The Fureys

The Fureys

Finbar & Eddie Furey, Musikhalle, Hamburg, in October 1974
Background information
Also known as The Fureys and Davey Arthur, The Furey Brothers, The Furey Family
Origin Dublin, Ireland
Genres Folk music
Years active 1974–present
Associated acts Finbar Furey, Davey Arthur, The Clancy Brothers
Website The Fureys.com
Members Eddie Furey
George Furey
Davey Arthur
Camillus Hiney
Aidan Guilfoyle
Past members Finbar Furey
Paul Furey (deceased)
Dominic Leech

The Fureys are an Irish male folk band originally formed in 1976. The group consisted initially of four brothers who grew up in Ballyfermot, Dublin. Eddie, Finbar, Paul and George Furey are of Irish Traveller heritage.[1] Two of the band's singles have been number one hits in Ireland, and two of their albums charted in the United Kingdom. They have also been credited as The Fureys and Davey Arthur.

History

Background

Prior to the band's formation, two of the brothers toured as a duo known simply by their names as Eddie and Finbar Furey. For a while in 1969–1970, the duo performed with The Clancy Brothers and appeared on two of the Irish folk group's albums. The second of these albums contained two songs composed by the Fureys, "Flowers in the Valley" and "Jennifer Gentle". In the meanwhile, their brother Paul Furey had, together with Davey Arthur and Brendan Leeson, formed a band called The Buskers. Eddie and Finbar and the Buskers appeared together in Germany at the "Irish Folk Festival" in 1974, where they performed as The Furey Brothers. The Buskers, now with the addition of George Furey, appeared there again a year later as The Furey Family, when they were joined by their father Ted, a renowned traditional fiddler, who was 73 at that time. Ted Furey had recorded a solo fiddle album Toss the Feathers released by the Outlet label in 1967.[2]

Band

Finbar, Eddie, and Paul Furey formed a folk group called Tam Linn in 1976 with Davey Arthur. When their brother George joined them later that year, the band changed its name to The Furey Brothers and Davey Arthur. They eventually simplified their name to The Fureys and Davey Arthur (and just The Fureys when Arthur did not perform with them).

In 1981, The Fureys released their most successful single "When You Were Sweet Sixteen", becoming a worldwide hit, reaching #14 on the UK Singles Chart,[3] #1 on the Irish Singles Chart and #9 on the Australian Singles Chart.[4] "The Green Fields of France" also gave them an Irish #1, remaining in the single charts for twenty eight weeks. They also had two Top 40 British albums called Golden Days and At the End of the Day.[5]

Other notable songs include "Gallipoli", "The Red Rose Cafe", and "Steal Away". As of January 2008, the band is still recording and touring. In 2008 the band celebrated their 30th anniversary.

Finbar left the band to begin his own solo career; Eddie, George, and Davey Arthur continues to great success. Every year they perform throughout Ireland, the UK and the continent. http://www.thefureys.com/concerts Paul Furey died suddenly in June 2002.[6]

All four of the brothers married and had children. Finbar's son, Martin Furey, is a folk singer and musician with The High Kings. George's son Anthony is the singer with the Young Folk.

Discography

Ted Furey and Brendan Byrne

Eddie and Finbar Furey

The Clancy Brothers (with Finbar and Eddie Furey)

Finbar Furey

Ted Furey

The Buskers

The Fureys and Bob Stewart

The Furey Family

The Fureys and Davey Arthur

The Fureys

References

  1. ↑ O'Callaghan, Miriam (18 March 2010). "Miriam Meets......Finbar and Martin Furey" (podcast). RTÉ. pp. 11:40 – 11:50. Retrieved 29 December 2012. [M O'C]..and they [parents] were originally Travellers? [FF] Oh yeah...that's our background, yeah...
  2. ↑ OCLC record 31905018 viewed on 27 July 2010.
  3. ↑ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 217. ISBN 1-904994-10-5.
  4. ↑ Steffen Hung. "Forum - One Hit Wonders (General: Music/Charts related)". australian-charts.com. Retrieved 2012-05-14.
  5. ↑ Everyhit.com
  6. ↑ "Fureys & Davey Arthur for Ballinasloe show". Galway City Tribune. 1 July 2011. Retrieved 29 December 2012.
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