Finbarr Clancy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Finbarr Clancy
|
|
|---|---|
Finbarr Clancy in Donegal, 2011.
|
|
| Background information | |
| Born | 5 March 1970 County Tipperary, Ireland |
| Origin | Carrick-on-Suir, County Tipperary |
| Genres | Traditional Irish, Folk, Celtic |
| Occupation(s) | Singer, multi-instrumentalist |
| Instruments | Vocals, guitar, banjo, flute and bass. |
| Years active | 1978–present |
| Associated acts | The High Kings, The Clancy Brothers, The Clancys and Eddie Dillon |
Finbarr Clancy (born 5 March 1970) is an Irish folk singer and multi-instrumentalist. This means he plays many different instruments! Early in his career, he performed with The Clancy Brothers. Later, he became a member of the popular group The High Kings.
Contents
Finbarr Clancy's Family and Early Life
Finbarr Clancy was born in County Tipperary, Ireland. His dad, Bobby Clancy, was also a folk musician. When Finbarr was born, his dad was touring with a famous group called The Clancy Brothers. His dad even announced Finbarr's birth on a TV show!
Finbarr comes from a family of famous musicians! His uncles, Liam Clancy, Paddy Clancy, and Tom Clancy, were big stars. They helped make Irish folk music popular again in the 1960s. Just like his uncles, Finbarr grew up in Carrick-on-Suir, a town in County Tipperary.
Finbarr has also performed with his sister, Aoife Clancy, who is also a folk singer. He married Gráinne Butler in 2008.
Starting His Music Career
Finbarr Clancy started performing when he was only ten years old! He played the banjo and sang. In the mid-1990s, he toured around the United States and Ireland with The Clancy Brothers.
At that time, the group included his dad Bobby, his uncle Paddy, Liam Clancy, and his cousin Robbie O'Connell. Finbarr played the 5-string banjo, electric bass, and flute with them. He even appeared in their "Farewell to Ireland" performance, which was filmed in 1996.
Later in 1996, Liam Clancy and Robbie O'Connell left the band. Finbarr then toured with his dad, his uncle Paddy, and an American musician named Eddie Dillon. This was the last group of The Clancy Brothers.
After Paddy Clancy passed away in 1998, Finbarr continued to perform with his dad as "The Clancys and Eddie Dillon." He also played on four albums with his dad before Bobby Clancy passed away in 2002. In the mid-2000s, Finbarr performed in a group with Eddie Dillon and Mark Fitzpatrick.
Joining The High Kings
In 2008, Finbarr Clancy joined a new Irish ballad group called The High Kings. The other members were Martin Furey, Darren Holden, and Brian Dunphy. Their first album, also called The High Kings, became very popular. It reached number two on the Billboard World Music chart!
In 2013, The High Kings signed with Sony Music, a big record company. As part of The High Kings, Finbarr has performed for the presidents of the United States and Ireland. He has also appeared on many television shows. Besides singing, he usually plays the guitar and sometimes the banjo with the group.
Music and Videos
With The Clancy Brothers and Robbie O'Connell
- Farewell to Ireland, 1996 (DVD)
With The Clancys and Eddie Dillon
- Clancy Sing Along Songs, 1999
- Once in a Lifetime, 2001
With The High Kings
- The High Kings, 2008
- The High Kings in Dublin, 2008 (DVD)
- Memory Lane, 2010
- Live in Ireland, 2011
- Friends for Life, 2013
- Four Friends Live, 2014 (CD & DVD)
- Grace & Glory, 2016
- Decade Best of the High Kings, 2017
- Home from Home (Live), 2020
- The Road Not Taken, 2023
Guest Performances
Finbarr also played on albums by other artists:
- Bobby Clancy albums
- Make Me a Cup, 1999
- The Quiet Land, 2000
- Cherish the Ladies albums
- At Home, 1999
- The Girls Won't Leave the Boys Alone, 2001
