The Dublin Legends play Eastbourne date

Following the sudden death of founding member Barney McKenna in 2012, and the decision of John Sheahan to retire, it was agreed that The Dubliners, as a touring band, would end – and The Dublin Legends were born. The Dublin Legends – Sean Cannon, Paul Watchorn, Gerry O’Connor, and Shay Kavanagh – boast more than one hundred years of live performance between them, says show promoter Brian Hand, of international concert promoters Singular Artists: “And Sean was the lead singer with The Dubliners for more than 30 of them!

“Today, The Dublin Legends continue to play all the well-loved, classic, Irish songs and ballads known the world over: Whiskey in The Jar, Dirty Old Town, The Wild Rover, Seven Drunken Nights, The Rare Auld Times, Molly Malone, The Irish Rover, Black Velvet Band and many more.

“When lead guitarist Eamonn Campbell sadly passed away in 2017, the lads asked an old friend, Shay Kavanagh, if he would like to come on the road with them – and Shay readily agreed. Shay is a stalwart of the Irish folk music scene. He was a founding member of General Humbert with the great Mary Black and has played with The Dublin City Ramblers for many years.”

Brian says it was Eamonn’s wish that the band continued touring and that the album the band had been recording was completed.

“This was a follow-up to The Dublin Sessions, featuring 16 newly-recorded tracks and included some old favourites and classics that the lads wanted to get down on disc. There’s The Leaving of Liverpool, Schooldays Over, Pub with No Beer, Rambling Rover, Hand Me Down My Bible and some scorching tunes from Gerry O’Connor: Billy in The Low Ground, The Temperance Reel and, of course, Seven Drunken Nights. Over the past ten years the band have continued the legacy of The Dubliners by packing their bags and touring far and wide.”