The Dubliners () were an

Irish folk Irish traditional music (also known as Irish trad, Irish folk music, and other variants) is a genre of folk music that developed in Ireland. In ''A History of Irish Music'' (1905), W. H. Grattan Flood wrote that, in Gaelic Ireland, there we ...

band founded in

Dublin Dublin is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Situated on Dublin Bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, and is bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, pa ...

in 1962 as The Ronnie Drew Ballad Group, named after its founding member; they subsequently renamed themselves The Dubliners. The line-up saw many changes in personnel over their fifty-year career, but the group's success was centred on lead singers

Luke Kelly Luke Kelly (17 November 1940 – 30 January 1984) was an Irish singer, folk musician and actor from Dublin, Ireland. Born into a working-class household in Dublin city, Kelly moved to England in his late teens and by his early 20s had become ...

and

Ronnie Drew Joseph Ronald Drew (16 September 1934 – 16 August 2008) was an Irish singer, folk musician and actor who had a fifty-year career recording with The Dubliners. He sang lead vocals on the singles "Seven Drunken Nights" and " The Irish Rover", ...

. The band garnered international success with their lively Irish folk songs, traditional street ballads and instrumentals. The band were regulars on the folk scenes in both Dublin and London in the early 1960s. They were signed to the Major Minor label in 1965 after backing from

Dominic Behan Dominic Behan ( ; ; 22 October 1928 – 3 August 1989) was an Irish writer, songwriter and singer from Dublin who wrote in Irish and English. He was a socialist and an Irish republican. Born into the literary Behan family, he was one of the mo ...

who was paid by the label to work with the group and help them to build a better act fit for larger concert hall venues. The Dubliners worked with Behan regularly between 1965 and 1966; Behan wrote numerous songs for this act, including the song "

McAlpine's Fusiliers Alwen Dam in North Wales is only a few miles from where the song's protagonists landed, and was built by Sir Robert McAlpine's company "McAlpine's Fusiliers" is an Irish ballad, set to a traditional air, which was popularised in the early 1960s ...

" created specifically to showcase Ronnie Drew's gravel voice. They went on to receive extensive airplay on

Radio Caroline Radio Caroline is a British radio station founded in 1964 by Ronan O'Rahilly and Allan Crawford, initially to circumvent the record companies' control of popular music broadcasting in the United Kingdom and the BBC's radio broadcasting monopol ...

, which was part-owned by Phil Solomon CEO of Major Minor, and eventually appeared on ''

Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British record chart television programme, made by the BBC and broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show. For most of its histo ...

'' in 1967 with hits "

Seven Drunken Nights "Seven Drunken Nights" is a humorous Irish folk song most famously performed by The Dubliners. It is a variation of the English/Scottish folk song " Our Goodman" ( Child 274, Roud 114). It tells the story of a gullible drunkard returning nigh ...

" (which sold over 250,000 copies in the UK) and "

The Black Velvet Band "The Black Velvet Band" ( Roud number 2146) is a traditional folk song collected from singers in Ireland describing how a young man is tricked and then sentenced to transportation to Australia, a common punishment in the British Empire during th ...

". Often performing political songs considered controversial at the time, they drew criticism from some folk purists. Ireland's national broadcaster

RTÉ (; ; RTÉThe É in RTÉ is pronounced as an English E () and not an Irish É ()) is an Irish public service broadcaster. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on television, radio and online. The radio service began on 1 January 1926, ...

placed an unofficial ban on their music from 1967 to 1971. During this time the band's popularity began to spread across mainland Europe and they appeared on ''

The Ed Sullivan Show ''The Ed Sullivan Show'' is an American television variety show that ran on CBS from June 20, 1948, to March 28, 1971, and was hosted by New York City, New York entertainment columnist Ed Sullivan. It was replaced in September 1971 by the ''CB ...

'' in the United States. The group's success remained steady right through the 1970s and a number of collaborations with

The Pogues The Pogues are an English Celtic punk band founded in King's Cross, London, in 1982, by Shane MacGowan, Spider Stacy and Jem Finer. Originally named Pogue Mahone—an anglicisation of the Irish language, Irish phrase :wikt:póg mo thóin, ''p� ...

in 1987 saw them enter the UK Singles Chart on another two occasions. The Dubliners were instrumental in popularising Irish folk music in Europe. They influenced many generations of Irish bands and their legacy can to this day be heard in the music of artists such as The Pogues,

Dropkick Murphys Dropkick Murphys are an American Celtic punk band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts in 1996. The current lineup consists of co-lead vocalist and bassist Ken Casey, drummer Matt Kelly, co-lead vocalist Al Barr (on hiatus from the band since 202 ...

and

Flogging Molly Flogging Molly is an Irish-American seven-piece Celtic punk band formed in Los Angeles in 1997, led by Irish vocalist Dave King, formerly of the hard rock band Fastway. They are signed to their own record label, Borstal Beat Records. Histor ...

. Much adored in their native country, covers of Irish ballads by Ronnie Drew and Luke Kelly tend to be regarded as definitive versions. One of the most influential Irish acts of the 20th century, they celebrated 50 years together in 2012, making them Ireland's longest-surviving musical act. Also in 2012, the

BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards The BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards celebrate outstanding achievement during the previous year within the field of folk music, with the aim of raising the profile of folk and acoustic music. The awards have been given annually since 2000 by British rad ...

bestowed them with a Lifetime Achievement Award. The Dubliners announced their retirement in the autumn of 2012, after 50 years of performing, following the death of the last living original member

Barney McKenna Bernard Noël "Banjo Barney" McKenna (16 December 1939 – 5 April 2012) was an Irish musician and a founding member of The Dubliners. He played the tenor banjo, violin, mandolin, and melodeon. He was most renowned as a banjo player. Biograp ...

. However, some members of the group continued touring under the name of The Dublin Legends. As of 2024, Sean Cannon is the only remaining member of the Dubliners in that group, following the retirement of Patsy Watchorn in 2014 and the death of Eamonn Campbell in 2017.

Formation and history

Origins

The Dubliners, initially known as "The Ronnie Drew Ballad Group", formed in 1962 and made a name for themselves playing regularly in

O'Donoghue's Pub O’Donoghue’s Pub (also known as O'Donoghue's Bar) is a historically significant drinking establishment located at 15 Merrion Row, Dublin 2, Ireland—near St. Stephen's Green on Dublin’s south side. Built in 1789 as a grocery store, i ...

in Dublin. The change of name came about because of

's unhappiness with it, together with the fact that

was reading ''

Dubliners ''Dubliners'' is a collection of fifteen short stories by James Joyce, first published in 1914. It presents a naturalistic depiction of Irish middle class life in and around Dublin in the early years of the 20th century. The stories were writ ...

'' by

James Joyce James Augustine Aloysius Joyce (born James Augusta Joyce; 2 February 1882 – 13 January 1941) was an Irish novelist, poet, and literary critic. He contributed to the modernist avant-garde movement and is regarded as one of the most influentia ...

at the time. Founding members were Drew, Kelly,

Ciarán Bourke Ciarán Bourke (18 February 1935 – 10 May 1988) was an Irish musician and one of the original founding members of the Irish folk band The Dubliners. Early life Ciarán Bourke was born in Dublin on 18 February 1935, but lived most of his life ...

and

. Drew, McKenna and Thomas Whelan had originally teamed up for a fundraising concert and then went on to work in a revue with the Irish comedian John Molloy at the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin. They used to sing songs between acts. Before joining the Dubliners full-time, Kelly had spent some time playing at English folk clubs such as the Jug o'Punch in Birmingham, run by the folk singer Ian Campbell. The group played at the

Edinburgh Festival __NOTOC__ This is a list of Arts festival, arts and cultural festivals regularly taking place in Edinburgh, Scotland. The city has become known for its festivals since the establishment in 1947 of the Edinburgh International Festival and the ...

in 1963 and that led to them being featured on a

BBC The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is a British public service broadcaster headquartered at Broadcasting House in London, England. Originally established in 1922 as the British Broadcasting Company, it evolved into its current sta ...

programme called ''Hootenanny''. The extra exposure helped them to win a contract with Transatlantic Records, with whom they recorded their first album, called simply ''The Dubliners''. They also recorded their first single featuring "

Rocky Road to Dublin "Rocky Road to Dublin" is a 19th-century Irish song written by Irish poet D. K. Gavan about a man's experiences as he travels to Liverpool, England, from his home in Tuam, Ireland. Originally popularized by Harry Clifton, it has since been ...

" and "

The Wild Rover "The Wild Rover" (Roud Folk Song Index, Roud 1173) is a very popular and well-travelled Folk music, folk song. Many territories have laid claim to having the original version. History In the English Folk Song and Dance periodical "Folk Music Jou ...

Members of the group

Drew spent some time in Spain in his younger years where he learned to play

Flamenco guitar A flamenco guitar is a guitar similar to a classical guitar, but with lower action, thinner tops and less internal bracing. It usually has nylon strings, like the classical guitar, but it generally possesses a livelier, grittier sound compared ...

, and he accompanied his songs on a Spanish guitar. Drew left the band in 1974 to spend more time with his family, and was replaced by Jim McCann. He returned to The Dubliners five years later, but left the group again in 1995. Ronnie Drew died at St Vincent's Private Hospital in Dublin on 16 August 2008 after a long illness. Paddy Reilly took Drew's place in 1995. Some of Drew's most significant contributions to the band are the hit single "

", his rendition of "

Finnegan's Wake "Finnegan's Wake" ( Roud 1009) is an Irish-American comic folk ballad, first published in New York in 1864. Various 19th-century variety theatre performers, including Dan Bryant of Bryant's Minstrels, claimed authorship but a definitive account ...

", and "

". Luke Kelly was more of a balladeer than Drew, and he played chords on the five-string

banjo The banjo is a stringed instrument with a thin membrane stretched over a frame or cavity to form a resonator. The membrane is typically circular, and in modern forms is usually made of plastic, where early membranes were made of animal skin. ...

. Kelly sang many defining versions of traditional songs like "

", "

Whiskey in the Jar "Whiskey in the Jar" ( Roud 533) is an Irish traditional song set in the southern mountains of Ireland, often with specific mention of counties Cork and Kerry. The song, about a rapparee (highwayman) who is betrayed by his wife or lover, is ...

", "Home Boys Home"; but also

Phil Coulter Philip Coulter (born 19 February 1942) is an Irish musician, songwriter and record producer from Derry, Northern Ireland. He was awarded the Gold Badge from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors in October 2009. Coulter ha ...

's "

The Town I Loved So Well "The Town I Loved So Well" is a song written by Phil Coulter about his childhood in Derry, Northern Ireland. The first three verses are about the simple lifestyle he grew up with in Derry, while the final two deal with the Troubles, and lament ho ...

Ewan MacColl James Henry Miller (25 January 1915 – 22 October 1989), better known by his stage name Ewan MacColl, was a British folk singer-songwriter, folk song collector, labour activist and actor. Born in England to Scottish parents, he is known as o ...

's "

Dirty Old Town "Dirty Old Town" is a song written by Ewan MacColl in 1949 that was made popular by the Dubliners and the Pogues. History The song was written about Salford, then in Lancashire, England, the area where MacColl was born and brought up. It was ...

", "

", and " Raglan Road", written by the famous Irish poet

Patrick Kavanagh Patrick Kavanagh (21 October 1904 – 30 November 1967) was an Irish poet and novelist. His best-known works include the novel ''Tarry Flynn'', and the poems "On Raglan Road" and "The Great Hunger". He is known for his accounts of Irish life th ...

. In 1980, Luke Kelly was diagnosed with a brain tumour. Occasionally Kelly was too ill to sing though he was sometimes able to join the band for a few songs. While on tour in Germany he collapsed on stage. When Kelly was too ill to play, he was replaced by

Seán Cannon Seán Cannon (born 29 November 1940) is an Irish musician. Since 1982 he has been a guitarist for The Dubliners and their follow-up-band The Dublin Legends. Early life Seán Cannon was born in Galway, Ireland. He travelled around Europe at an e ...

. He continued to tour with the band until two months before his death. Kelly died on 30 January 1984. One of the last concerts in which he took part was recorded and released: ''Live in Carré'', recorded in Amsterdam, Netherlands, released in 1983. In November 2004, the Dublin city council voted unanimously to erect a bronze statue of Luke Kelly. Kelly is buried in Glasnevin Cemetery in Dublin. Ciarán Bourke was a singer, but he also played the guitar and tin whistle. He sang many songs in Irish (" Peggy Lettermore", "Preab san Ól"). In 1974 he collapsed on stage after suffering a brain haemorrhage. A second haemorrhage left him paralysed on his left side. Bourke died in 1988. The band did not officially replace him until his death.

John Sheahan John Sheahan (born 19 May 1939) is an Irish musician and composer. He joined The Dubliners in 1964 and played with them until 2012 when The Dubliners' name was retired following the death of founding member Barney McKenna. Sheahan is the last ...

and

Bobby Lynch Robert Emmett "Bobby" Lynch (July 30, 1878May 1, 1959) was an American baseball player and manager, salesman, and Democratic politician from Green Bay, Wisconsin. He represented Green Bay for ten terms as a member of the Wisconsin St ...

joined the band in 1964. They had been playing during the interval at concerts, and usually stayed on for the second half of the show. When Luke Kelly moved to England in 1964, Lynch was taken on as his temporary replacement. When Kelly returned in 1965, Lynch left the band and Sheahan stayed. According to Sheahan, he was never (and still has not been) ever officially asked to join the band. Sheahan is the only member to have had a musical education. Lynch committed suicide in Dublin in 1982.

Later changes and tours

In 1996 Ronnie Drew quit the band, and

Paddy Reilly Patrick Reilly (born 18 October 1939) is an Irish folk singer and guitarist. Born in Rathcoole, County Dublin, he is one of Ireland's most famous balladeers and is best known for his renditions of " The Fields of Athenry", " Rose of Allendale" ...

came on to replace him. Reilly, a long-time friend of the group, toured with them before on several occasions; he was already a successful solo artist in Ireland, scoring hits with "

The Fields of Athenry "The Fields of Athenry" is a song written in 1979 by Pete St John in the style of an Irish folk ballad. Set during the Great Famine of the 1840s, the lyrics feature a fictional man from near Athenry in County Galway, who stole food for his ...

" and "

". In 2005, Paddy Reilly moved to the United States, and

Patsy Watchorn Patsy Watchorn (born 16 October 1944) is an Irish folk singer. He is notable for being a member of the Dublin City Ramblers and later The Dubliners. Music career Watchorn first came to prominence around 1969 as the lead singer of The Quare ...

joined the group. Watchorn made a name for himself with The Dublin City Ramblers; like Kelly, he accompanies his songs on the five-string banjo. The band toured Europe every year. A planned tour of Denmark two weeks after the death of McKenna on 5 April 2012 went ahead as planned. From the first show in Copenhagen on 18 April onwards he was replaced by the Irish banjo player Gerry O'Connor. In the autumn of 2012, the band announced their retirement, effective after their 50th anniversary shows at the end of the year. The Dubliners played their final shows at

Vicar Street Vicar Street is a concert, performing arts centre and events venue in Dublin, Ireland. Located at Thomas Street, Dublin 8, Vicar Street has capacity for 1,050 people for seated performances and 1,500 people for standing gigs. The venue is ow ...

in Dublin on 28/29/30 December 2012, and made their final TV appearance in the UK on a pre-recorded New Year's Eve edition of '' Jools Holland Annual Hootenanny'' on 31 December. Their last public appearance as the Dubliners was on 27 January 2013 in memory of Barney McKenna.

Reunions

25th anniversary

In 1987, The Dubliners celebrated their 25th anniversary. They recorded a double CD, produced by

Eamonn Campbell Eamonn Campbell (29 November 1946 – 18 October 2017) was an Irish musician who was a member of The Dubliners from 1987 until his death. He was also in the Dubliners when they recorded their 25th anniversary show on '' The Late Late Show'' hos ...

, a long-time friend and guest musician. He introduced them to

, and their collaboration resulted in a hit with "

The Irish Rover "The Irish Rover" ( Roud 4379) is an Irish folk song about a magnificent though improbable sailing ship that reaches an unfortunate end. It has been recorded by numerous artists, with the lyrics changing over time due to the folk process. T ...

". It reached number 8 in the UK singles charts and number 1 in Ireland. In 1990 their final hit single was "Jack's Heroes/Whiskey in the Jar", again with The Pogues, which reached number 63 in the UK and number 4 in Ireland. Campbell, who plays the guitar on stage, has been touring with the band ever since.

Christy Moore Christopher Andrew "Christy" Moore (born 7 May 1945) is an Irish folk singer, songwriter and guitarist. He was one of the founding members of the bands Planxty and Moving Hearts and has had significant success as a solo artist. His first albu ...

and Jim McCann also featured on the CD; Moore sings a tribute to Luke Kelly, and McCann sings the song "I Loved the Ground She Walked Upon", written by

and

Ralph McTell Ralph McTell (born Ralph May; 3 December 1944) is an English singer-songwriter and guitar player who has been an influential figure on the UK folk music scene since the 1960s. McTell is best known for his song " Streets of London" (1969), which ...

. The following year, to coincide with Dublin's millennial celebrations, Raidió Teilifís Éireann produced an hour-long special on the band and the city's influence on their music, titled '' The Dubliner's Dublin''.

40th anniversary

In 2002, they temporarily reunited with Ronnie Drew and Jim McCann, for their 40th anniversary tour. They made a string of appearances on Irish television throughout this time, including a memorable appearance with Phil Coulter and George Murphy on RTÉ 1. After the tour, Jim McCann was diagnosed with throat cancer and, though he fully recovered, his voice was severely damaged, and he was unable to sing since his illness. Despite this, he regularly acted as MC at folk gigs, notably at The Dubliners reunion shows, and at the 2006 'Legends of Irish Folk' shows (where he also played guitar in the finale). Dubliners Luxembourg

50th anniversary

In 2012 the band celebrated their 50th anniversary with an extensive year-long European tour and the release of a live DVD recorded live at

featuring Chris Kavanagh from the Band "The Legend of

" as a special guest. The tour continued in the wake of the death of the final founding member

, although the band announced that the final shows of the tour, to be held 28–30 December also at

would be the band's final shows in which the band were joined by former band member Jim McCann.

Success

The Dubliners became well known, not just in Ireland but also as pioneers for Irish folk in Europe and also (though less successful) in the United States. Their 1967 recordings of "

" and "

" were released on the fledgling Major Minor label, and were heavily promoted on

pirate radio Pirate radio is a radio station that broadcasts without a valid license, whether an invalid license or no license at all. In some cases, radio stations are considered legal where the signal is transmitted, but illegal where the signals are rec ...

station

. The result was that both records reached the top 20 in the UK singles chart. A third single, " Maids When You're Young Never Wed an Old Man" reached number 43 in December 1967. It was their last UK hit single till they recorded with

in 1987. In 1974, Ronnie Drew decided to quit the band, to spend more time with his family. He was replaced with Jim McCann. Before joining the band McCann had a TV show in the early seventies called ''The McCann man''. He is best known for his incarnations of "

Carrickfergus Carrickfergus ( , meaning " Fergus' rock") is a large town in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. It sits on the north shore of Belfast Lough, from Belfast. The town had a population of 28,141 at the 2021 census. It is County Antrim's oldest t ...

", Makem's "

Four Green Fields ''Four Green Fields'' is a 1967 folk song by Irish musician Tommy Makem, described in ''The New York Times'' as a "hallowed Irish leave-us-alone-with-our-beauty ballad." Of Makem's many compositions, it has become the most familiar, and is part o ...

", and " Lord of the Dance". He stayed with the band until 1979 when he left to start a solo career; then Ronnie Drew rejoined the band. First Ronnie went to Norway to record two songs in the Norwegian language with the Norwegian band Bergeners. The Dubliners also gained popularity amongst famous musicians such as

Bob Dylan Bob Dylan (legally Robert Dylan; born Robert Allen Zimmerman, May 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. Described as one of the greatest songwriters of all time, Dylan has been a major figure in popular culture over his nearly 70-year ...

Roy Orbison Roy Kelton Orbison (April 23, 1936 – December 6, 1988) was an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist known for his distinctive and powerful voice, complex song structures, and dark, emotional ballads. Orbison's most successful periods were ...

Jimi Hendrix James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix; November 27, 1942September 18, 1970) was an American singer-songwriter and musician. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential guitarists of all time. Inducted ...

and Pink Floyd's drummer

Nick Mason Nicholas Berkeley Mason (born 27 January 1944) is an English drummer and a founder member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. He has been the only constant member since the band's formation in 1965, and the only member to appear on every ...

, who were all self-proclaimed Dubliners fans. In the 1960s, The Dubliners sang rebel songs such as "The Old Alarm Clock", " The Foggy Dew" and "Off to Dublin in the Green". However, the conflict in Northern Ireland from 1969 onwards led them to drop most of these from their repertoire. They resumed performing such songs occasionally towards the end of their career. They have also recorded satirical protest songs against nuclear weapons such as "The Button Pusher" and "Protect and Survive," feminist songs such as " Don't Get Married," and socialist songs such as " Joe Hill." On 8 February 2012, The Dubliners received a "Lifetime Achievement Award" at the 2012

Personnel

Members

– vocals, guitar,

tin whistle The tin whistle, also known as the penny whistle, is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is a type of fipple flute, a class of instrument which also includes the recorder and Native American flute. A tin whistle player is called a whistl ...

, (1962–73, 1973–74; guest – 1987; died 1988) *

– vocals, guitar (1962–74, 1979–95, 2002; guest – 1978, 2005; died 2008) *

– vocals,

(1962–65, 1965–83; died 1984) *

– Irish tenor banjo,

mandolin A mandolin (, ; literally "small mandola") is a Chordophone, stringed musical instrument in the lute family and is generally Plucked string instrument, plucked with a plectrum, pick. It most commonly has four Course (music), courses of doubled St ...

melodeon Melodeon may refer to: *Melodeon (accordion), a type of button accordion *Melodeon (organ) The pump organ or reed organ is a type of organ that uses free reed aerophone, free reeds to generate sound, with air passing over vibrating thin metal ...

, vocals (1962–2012; died 2012) *

– vocals, guitar (1964–65; died 1982) *

–

fiddle A fiddle is a Bow (music), bowed String instrument, string musical instrument, most often a violin or a bass. It is a colloquial term for the violin, used by players in all genres, including European classical music, classical music. Althou ...

, mandolin, tin whistle, concertina (1964–2012) * Jim McCann – vocals, guitar (1973, 1974–79, 1984, 1987, 2002; guest – 2009, 2011, 2012; died 2015) *

– vocals, guitar (1982–2012) *

– guitar, mandolin (1984, 1988–2012; died 2017) *

– vocals, guitar (1984, 1995–2005; guest – 2011) *

– vocals, banjo,

bodhrán The bodhrán (, ; plural ''bodhráin'') is a frame drum used in Irish music ranging from in diameter, with most drums measuring . The sides of the drum are deep. A Goatskin (material), goatskin head is tacked to one side (synthetic heads or ot ...

, spoons (2005–2012) * Gerry O'Connor – Irish tenor banjo (2005, 2012)

Guest musicians

* Mary Jordan (1960s) *

Ann Mulqueen Ann Mulqueen is an Irish sean-nós singer and performer, popular as a ballad singer in the 1960s. Biography Ann Mulqueen was born in Castleconnell, County Limerick in the 1940s. She said her grandmother Bridget Mulqueen of Clare taught her t ...

(1962–63) * John Reavey (1964–66) * Danny Doyle (1970s) * Michael Howard – guitar (1980s, 2006) * Nigel Warren-Green – cello (1983–84) * Bobby Kelly (1986) * Gerry O'Connor – Irish tenor banjo (2005, 2012) * Chris Kavanagh – vocals, banjo (2011–12) * Al O'Donnell – vocals, guitar (2011) * Neill Martin – Cello (2012) * Christy Sheridan – Irish tenor banjo (2012)

Timeline

ImageSize = width:900 height:375 PlotArea = left:100 bottom:120 top:0 right:0 Alignbars = justify DateFormat = dd/mm/yyyy Period = from:01/01/1962 till:24/12/2012 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal format:yyyy Colors = id:Vocguitar value:red legend:Vocals id:Vocguitarwhistle value:gray(0.75) legend:Wind_instruments id:Banjo value:limegreen legend:Banjo id:Fiddle value:drabgreen legend:Fiddle id:Whistle value:gray(0.5) legend:Tin_whistle id:Guitar value:green legend:Guitar Legend = orientation:horizontal position:bottom ScaleMajor = increment:5 start:1962 ScaleMinor = increment:1 start:1962 BarData = bar:Drew text:"Ronnie Drew" bar:Kelly text:"Luke Kelly" bar:Bourke text:"Ciarán Bourke" bar:Lynch text:"Bobby Lynch" bar:McCann text:"Jim McCann" bar:Cannon text:"Séan Cannon" bar:Reilly text:"Paddy Reilly" bar:Watchorn text:"Patsy Watchorn" bar:McKenna text:"Barney McKenna" bar:Sheahan text:"John Sheahan" bar:Campbell text:"Eamonn Campbell" PlotData= width:11 textcolor:black align:left anchor:from shift:(10,-4) bar:Drew from:01/01/1962 till:05/04/1974 color:Vocguitar bar:Drew from:30/06/1979 till:30/06/1995 color:Vocguitar bar:Drew from:01/01/2002 till:31/12/2002 color:Vocguitar bar:Drew from:01/01/1962 till:05/04/1974 color:Guitar width:3 bar:Drew from:30/06/1979 till:30/06/1995 color:Guitar width:3 bar:Drew from:01/01/2002 till:31/12/2002 color:Guitar width:3 bar:Kelly from:01/01/1962 till:30/06/1964 color:Vocguitar bar:Kelly from:30/06/1965 till:01/11/1983 color:Vocguitar bar:Kelly from:01/01/1962 till:30/06/1964 color:Banjo width:3 bar:Kelly from:30/06/1965 till:01/11/1983 color:Banjo width:3 bar:Bourke from:01/01/1962 till:05/04/1974 color:Vocguitar bar:Bourke from:01/01/1962 till:05/04/1974 color:Vocguitarwhistle width:5 bar:Bourke from:01/01/1962 till:05/04/1974 color:Guitar width:7 bar:Bourke from:01/01/1962 till:05/04/1974 color:Whistle width:3 bar:McKenna from:01/01/1962 till:05/04/2012 color:Banjo bar:McKenna from:01/01/1962 till:05/04/2012 color:Vocguitarwhistle width:3 bar:Sheahan from:30/06/1964 till:end color:Fiddle bar:Sheahan from:30/06/1964 till:end color:Whistle width:3 bar:Lynch from:30/06/1964 till:30/06/1965 color:Vocguitar bar:McCann from:05/04/1974 till:30/06/1979 color:Vocguitar bar:McCann from:01/01/2002 till:31/12/2002 color:Vocguitar bar:Lynch from:30/06/1964 till:30/06/1965 color:Guitar width:3 bar:McCann from:05/04/1974 till:30/06/1979 color:Guitar width:3 bar:McCann from:01/01/2002 till:31/12/2002 color:Guitar width:3 bar:Cannon from:01/11/1982 till:end color:Vocguitar bar:Cannon from:01/11/1982 till:end color:Guitar width:3 bar:Campbell from:30/06/1987 till:end color:Guitar bar:Reilly from:30/06/1995 till:30/06/2005 color:Vocguitar bar:Reilly from:30/06/1995 till:30/06/2005 color:Guitar width:3 bar:Watchorn from:30/06/2005 till:end color:Vocguitar bar:Watchorn from:30/06/2005 till:end color:Banjo width:3

Line-ups

Discography

:''See:

The Dubliners discography The discography of The Dubliners, an Irish folk band with record sales in excess of 30 million. Their discography consists of nineteen studio albums, twenty-four compilation albums, twenty-three singles and a number of other appearances. The D ...

Original albums

* 1964 ''

The Dubliners The Dubliners () were an Folk music of Ireland, Irish folk band founded in Dublin in 1962 as The Ronnie Drew Ballad Group, named after its founding member; they subsequently renamed themselves The Dubliners. The line-up saw many changes in pers ...

'' (Live) * 1965 '' In Concert'' (Live) * 1966 '' Finnegan Wakes'' (Live) * 1967 ''

A Drop of the Hard Stuff ''A Drop of the Hard Stuff'' is the debut studio album of the Irish folk group The Dubliners. It was originally released in 1967 on Major Minor Records (SMLP3 and MMLP3). When it was reissued, it was renamed ''Seven Drunken Nights'' after the f ...

'' (a.k.a. ''Seven Drunken Nights'') * 1967 '' More of the Hard Stuff'' * 1968 ''

Drinkin' and Courtin' ''Drinkin' and Courtin'' is an album by The Dubliners. It was originally released in 1968. The line-up consists of Ronnie Drew, Luke Kelly, Barney McKenna, Ciarán Bourke and John Sheahan. Two tracks are instrumentals. Five of the songs are comic ...

'' (a.k.a. ''I Know My Love'') * 1968 '' At It Again'' (a.k.a. ''Seven Deadly Sins'') * 1969 '' Live at the Albert Hall'' (Live) * 1969 ''

At Home with The Dubliners AT or at may refer to: Geography Austria * Austria (ISO 2-letter country code) * .at, Internet country code top-level domain United States * Atchison County, Kansas (county code) * The Appalachian Trail (A.T.), a 2,180+ mile long mountainou ...

'' * 1970 ''

Revolution In political science, a revolution (, 'a turn around') is a rapid, fundamental transformation of a society's class, state, ethnic or religious structures. According to sociologist Jack Goldstone, all revolutions contain "a common set of elements ...

'' * 1972 '' Hometown'' (Live) * 1972 ''

Double Dubliners ''Double Dubliners'' is The Dubliners' ninth studio album, and features all five members of the classical line-up. It is also known as ''Alive and Well'', the title it was released under on the Polydor label. A standout track here is a recitati ...

'' (a.k.a. ''Alive And Well'') * 1973 '' Plain and Simple'' * 1974 ''

Live Live may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Live!'' (2007 film), 2007 American film * ''Live'' (2014 film), a 2014 Japanese film * ''Live'' (2023 film), a Malayalam-language film *'' Live: Phát Trực Tiếp'', a Vietnamese-langua ...

'' (Live) * 1975 ''

Now Now most commonly refers to the present time. Now, NOW, or The Now may also refer to: Organizations * Natal Organisation of Women, a South African women's organization * National Organization for Women, an American feminist organization * Na ...

'' * 1976 '' A Parcel of Rogues'' * 1977 '' Live at Montreux'' (Live) * 1977 '' 15 Years On'' * 1979 '' Together Again'' * 1983 '' 21 Years On'' (Live) * 1983 ''

Prodigal Sons ''Prodigal Sons'' is a studio album by the Irish folk group The Dubliners. Produced by Bill Whelan, who later became famous for ''Riverdance'', this album featured cellist Nigel Warren-Green as guest musician. Although Luke Kelly recorded ...

'' * 1985 '' Live In Carré'' (Live) * 1987 ''

25 Years Celebration ''25 Years Celebration'' is a double album by The Dubliners. Recorded in 1987 and charted in the UK at No.43 and No.1 in Ireland. The album released following a special '' Late Late Show'' appearance by the group, ''25 Years Celebration'' feature ...

'' * 1988 '' Dubliner's Dublin'' * 1992 ''

30 Years A-Greying ''30 Years A-Greying'' is a double album by The Dubliners, again produced by Eamonn Campbell. ''30 Years A-Greying'' is similar to '' 25 Years Celebration'' in that it also features a number of special guests. The Pogues featured again, this tim ...

'' * 1996 ''

Further Along ''Further Along'' is the title of a recording by The Dubliners. Following Ronnie Drew's departure from The Dubliners at the end of 1995, Paddy Reilly joined the group and this album was released in 1996 on their own new label, Baycourt. Track ...

'' * 1997 ''

Alive Alive-O ''Alive Alive-O'' is a double album by the Irish Folk Group The Dubliners which was recorded live throughout several Evenings in December 1996 in Germany at the end of their European tour. After the departure of Ronnie Drew, The Dubliners were jo ...

'' (Live) * 2002 '' 40 Years'' (features old and new songs) * 2002 '' Live From The Gaiety'' (Live) * 2006 '' Live At Vicar Street'' (Live) * 2008 '' The Late Late Show Tribute to The Dubliners'' (Recorded Live, with special guests, 1987) * 2009 '' A Time to Remember'' (Live)

Compilation albums

* 1967 '' The Best of The Dubliners'' (Transatlantic TRA 158) * 1969 '' It's The Dubliners'' * 1969 '' A Drop of The Dubliners'' * 1976 '' Drinking and Wenching'' 967–1969* 1977 '' Home, Boys, Home'' * 1978 '' 20 Original Greatest Hits'' * 1979 ''

The Dubliners Collection ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

'' * 1981 '' 20 Original Greatest Hits Volume 2'' * 1981 '' 18 Original Greatest Hits Volume 3'' * 1986 '' Luke's Legacy'' * 1992 '' Off to Dublin Green'' * 1993 '' Original Dubliners'' * 1995 ''Milestones'' * 1997 ''The Definitive Transatlantic Collection'' * 1998 ''At Their Best'' * 1998 '' Ageless Classics – The Transatlantic Years Revisited'' * 2000 ''

Collection Collection or Collections may refer to: Computing * Collection (abstract data type), the abstract concept of collections in computer science * Collection (linking), the act of linkage editing in computing * Garbage collection (computing), autom ...

'' (reassembling) * 2000 '' Definitive Dubliners'' * 2002 '' The Best of The Dubliners'' * 2002 '' The Transatlantic Anthology'' * 2003 ''Spirit of the Irish'' * 2005 ''Wild Irish Rovers'' * 2006 ''

'' (reassembling) * 2006 '' Too Late to Stop Now: The Very Best of the Dubliners'' * 2009 '' The Very Best Of: The Dubliners'' * 2010 ''

The Very Best of the Original Dubliners ''The'' is a grammatical article in English, denoting nouns that are already or about to be mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The ...

'' * 2011 ''

Wild Rover "The Wild Rover" (Roud 1173) is a very popular and well-travelled folk song. Many territories have laid claim to having the original version. History In the English Folk Song and Dance periodical "Folk Music Journal" vol 10 (2015), Brian Peters ...

'' * 2012 '' 50 Years''

Video

* 1984 ''The Dubliners – Visions of Ireland'' (re-released in 1991 as ''The Dubliners – Recorded Live in Dublin'' and in 1992 as ''The Dubliners – Live with Paddy Reilly and Jim McCann'') * 1989 ''The Dubliners Dublin'' * 1987 '' The Late Late Show Tribute to The Dubliners'' * 1998 ''O'Donoghue's Opera'' * 1999 ''Luke – The Documentary'' * 2002 '' 40 Years: Live From The Gaiety'' (re-released in 2004 as ''The Dubliners – Live: Legends In Concert'' and as a DVD/CD set ''The Dubliners – Live'') * 2005 ''Five Beards on the Road'' (re-released in 2007 as ''On The Road – Live In Germany'') * 2005 ''Luke Kelly – The Performer'' * 2005 ''The Dubliners Tour Sampler'' * 2006 '' Live At Vicar Street'' * 2008 ''The Dubliners – World Icons'' (2 DVD/CD Compilation) * 2012 ''50 Years – Celebration Concert in Dublin''

Irish Chart singles

* 1966 – " Nelson's Farewell" (#6)
* 1967 – "

" (#4) * 1967 –

All For Me Grog "All For Me Grog" (Roud 475) is a traditional folk song, also known as "Good Brown Ale and Tobacco" or "Across the Western Plains", that was originally popular with sailors and later adopted by folk music performers and pub singers. It was collect ...

(#10) * 1967 – "

" (#1) * 1968 – " Maids When You're Young Never Wed an Old Man" (#11)
* 1968 – "

" (#10) * 1971 – " Hand Me Down My Bible" (#7) * 1971 – " Free the People" (#7) * 1986 – " Raglan Road" (#30) * 1987 – "Don't Get Married" (#24)
* 1987 – "

" (#1) * 1990 – "

Jack's Heroes "Jack's Heroes" is a single released by The Pogues & The Dubliners in 1990, composed by Spider Stacy and Terry Woods, about the Republic of Ireland football squad, then managed by Jack Charlton. The song is to the tune of " The Wild Colonial ...

" (#4) (with

) * 1991 – "The Rose" (#2) (with

Hothouse Flowers Hothouse Flowers are an Irish rock band that combine traditional Irish music with influences from soul, gospel and rock. Formed in 1985 in Dublin, they started as street performers. Their first album, ''People'' (1988), was the most successf ...

) * 1994 – "

Red Roses for Me ''Red Roses for Me'' is the debut studio album by the London-based band the Pogues, released on 15 October 1984. It was produced by Stan Brennan, who had managed the Nipple Erectors/The Nips and Rocks Off Records shop in London. Overview ''Re ...

" (#13) * 2008 – "

The Ballad of Ronnie Drew "The Ballad of Ronnie Drew" is a single by U2, The Dubliners, Kíla and A Band of Bowsies. The single was recorded as a charitable project, with proceeds going to the Irish Cancer Society – owing to Ronnie Drew's cancer condition.

" (#1) (With U2) * 2012 – "

The Rocky Road to Poland "The Rocky Road to Poland" is a song released in 2012 as the official anthem of the Republic of Ireland national soccer team for the 2012 European Championships, held in Poland and Ukraine. The song was published by EMI Music Ireland. The song ...

" (#1 Ireland)(with Bressie and

Damien Dempsey Damien Dempsey (born 9 June 1975) is an Irish singer and songwriter who mixes traditional Irish folk contemporary lyrics that deliver social and political commentaries on Irish society. Damien sings in his native, working-class accent in the Eng ...

) * 2013 – "

The Auld Triangle "The Auld Triangle" is a song by Dick Shannon, often attributed to Brendan Behan, who made it famous when he included it in his 1954 play ''The Quare Fellow''. He first performed it publicly in 1952 on the RTÉ radio programme 'The Ballad Maker' ...

(#80) (with

)

UK Chart singles

* 1967 – "Seven Drunken Nights" (#7) * 1967 – "The Black Velvet Band" (#15) * 1967 – "Maids When You're Young Never Wed an Old Man" (#43) * 1987 – "Irish Rover" (Feat The Pogues) (#8) * 1990 – "Jacks Heroes" (Feat The Pogues) (#63)

References

External links

History and discography ''It's the Dubliners''

Patsy Watchorn Official Website

{{DEFAULTSORT:Dubliners, The Irish folk musical groups Musical groups from Dublin (city) Musical groups established in 1962 Musical groups disestablished in 2012 Transatlantic Records artists Major Minor Records artists Polydor Records artists Articles which contain graphical timelines 1962 establishments in Ireland 2012 disestablishments in Ireland Irish-language musical groups 1960s in Irish music 1970s in Irish music 1980s in Irish music 1990s in Irish music 2000s in Irish music 2010s in Irish music