The Fureys professional musical career began in the mid-sixties as the duo of "Eddie & Finbar Furey", the eldest of Ted and Nora Fureys four sons. Ted Furey, a fiddler and singer, was a very well known figure on the folk, and their mother Nora, was an accomplished a singer, accordion and banjo player. Early on Eddie and Finbar went to Scotland and established a reputation for themselves, which led to a recording contract on the Transatlantic label. It was in Scotland that Finbar became very good friends with Roy Williamson (of the Corries); he taught Roy to play the flute and Roy was best man at Finbar's wedding. As the sixties came to a close, Eddie and Finbar augmented the Clancy Brothers line up (after the departure of Tommy Makem), joining their 1969 American tour and playing (although not credited) on the groups last two Columbia releases.


The 1970s saw Eddie and Finbar performing all across Europe, achieving popularity, second only to Dubliners, in Germany. During this same period, Ted Furey was touring with his youngest son George, while Paul formed “The Buskers” with Davey Arthur and Brendan Leeson. In 1974 the first “Irish Folk Festival” (released as a double LP) was held in Germany, featuring all of the Fureys in their various groups, as well as a family.

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… more to come.