"Whiskey in the Jar" 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 one of the most widely performed traditional Irish songs and has been recorded by numerous artists since the 1950s.
The Dubliners were an 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 personnel over their fifty-year career, but the group's success was centred on lead singers Luke Kelly and Ronnie Drew. 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, and were signed to the Major Minor label in 1965 after backing from Dominic Behan who was paid by Major-Minor to work with the Dubliners 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 created specifically to showcase Ronnie Drew's gravel voice. They went on to receive extensive airplay on Radio Caroline which was part-owned by Phil Solomon CEO of Major Minor, and eventually appeared on Top of the Pops in 1967 with hits "Seven Drunken Nights" and "The Black Velvet Band". Often performing political songs considered controversial at the time, they drew criticism from some folk purists and Ireland's national broadcaster RTÉ had 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 in the United States. The group's success remained steady right through the 1970s and a number of collaborations with The Pogues in 1987 saw them enter the UK Singles Chart on another two occasions.
Live at the Albert Hall is a live album by The Dubliners. It was their last recording for the Major Minor label. Recorded in 1968 and released in 1969, it contained live versions of some of their recent hits as well as a version of "Whiskey on a Sunday", which had been a big hit for Danny Doyle. The rebel ballad "Off to Dublin in the Green" was issued on early pressings of the album, but was later dropped. The album features the original band members.
Live is a live album by The Dubliners recorded live at the Fiesta Club, Sheffield and released on the Polydor label in 1974. This was to be Ronnie Drew's last recording with The Dubliners for five years as he left to pursue a solo career. Also following this album, Ciarán Bourke ceased to be a full-time member of the group when he suffered a brain haemorrhage. He sings "All for Me Grog" here. The reels that open this album have become the opening instrumental medley at most of their concerts since.
15 Years On is the eleventh studio album by the Irish folk band The Dubliners. This album was created to celebrate the band's 15th anniversary from the day they started music together. The album was released on the Chyme label in 1977. The album features 24 tracks on two records. In spite of having only nine previously unreleased tracks, it is still regarded as an original album.
21 Years On is a live album by The Dubliners. Recorded at the National Concert Hall, Dublin in 1983, this was the first album by The Dubliners to feature Seán Cannon, who joined the group when Luke Kelly could no longer perform regularly due to a brain tumour. The album was released by Raidió Teilifís Éireann, who also made a film of the concert. Cellist Nigel Warren-Green also features.
Live in Carré is a live album by The Dubliners. Recorded live in Amsterdam in October 1983, this album featured Luke Kelly's final recordings with The Dubliners.
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 joined by the famous Irish singer Paddy Reilly who lends his voice to several ballads on the album. John Sheahan's daughter Ceoladh guests with her father, duetting on fiddle with him on his composition, "Among Friends". The album is notable for some mixed German-English song introductions by Sean Cannon, causing widespread laughter among the audience.
Live from the Gaiety is a live album by The Dubliners. It was recorded during the Irish leg of their tour celebrating forty years on the road. The double album was recorded at the Gaiety Theatre in Dublin in June 2002. All surviving members took part. A companion double DVD of the concert in its entirety was also released.
Live At Vicar Street is a live album recorded by The Dubliners at a concert at Vicar Street in Dublin on Sunday, 23 July 2006 as part of their Irish tour. A DVD and double CD of the concert were released. Ceoladh Sheahan joined her father and the band on stage for a rendition of "The Marino Waltz". This was the first of the band's albums to feature Patsy Watchorn, who replaced Paddy Reilly after nine years with the group. They were introduced by Jim McCann.
Original Dubliners is an album by The Dubliners. The album charted at No.14 in the Irish Album Chart in its 2011 re-release. In December 2013 the album re-issued into the charts at No.39.
The double disc features EMI albums Seven Drunken Nights, Seven Deadly Sins, Whiskey On A Sunday and More of the Hard Stuff.
A Drop of The Dubliners is a compilation album by The Dubliners, released by Major Minor label as their contract with them ended. It consisted of tracks already available on the previous Major Minor releases, with the exception of the previously unavailable "Lock Up Your Daughters", a very rare track featuring a lead vocal shared by Ronnie Drew and Luke Kelly.
A Time to Remember is the 2009 double album recording of the show by the same name, by The Dubliners, recorded in Vienna. First performed in Vicar Street, Dublin on 4 July 2009 and later taken on tour around Europe, it was conceived as a tribute to their deceased members. The show features the group playing along live to video and audio performances featuring former members Ciarán Bourke, Luke Kelly and Ronnie Drew, as well as performances from The Dubliners' then current lineup. This is the last Dubliner's release featuring Barney McKenna, as he died in 2012. This also means that it is the last album to feature a founding member, as following McKenna's death none of the founding members of the band are still alive.
50 Years is an album by The Dubliners released on 19 November 2012. The album charted at No. 10 in Ireland, and received gold certification in December 2012 from the IRMA. The album was highly rated in the US, UK and across Europe. The album features songs by all members of the band.
The Best of the Original Dubliners is an album by Irish band The Dubliners which charted at No. 69 in Ireland on 17 March 2005. This three CD compilation contains Irish folk songs recorded by Ronnie Drew, Luke Kelly, Barney McKenna, Ciarán Bourke, and John Sheahan between 1967 and 1972. It includes the Dubliner's number one hit, "Seven Drunken Nights", as well as many of their best known songs.
Spirit of the Irish: Ultimate Collection is an album by The Dubliners which charted at No. 19 in the UK Album Charts in 2003.
20 Greatest Hits is an album by The Dubliners, re-released on 7 January 2013. The album charted at No.100 in the Irish Album Charts.
The Dubliners 50th Anniversary Tour was a tour in 2012 by The Dubliners celebrating 50 years. The group was awarded a lifetime achievement award by BBC Radio 2 in February. However, in April, founding member and tenor banjo player Barney McKenna died. Banjo player Gerry O'Connor filled his place until the end of the tour. In November the group released the album 50 Years charting in the Irish Top 10. John Sheahan after 48 years decided he could no longer continue with the band due to the death of Barney McKenna. In December the group played its final concerts at Vicar Street and were joined on stage by Jim McCann. The band met with President Michael Higgins in the presidential palace in Dublin. The group appeared on BBC's Jools Holland Annual Hootenanny on New Year's Eve. With the exception of John Sheahan, the rest of the group continues touring as The Dublin Legends - Spirit of the Dubliners.
A Night Out with the Dubliners is a compilation of live recordings by the Irish folk band the Dubliners released in 1999 on compact disc in the UK, Ireland, Europe and Australia. Most of the material comes from the album Live recorded in 1974, with the remainder of the tracks coming from the albums Live in Carré (1983) and Hometown! (1972), and it contains Ciarán Bourke's last performances after he was left partly paralysed later in 1974 following a stroke that later caused his death.
The Late Late Show Tribute is an album & film by The Dubliners recorded in 1987. The album charted at No.31 in Ireland.
