The Irish Rovers – March 15, 2025

Event Details

Show Date: Saturday, March 15, 2025

Doors Open: 6:30 PM

Show Time: 8:00 PM

Ticket Price: Tickets starting at $49.99 (Plus applicable fees)

About This Performance

Featuring George Millar, Ian Millar, Geoffrey Kelly (flutes and whistle), Gerry O’Connor (fiddle), Fred Graham (bodhran), Davey Walker (keyboards), Shane Farrell (banjo), Jimmy Keane (accordion) and Kevin Evans (singer). The Irish Rovers formed in Toronto, Canada. They have produced over 45 albums in North America and many more internationally with the band’s 2014 album 50 Years being touted as “The Greatest of their Greatest Hits”. In 2023, The Irish Rovers will celebrate their 60th Anniversary.

2022 began with the legendary Irish Rovers hitting the Spotify’s Viral Top 50 in both the US and the UK/ Ireland, and ended with recording a new album, No End In Sight. They thank young Nathan Evans for carrying on the tradition of the sea shanty, and have included their original 1977 version of “The Wellerman” (with a happier ending) on the new album. The popular No End In Sight album includes a new anthem for our time, “Hey Boys Sing Us A Song,” which has been nominated Canadian Folk Music Awards’ 2023 Single of the Year. The song, written by George Millar was inspired by the last two years of frustrations and includes his welcome refrain, “We all need some happiness back in our lives!”

Canada has been home to the Rovers since its inception in the early 60’s. Millar says, “It’s been a bit odd, being from both Ireland and Canada. Some fans have found it confusing as well, asking where we’re from. At times I’ve felt like a man with no country.” This lead to the song “Band Without A Country” from their 2020 album Saints And Sinners which tells their story from Ireland to Toronto and beyond. The Rovers’ 2019 release Up Among The Heather, The Scottish Album reflected the Scots influence on their Northern Irish roots.

2018 was the Gold Anniversary of The Unicorn hitting the top of the charts, which took the Rovers from folk clubs of America to concert halls and television sets worldwide. “The Unicorn” song, which was in fact a last minute add to the original album, left us all with a tear or two, plus the unanswered question, “Whatever happened to the Unicorns when the ark left them stranded on the shore?” Since that first big hit, the band returned to the charts 15 more times, nevertheless the magic of The Unicorn remained. To pay appropriate tribute in its 50th year, the Rovers release The Unicorn, The Continuing Story (CD & Special Limited Edition LP) which includes all new recordings, plus the sequel to “The Unicorn” song, which answers the question of the last fifty years.

The band has regularly toured Canada, the United States, New Zealand and Australia. In 2010, they released Gracehill Fair (Rover Records), which received high accolades from Maui to Belfast, and in 2011 released both Home In Ireland, and their first Christmas CD in over a decade, Merry Merry Time of Year. In September 2010, the lads returned to their roots, to film in Northern Ireland for their DVD / television special, “Home in Ireland.” Life in Ireland, and emigration have long been the focus of the band’s original music. Home In Ireland is a tribute to their homeland and the Irish emigrants who long to return.

The Irish Rovers formed their own record company in 1993, which finally gave them full control over their music production. Since then, several of their albums have been recorded in both Canada and Ireland. Over the years, the band has survived management changes, record label changes, personnel changes and still over 46 years later, they’re selling out concert halls internationally. Since ’95, they’ve released ten more albums including Come Fill Up Your Glasses, Down by the Lagan Side, Still Rovin, Gracehill Fair and two double album Greatest Hits, Gems and 40 Years A-Rovin. Recently, their recording of “Drunken Sailor” reached a younger generation with over 5 million hits on various YouTube sites, which in turn lead to the release the Drunken Sailor album.