Irish Folk Legends The Fureys Announce Final Concert on their Farewell Tour
Irish music icons The Fureys have announced their final concert appearance as part of their emotional Farewell Tour, bringing an extraordinary chapter in Irish folk music to a close on Saturday, 24th January.
After decades of touring and countless visits to audiences across Ireland and beyond, the legendary band will take to the stage one last time, marking the end of a remarkable career that helped bring Irish folk and traditional music to a global audience.
Renowned for timeless hits including I Will Love You, When You Were Sweet Sixteen, The Green Fields of France, The Old Man, Red Rose Café, From Clare to Here, Her Father Didn’t Like Me Anyway, Leaving Nancy and Steal Away, The Fureys’ music has soundtracked generations, stirring emotions of joy, nostalgia, laughter and tears.
The band’s story is deeply woven into the fabric of the folk revival. The oldest of the brothers, Eddie Furey, left home in 1966 and travelled to Scotland, where he met and shared accommodation with then-unknown folk singers Billy Connolly and Gerry Rafferty. In 1972, Rafferty wrote Her Father Didn’t Like Me Anyway for Eddie — a song that went on to be named Single of the Year by legendary BBC Radio 1 presenter John Peel.
The Fureys enjoyed major chart success in the UK with I Will Love You and When You Were Sweet Sixteen, helping introduce Irish folk music to a whole new audience. Their popularity culminated in a Top of the Pops debut in 1981 — a rare and remarkable achievement for a traditional folk group.
Reflecting on their influence, Eddie Furey has said: “Many musicians have told us we influenced them after hearing a record from their parents’ or grandparents’ collection.” Among them is Dave Stewart of Eurythmics, who has credited Eddie with teaching him his first guitar chords as a teenager — a favour Eddie later returned by joining Stewart on stage in Paris for a jam during his wedding to Siobhan Fahey of Bananarama.
With their unmistakable sound and deeply emotive songwriting, The Fureys’ farewell concert promises to be a poignant and unforgettable night — a final chance for fans to celebrate one of Ireland’s most beloved and influential folk groups live on stage.
