Date of Birth: 12th October 1937

Place of Birth: Duncormick, Co. Wexford

Date Interviewed: 8th September 2008

Summary: Paddy Berry was the second of 9 children and grew up in Duncormick. He usually walked the 3 miles to Duncormick school. His father was a cattle dealer. After school Paddy would help with farm work – ploughing, sowing and feeding livestock. Paddy regularly drove cattle miles to the Fair and remembers the hard work involved and the long days when his feet would be “dropping off him with the cold”. Threshing was a big event and afterwards songs would be sung. He became very interested in music, acquired a saxophone and joined the Supreme Seven showband. Paddy sang at Fleadhs and in 1982 published his first collection of songs. As an archivist he has built up an extensive collection of Irish music.