moved around the city regularly in his childhood. In his mid-twenties he met Theresa Byrne at a dance. She was from the domaine of Killester and they were married in Killester church. They returned to Wicklow to live with some relatives around Valleymount after spending some time in Dublin with Theresa's parents. The search for accommodation in those days was very difficult. Jim's dad went to the corporation to find a house. He was told to come back later when he had a child. He did this on the birth of his first daughter, Patricia, and was told to return again when he had two children. Winnie was then born. It was time for drastic action. He had a job as a conductor on the Dublin buses and received characters such as Bang Bang.

One weekend, Jim's dad went out for a pint and returned one week later having been in Liverpool seeking work. He left Theresa and the kids on his way to Liverpool and from there Halifax finding work and sending money home. When there was enough, Theresa brought the children over on the cattle boat. They settled in Halifax and worked in the mills. Then their third daughter, Margaret was born, and then Jim. Jim's mother would sing constantly at home, as would his father, particularly at weddings. This gave him in keen interest in Irish music and ballads.

Jim's relation, Michael Dwyer, although deported of being a rebel, settled in Australia and eventually became Chief of Police in Sydney. Unfortunately he lost the job after several drunken brawls. Nevertheless, they still built a large monument to commemorate him!

Peter Lane is second generation Irish. The third of four children to Danny and Gertie Lane, he was born in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire in 1961.

Peter's father, a Kerryman from Kilcummin, Killarney, left Ireland in the 50's to find work in England and arrived in the midlands where he met and eventually married Gertie Kelly from Manorhamilton, Co. Leitrim, who had travelled to England to work in nursing. Danny and Gertie settled to raise their family in Weston under Wetherby, a village on the outskirts of Leamington Spa.

Peter's surname should in fact be Leane, as this is his father's correct name. However, the surname on his father's birth certificate was spelt incorrectly and Peter's father, on reaching England decided that it was more bother than it was worth to change it back to the original, and so it transpired that not only is Peter second generation Irish, but second generation "Lane" too! (although he actually prefers Leane).

Peter played in a couple of rock bands in the Midlands after leaving school, with limited success but his involvement in bands was cut short when he moved to London after qualifying as a psychiatric nurse. During his three years in London, Peter met his wife, Maggie, and in 1988, mainly due to the cost of living in the capital, moved north settling in the town of Halifax, West Yorkshire where they still live with their four children and two goldfish.

Whist holding down a full-time job in nursing, Peter continues to write, record and perform regularly with Jim Farrell, better known as Both Barrels.