The Fureys and Davey Arthur

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The Fureys Brothers are the sons Ted and Nora Fureys. 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. The Fureys grew up in Ballyfermot, a suburb of Dublin, Ireland.

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Timeline

• 1966:
  • Finbar & Eddie relocate to Scotland and began appearing regularly in folk clubs …
• 1968:
  • Finbar & Eddie's first LP is released on the Waverley label — I Know Where I'm Going, with Paddie Bell.
  • Their 2nd, self-titled album is also released on the Transatlantic label.
• 1969:
  • The duo's 3rd LP, The Lonesome Boatman is released, also on Transatlantic.
  • The first album that contains the famous title tune.
  • Finbar & Eddie join the Clancy Brothers (Paddy, Tom, Liam & Bobby) on tour.
  • The duo also appear on the LP, The Clancy Brothers' Christmas — the first Clancys' first album without Tommy Makem.

• 1970:
  • Finbar & Eddie appear on their 2nd album with Clancys, Flowers In The Valley.
  • After about a year and a half, the Fureys leave the Clancys line-up.
• 1972:
  • The duo release two more albums, The Dawning of the Day & Four Green Fields.
• 1973:
  • The Buskers, Paul Furey, Davey Arthur & Brendan Leeson, release their first LP — The Life Of A Man.
  • During this same period, Ted Furey is touring with his youngest son, George.
• 1974:
  • The first "Irish Folk Festival" is held in Germany, featuring all of the Fureys in their various groups, as well as a family.
  • Bobby Clancy also appears at this 1^st Festival.
  • In addition, a double LP of the festival is released.
  • The Buskers release their 2nd, self-titled album. By now, George has joined the line-up.
  • Finbar & Eddie's next LP is released, A Dream In My Hand.
• 1975:
  • The second "Irish Folk Festival" is held in Germany.
  • Appearing this time are Ted Furey (with George) and the Buskers (without Brendan Leeson).
  • Another double LP of the festival is released.
  • Eddie and Finbar do not appear at the 2nd Festival — but do release another album, I Live Not Where I Love.
• 1976:
  • Eddie & Finbar release their final (double) LP, as a duo — The Farewell Album.
  • Record One is a studio recording, and Record Two is live, with Paul & George Furey and Davey Arthur.
  • During this period the Buskers are involved in a car crash, and Finbar and Eddie returned home.
  • Initially Finbar, Eddie, Paul and Davey form a group called "Tam Linn" and appear at the Cambridge Festival.
  • George eventually joins the group and they change the name to "the Furey Brothers and Davey Arthur".
• 1977:
  • The Furey Brothers and Davey Arthur release two albums, Emigrant and Morning On A Distant Shore on the Polydor label.
  • Based on the catalog numbers, these albums are released back to back. ^[1]
  • Emigrant features the Ralph McTell song, "Clare to Here" — the first of a long list of songs to be made popular by the group.
• 1978: Their 3rd album, Banshee, is released. Their only recording on the Irish label Dolphin.
• 1979:
  • The album The Green Fields Of France is released.
  • This is arguably the group's breakthrough LP — featuring Eric Bogle's title track.
  • The song spends 28 weeks in the Irish Charts, reaching number one.

• 1981:
  • The group releases their most successful single (worldwide), "When You Were Sweet Sixteen".
  • The song reaches #1 in the Irish Charts, #9 in Australia & #14 in the UK Charts.
• 1984:
  • Their album, Golden Days, makes the top 20 in the UK Charts.
• 1985:
  • The groups next album, At The End Of The Day, makes the top 40 in the UK Charts.

• 1990:
  • Finbar releases a solo album, Love Letters.
• 1992:
  • Davey Arthur leaves the group.
  • The Fureys release their first album without Davey, Winds Of Change.
• 1994:
  • The group releases their last album (to date) with Finbar, Claddagh Road.
  • Finbar Furey leaves the group to pursue a solo career.
  • Davey Arthur releases his first solo album, Celtic Side Saddle.
• 1996:
  • The Fureys release their first album without Finbar, May We All Someday Meet Again
• 1997:
  • Both Davey Arthur and Finbar Furey release solo albums.
  • Davey — Cut To The Chase, and Finbar — The Wind & The Rain.

• 2001:
  • The group releases The Fureys Sing Chaplin, an album of songs written by Charlie Chaplin.
  • This is the only album to feature Paul Furey singing lead vocals, on the song "Weeping Willows".
• 2002:
  • On June 17, Paul Furey passes away, suddenly and unexpectedly, after a brief illness, at the age of 54.
  • Finbar appears the Martin Scorsese film, The Gangs of New York.
• 2003:
  • Davey Arthur returns for the group's 25^th Anniversary Tour.
  • Finbar is also invited to take part, but declines. ^[1]
• 2008:
  • The Fureys and Davey a CD and DVD titled, 30 Years On.
  • A live performance recorded at Vicar Street, Dublin, to celebrate the band's 30^th Anniversary. ^[1]

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• Notes:
  1. Doing the math, The Fureys celebrate all their anniversaries basing the group's beginning in 1978
     • Yet their first 2-albums were released in 1977.
     • Either the albums are misdated, or perhaps the group didn't start performing until 1978 …