Dave Robinson has been involved in folk music generally for over 40 years, 19 years of which he produced and presented a folk programme on local radio. He was organiser of the Swansea Folk Club until its closure in 1989. He is also a festival organiser and was elected chairman of the Pontardawe Festival for the year 1983.
Shanties and sea songs have formed his main repertoire over the years. His interests centre on Swansea’s maritime history and he has taken to writing songs relating to the city’s maritime past.

Dave was asked to provide a shanty group to sing at the Welsh Boat Show in Swansea back in the mid-eighties. From that appearance, his former shanty group, Motley Crew materialised in 1988. After appearing at The Garden Festival Wales in 1991 and at the Cutty Sark Tall Ships Race in Milford Haven the group disbanded in 1992. Dave rallied round shanty enthusiasts in 1994 to sing at the 2nd Welsh Boat Show-this time in Milford Haven. And lo! Baggyrinkle was born.

Dave actually sailed on the Dar Mlodziezy and whilst on board, he organised a shanty concert for the captain and officers, having ‘shanghaied’ the passengers to entertain the Polish crew.  Dave has formed a junior shanty group, “The Nipper Jacks”. They are drawn from the local junior school and he coaches them specially to perform at the city’s maritime festival.

Wearing yet another hat, Dave is employed by the Maritime & Industrial Museum’s education service in conducting ‘Shanty Workshops For Schools.’  He is currently involved in the City of Swansea’s Maritime & Shanty Festival and The Mumbles Maritime Festival as Artistic Director.  Dave also writes the folk column in “What’s On, Outlook”, the bi-monthly leisure magazine for the City of Swansea.

Having now retired as an active member of Baggyrinkle, Dave retains the title- Admiral!

He lives on Swansea marina and is often seen walking around the harbour, being  instantly recognisable in his Breton cap.