Folk icon Finbar Furey set for welcome return

Arts Week with Judy Murphy

Irish folk legend Finbar Furey will be in concert in Galway’s Black Box Theatre, on Saturday, May 12, as part of an Irish and UK tour.  It’s to celebrate the release of his album and live DVD, Don’t Stop This Now, which will be launched in Britain on Friday next, March 30 on the BMG UK label.

The album has already received a four-star review from MOJO Magazine, and last week Finbar featured on Cerys Mathews BBC6 Music show, The Sunday Roast, reaching a new, younger audience.

Don’t Stop This Now was originally released in Ireland as Paddy Dear and has been repackaged to include new tracks, and a live concert DVD filmed at Dublin’s Vicar St last May, where Finbar performed new material from the album, as well as hit songs linked with his name, such as When You Were Sweet Sixteen, The Lonesome Boatman and The Green Fields of France.

Finbar, a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, storyteller and actor, is a folk icon, with Shane MacGowan of the Pogues describing him as “a massive force in Irish music’s heritage . . . shaping its future as well”.

As far back as 1972, his talent was recognised by BBC DJ John Peel, when Finbar and his brother Eddie were awarded Single of The Year in the UK for the original sound of the uilleann pipes and the whistles.

At the forefront of musical change over five decades, Finbar’s successful career and extensive touring has introduced a whole new audience to his music and instruments, and he played a major role in helping the uilleann pipes become more accessible to young musicians. He spent four decades as lead singer and piper with the Fureys before leaving to embark on a solo career.

For more, read this week’s Connacht Tribune.