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The Dubliners, now one of the most legendary bands in the world, started
off in O'Donoghue's pub in Dublin in 1962 under the name of "the Ronnie Drew Folk
Group". Then they were four, Ronnie Drew (vocals and guitar), Luke
Kelly (vocals and 5-string banjo), Barney McKenna (tenor banjo, mandolin,
melodeon and vocals) and Ciar�n Bourke (vocals, guitar, tin whistle
and harmonica). In 1963, they played at the Edinburgh festival where they
met the head of Transatlantic Records, Nathan Joseph, for whom they started recording.
In 1964, Luke Kelly left, and Bobby Lynch (vocals and
guitar) and John Sheahan (fiddle, tin whistle, mandolin, concertina,
guitar and vocals) were added. When Luke Kelly returned and Bobby Lynch
left in 1965, we have what is considered as the original Dubliners, five
individualists, five men whose talents were mixed together in a superb blend
and just wanted to play and have a good craic. If they only knew what was awaiting them!
In 1967 their major breakthrough came as a result of a coincidence.
Their song, "Seven Drunken Nights" which was recorded in one take, was
snapped up by a pirate radio station which started playing it along with
the Beatles, the Mamas and the Papas, the Who, Kinks and Jimi
Hendrix. Suddenly, The Dubliners was a major band, playing all over
the world, getting into the charts, and receiving gold discs. Not what you expected from
a bunch of hairy people who "looked like they'd just been dragged out of
a seedy bar via a hedge(backwards) and dropped on London from a very great
height".(Colin Irwin in the reissue of "Live at the Albert Hall")
In 1979, Ronnie decided to make a comeback as a member of the group, although
he probably never really left it. In the five years, he had recorded two
solo albums, and The Dubliners three albums. With Ronnie returning, Jim
left, and The Dubs were almost back where they started. Then Luke Kelly
became ill, he collapsed on stage with a brain tumour, for which he
received surgery several times. He too, made remarkable recoveries, and went on touring
with the Dubliners, at the same time continuing his wild and unhealthy lifestyle.
Se�n Cannon, a long time friend, stepped in for Luke, when he couldn't be on
stage. Se�ns appearence wasn't that well received by the audiences at the beginning, but he has
later turned out to be an important addition to The Dubliners, and their repertoir.
In 1984, Luke Kelly died, but The Dubliners, now with Se�n Cannon as a member,
decided to keep on.
1987 turned out to be one of the best - and busiest - years for the Dubliners. Their long
time friend, and guest musician, Eamonn Campbell, brought the group together with
the Pogues on the hit single the Irish Rover. This single took the Dubliners
back to the charts, and also gave them a completely new audience; people who
weren't even born when The Dubliners started off. And with Dublin celebrating its
milennium in 1988, The Dubliners also received more attention than for years. Eamonn Campbell
joined them on regular basis, a move which has turned out to be one of the most
important in their history. In 1988 Ciar�n Bourke died, after years of
pain and difficulties. He always was, and still is very much remembered
by The Dubliners, just like Luke Kelly is.
The eighties finished off with rumours that The Dubliners were to retire, probably something
that's always been following the group. However, they didn't, and celebrated their
30th anniversary in 1992, with a double cd and extensive tour.
The nineties have later brought a tour video from the German tour 1995, and the
"shock" news that Ronnie Drew was leaving. He left in December 1995, after releasing
a superb album, "Dirty Rotten Shame" a few months earlier.
Now, even the most optimistic Dubliners fans thought it was the end, but
the remaindours decided to convince Paddy Reilly to join them, and they continued
their busy touring and recording schedule. This move has also turned out to
be excellent. Paddy, not very well known in Europe, had never been touring there,
so he too enjoyed the experience, as well as being part of a band. He still, though,
does tours in the USA in the winter and summermonths.
As we reach the start of a new milennium, we might as well prepare ourself for
the Dubliners 5th decenninum, and although we know that they won't go on very
much longer, and that they nolonger are the best band in the world, they are still a very
high class act.
People probably don't recognize what The Dubliners have meant to the world of music. By the way,
not only the world of music, but the world as a whole. They have first of all
paved the way for dozens of bands from Ireland and Scotland, like the Chieftains, the Pogues, U2, Ossian,
the Fureys and so on. The number of artists that list The Dubliners as one of their major influences
and idols, is endless. They have brought folk music to millions of people all over the world,
people who never would have been interested at all. That isn't only because of the folk music, the instrumentals
alone, it's because of The Dubliners, their astonishing voices, their undescribable instrumentals,
the wild life style and drinking, late sessions, their enormous beards, their extensive touring, their charisma and characters.
It was, and still is to a certain extent, a blend the world will never see again.
The Dubliners have brought Ireland to the world in a way that no emigration
has, they have brought the world to Ireland, and they have brought people all
over the world closer together.
Whenever it ends, the world will never be the same again.
The seventies started like the sixties ended; wild touring, drinking,
playing. They started doing regular tours, and they were still recording,
of course. Then, in 1974, Ciar�n Bourke collapsed on stage with a brain haemmorrage,
which eventually led to his death. He first, though, recovered remarkably
, and was back on stage with The Dubliners, but collapsed again. At the
same time, Ronnie decided to take a break, and Jim McCann took his and Ciar�ns
place in the group.