The Fureys

The Fureys are an Irish folk band. They have also performed and recorded as The Fureys & Davey Arthur, after Scottish musician Davey Arthur joined them. The group formed in 1978 and consisted initially of four brothers. Prior to this, two of the brothers toured as a duo known simply as Finbar & Eddie Furey. Their brother Paul Furey had, together with Davey Arthur and Brendan Leeson, been in a band called The Buskers.

The group formed in 1978 and consisted initially of four brothers. Prior to this, two of the brothers toured as a duo known simply as Finbar & Eddie Furey. Their brother Paul Furey had, together with Davey Arthur and Brendan Leeson, been in a band called The Buskers. Both bands were part of a successful tour through Germany called the "Irish Folk Festival", first in 1974, where they performed as The Furey Brothers and later as The Furey Family. Here they were joined by their father Ted, a famous fiddler, who was 73 at that time.

It was with Davey Arthur that The Fureys had their biggest commercial success. In 1981, The Fureys released their most successful single "When You Were Sweet Sixteen", becoming a worldwide hit, reaching #14 on the UK Singles Chart, #1 on the Irish Singles Chart and #9 on the Australian Singles Chart. The single "The Green Fields of France" also gave them an Irish #1, remaining in the single charts for twenty eight weeks. They also had two Top 40 British albums called Golden Days and At the End of the Day.

While Finbar Furey left the band to begin his own solo career and Eddie, George and Paul reformed with Davey Arthur to became a successful band. As of January 2008, the band was still recording and touring - and celebrating their 30th anniversary.

Paul Furey died of bowel cancer in 2002, with a memorial service also held for his family and friends in Melbourne, Australia.