Welcome to the home page of the Irish Association of Barbershop singers. This web site is the central information point for IABS and here you will find everything you need to know about Barbershop singing in the Ireland.

Barbershop singing groups are to be found in various different locations around the country so if you would like to try the experience of close harmony singing please use these pages to locate a barbershop chorus or quartet in your area.

Our current membership is varied and consists of male choruses, female choruses and mixed choruses as well as both male and female quartets.

Barbershop music features old and new songs sung in a very distinctive 4 part harmony style. The songs range from modern pop and folk music to old style music hall numbers’ all given the unique barbershop treatment.!

Or more formally;

Barbershop music features songs with understandable lyrics and easily singable melodies, whose tones clearly define a tonal center and imply major and minor chords and barbershop (dominant and secondary dominant) seventh chords that resolve primarily around the circle of fifths, while making frequent use of other resolutions.

Barbershop music also features a balanced and symmetrical form, and a standard meter. The basic song and its harmonization are embellished by the arranger to provide appropriate support of the song's theme and to close the song effectively.