Now living near Faversham in Kent, Barry’s music business who regularly drop into the house, including singer Brian Kennedy, who is with Van Morrison’s band and Ian Gillan of rockers Deep Purple.

It was during a singing session with Brian that Barry finally decided to sing for his supper. “I told him I’d like to make a record and he asked me what was stopping me. So I took the plunge.

“I can’t wait to get back to Ireland soon to play some shows. The Irish have always loved country music. And they’re prepared to give you a fair crack of the whip, no matter who you are.”

There is just one song he would prefer to forget. At the peak of his fame, a novelty record called Thank You Very Much Mr Eastwood raced up the Irish charts.

Released by comic Dermot Morgan of Father Ted fame, it took a dig at Barry and his then manager Barney Eastwood.

Barry wasn’t too pleased. “Now I can see the funny side of it. But what annoyed me back then was that Dermot was so good at mimicking my voice. People thought it was me on the record. It was all very embarrassing.”

He finally got his revenge this year when he and Morgan were on a TV chat show in London.

Nervous that Barry might still hold a grudge, Morgan requested a separate dressing room.

Says Barry: “I ran down the corridor screaming ’Where is he? Let me at him’. I burst into his dressing room and made to hit him. He ran to hide in a corner and covered his head with his hands!”