Thurs.17th Jan. 2013 – National Concert Hall

www.nch.ie

Finbar Furey the former front-man of The Fureys and a legend of Irish Folk music makes a welcome return to Dublin  performing at the National Concert Hall on Thursday, 17th January 2013. Tickets are on sale now.

One of our greatest entertainers Finbar Furey will perform all of the songs that have made him a worldwide star including “Sweet Sixteen”, “
The Green Fields Of France”, “Her Father Didn’t Like Me Anyway”, “The Old Man”, “Steal Away”, “The Lonesome Boatman” and many more. It promises to be a magical night of songs & stories.

Finbar Furey was born in Dublin’s inner city, the Furey family were travelling people who settled in Claddagh Road, Ballyfermot. “I like people who had it tough growing up,” he says. “They know about life.” Finbar Furey started playing music at a young age and it wasn’t long before music totally dominated his life.
“Strangely enough, I can’t remember ever learning to play an instrument… As far back as I can remember I could play music. There were always instruments in the house. When we were kids, we had no TV, so we had to make our own entertainment. We’d just pick up the instruments and start to play and sing”

In the early 60’s, he started appearing with his brother Eddie, and his father, Ted, in O’Donoghue’s bar alongside Ronnie Drew who later went on to form The Dubliners. “It was the place bands went to play,” he says. “Ronnie would sing a few songs, my father would play the fiddle, I’d play the pipes and Eddie would play the guitar.” Eventually these informal sessions ensure that O’ Donoghue’s bar became part of Irish musical folklore.

For the next few years Finbar and Eddie Furey toured the Folk Clubs, Colleges and Universities throughout Britain and Europe, building up a large following for their haunting music. They became folk legends across the continent and introduced a whole new generation to the wonders of Irish music. Without realising it at the time, they also pioneered a pathway for many new wave Irish traditional and contemporary bands that were to follow.

From playing to audiences of a mere 200 people, The Fureys soon found themselves headlining concerts and playing to thousands of people on major European Tours, particularly in Germany. Indeed, Finbar and Eddie were instrumental in establishing Germany’s very first ” Irish Folk Festival Tour.” As their reputation spread wider, they consolidated their success in Canada and the USA, and took Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, France and Switzerland in their stride.

Before long, they were established as a household name throughout Australia and New Zealand. When the younger brothers Paul and George joined the fold, several years later, success and appeal remained as strong as it ever was.

With the success of their live concert appearances, it was inevitable The Fureys would soon reap their own reward and enjoy a string of best selling records all over the world. It happened with such gems as “ When You Were Sweet Sixteen”, “I Will Love You Every Time When We Are One”, “Leaving Nancy”,” Tara Hill”, “Green Fields Of France”,”Red Rose Café”, and “The Lonesome Boatman”.

These were released alongside such albums as “Sweet Sixteen”,”Golden Days”, “The End Of The Day”, “Claddagh Road” and “Winds Of Change”. In Britain they become one of the first Irish folk groups to perform on TOP OF THE POPS.

In 1993, with The Fureys at the height of their international popularity and after nearly thirty years as the group’s front man, lead singer and driving force… Finbar Furey decided the time was right to take a break, for the time being at least. It was the ideal climate in which to go out on his own and pursue his solo career, to present his definitive one-man show and to explore new pastures as a singer, producer and writer.

Since making his decision to go solo, Finbar Furey’s reputation has increased with every performance. He has toured extensively bringing his rare talents to a world-wide stage and treating audiences to evenings of pure Irish magic, great music, good humour, and the charm and sparkling wit associated with one of Ireland’s great raconteurs.

Finbar Furey the former front-man of The Fureys and a legend of Irish Folk music makes a welcome return to the National Concert Hall on Thursday, 17th January 2013. Tickets are on sale now.

For more information you can log onto www.nch.ie