The Fureys and their all-star music sessions at 'special city's' Europa Hotel

Nicholas Sadlier

Mar 30, 20222 min read

When The Fureys play Belfast’s Waterfront Hall for the eleventh time on Friday 22 April they will treat their audience to one of popular music’s richest legacies.

The Fureys: Eddie Furey (left) with George Furey outside Belfast's Waterfront Hall

The Fureys are one of Ireland’s most acclaimed and influential folk and traditional bands. Classics like I Will Love You, When You Were Sweet 16, Red Rose Café, Leaving Nancy, From Clare to Here and The Green Fields of France have become the soundtrack to the lives of fans all over the world.

The band have always had a passion for playing to their Belfast and Northern Ireland fans since forming back in 1978. As well as playing the Waterfront Hall ten times so far, they performed countless legendary concerts at the Ulster Hall, the Grand Opera House and at the old Arts Theatre in Botanic Avenue.

Amazingly, the night frequently didn't end for The Fureys with the final curtain call as the band would often head back to the Europa Hotel - their traditional residence of choice while in town - for a marathon post-concert, all-star music session!

Fureys' manager, Joe McCadden explains:

"Belfast has always been a special city for us down the years. We have played in the Opera House and the Ulster Hall many times and used to play for a week every December in the Arts Theatre for many years. When we played there for the week, we always stayed in the Europa Hotel and at that time of year there were lots of shows in the city including the pantomime at the Grand Opera House.

Many other entertainers used to stay here at the same time and we had many music sessions after our Arts Theatre shows upstairs in the Europa. Some of the musicians in the sessions included Liam Clancy, Chris Rea, Joe Dolan, Philomena Begley, members of the Chieftains and the late Coronation Street, Royle Family and Keeping up Appearances actor, Geoffrey Hughes.

Every night after coming off the pantomime stage in the nearby Opera House, Geoffrey Hughes would be waiting for us to get back from the Arts Theatre where he would get the Bodhran out and join in the sessions. From what we remember, his family background came from a very traditional Irish music part of Sligo and he played as if he was born into traditional music."

The Fureys play Belfast’s Waterfront Hall on Friday 22 April. Tickets are still available from www.waterfront.co.uk , by calling 028 9033 4455 and from the Waterfront and Ulster Hall Box Office.