Biography (Courtesy of the Artist�s site, 2007)
The Fureys celebrated their 25th anniversary in 2003 with a series of concerts throughout Europe, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, the USA and Canada. They were reunited on these concerts with their lifetime friend and former member Davey Arthur.
Due to the huge success of their anniversary tour Davey has stayed on with the Fureys on a permanent basis and will be lads on this tour.
The oldest of the brothers, Eddie 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 supported the Clancys 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.
At this time George, Paul and Davey were also playing around Europe with their own band called the Buskers and in 1978 while playing in Denmark they heard that their two brothers had been involved in a road accident and immediately travelled to Germany to be with them. They then decided that they should all be playing together and this was the start of the Fureys and Davey Arthur.
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 Caf�, The Old Man, Steal Away, Her Father Didn't Like Me Anyway, Clare to Here and Leaving Nancy.
They 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 and they credit their musical ability to their parents, Ted and Nora, who were well known musicians themselves. They encouraged their sons to play music from a very early age and there was live traditional music in their house almost nightly. As the lads have been heard to say it was either pick up an instrument or pick up a shovel!
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 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'.