The Fureys & Davey Arthur confirmed for Danny Boy Festival

THE Fureys & Davey Arthur who celebrated their 30th anniversary in 2008 with the release of a live DVD / CD and worldwide tour, will be performing at the Danny Boy Festival in the Radisson Hotel, Limavady on Sunday 9 May 2010.

The band were formed in 1978 literally by accident. George, Paul and Davey were playing in Denmark with their own band called the Buskers and Eddie and Finbar, while touring in Germany were involved in a road accident. When George, Paul and Davey got news of the accident they immediately travelled to Germany to be with their brothers. They then decided that they should all be playing together and this was the start of the Fureys and Davey Arthur.

Inevitably changes have occurred over 30 years. Their brother Paul died suddenly in June 2002 and Finbar left the band in December 1996, however George, Eddie and Davey Arthur have continued to delight audiences on their tours and have been releasing a new CD every year. They toured in 2009 with two superb musicians - Luke Crowley and Dominic Leech.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The oldest of the brothers, Eddie Furey 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 was the special guest for the Clancys Brothers 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. Dave Stewart from the Eurythmics has credited Eddie as teaching him his first chords on guitar when they met up in the North East of England while Dave was still a teenager.

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.

The Fureys & Davey Arthur 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.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

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 former Australian Prime Minister John Howard, Irish President Mary McAleese and Pope John Paul. Tony Blair has publicly stated that his favourite peace song of all time is the Fureys 'Green Fields of France'.

For more information on the band please see www.thefureys.com . Further details, information on tickets and information are available on our website www.limavady.gov.uk or contact the Culture, Arts & Tourism Department on 028 777 60304. Please note, tickets are not available yet but the press will be notified when they are ready to be purchased. Tickets will be 10 each.

Related topics: