The Fureys and Davey Arthur have recorded over 50 albums between them and have earned international recognition by bringing Irish folk music to a worldwide audience. Many of the songs performed in this rare concert have been composed especially for them. This memorable performance, which includes a vast array of their many hit records, was recorded earlier this year at Vicar Street, and includes highlights from careers which have spanned over thirty years.
Background Information
The Fureys were formed in 1978 literally by accident. George, Paul and Davey were playing in Denmark with their own band called the Buskers and Eddie and Finbar, while touring in Germany were involved in a road accident. When George, Paul and Davey got news of the accident they immediately travelled to Germany to be with their brothers. They then decided that they should all be playing together and this was the start of the Fureys and Davey Arthur.
Inevitably changes have occurred over 30 years. Their brother Paul died suddenly in June 2002 and Finbar left the band in December 1996, however George, Eddie and Davey Arthur have continued to delight audiences on their tours and have been releasing a new CD every year. They will be touring in 2008 with two superb musicians – Luke Crowley and Dominic Leech.
The oldest of the brothers, Eddie Furey left home in 1966 and travelled to Scotland at the time of the great folk revival where he met and shared accommodation in Edinburgh with then unknown folk singers Billy Connolly, Gerry Rafferty and Alex Campbell, now all famous in their own right. In 1969 with his brother Finbar, he was the special guest for the Clancys Brothers and Tommy Makem throughout the USA and Canada. In 1971 he moved to mainland Europe where he toured for seven years with Finbar, building up a huge following particularly in Germany. Dave Stewart from the Eurythmics has credited Eddie as teaching him his first chords on guitar when they met up in the North East of England while Dave was still a teenager.
The band became an instant success and had a string of hits including When you were Sweet Sixteen, The Green Fields of France, Red Rose Café, The Old Man, Steal Away, Her Father Didn’t Like Me Anyway, Clare to Here and Leaving Nancy.
The Fureys & Davey Arthur are responsible for some of the most stirring music ever to capture the public imagination. Their folk based music has received standing ovations in some of the biggest concert halls of the world.
Over the years some of their greatest admirers have ranged from the neighbours they grew up with in Ballyfermot to the top sports people and politicians of the world and have performed for leaders such as then Australian Prime Minister John Howard, Irish President Mary McAleese and Pope John Paul. British Prime Minister Tony Blair has stated that his favourite peace song of all time is the Fureys “Green Fields of France”.