The Dubliners with Luke Kelly was the name of the band’s first album and was released in 1964 on the Major Minor label.
The Dubliners
Rough Diamonds
Hit Records
Folk Revival
Changing Lineup
Hit by Tragedy
Dubliners videos
The fact that the title includes the words “with Luke Kelly” partly reflects that Kelly had built up a significant following as a solo artist and also that he wasn’t necessarily a full-time member of the Dubliners at that time.
This album contained some of the songs that were to become classic Dubliners tracks such as The Wild Rover, The Holy Ground, I’ll Tell Me Ma and Rocky Road to Dublin.
Finnegan Wakes: from the Gate Theatre Dublin
This was a live album featuring what many regard as the classic Dubliners line-up of Ronnie Drew, Ciaran Bourke, Luke Kelly, Barney McKenna and John Sheahan.
It captures the energy and spirit of a live Dubliners’ concert.
Some of the stand-out tracks include Finnegan’s Wake, Dublin Fusiliers, Monto, Off to Dublin in the Green, Foggy Dew and Boulavogue.
A Drop of the Hard Stuff – Seven Drunken Nights
In 1967, The Dubliners released an album called A Drop of the Hard Stuff which was later renamed Seven Drunken Nights after the song of the same name became a top ten hit in the UK charts.
It extended the band’s repertoire into the seemingly endless well of Irish traditional music.
Tracks include Poor Paddy on the Railway, Galway Races, Limerick Rake and Kelly the Boy From Killane.
15 years On
This album was released in 1977 to celebrate the band’s 15th anniversary. The line-up on this album was Luke Kelly, Barney McKenna, John Sheahan and Jim McCann.
It was partly retrospective containing 15 previously released tracks but it also contained nine which had not been released before.
The album is particularly notable for showcasing the vocal talents of Jim McCann on tracks like Carrickfergus, Spancil Hill and Four Green Fields.
30 The Dubliners – 30 Years a Greying
In 1992, the band released an anniversary 2 CD set containing some of their most successful songs from their 30-year career.
The Dubliners line-up at that time was Barney McKenna, Ronnie Drew, Eamonn Campbell, John Sheahan and Sean Cannon.
It contained guest appearances from other notable musicians including Billy Connolly, De Dannan, Hot House Flowers, The Pogues and Irish blues guitarist Rory Gallagher.
A Time to Remember
In 2009, the band went on tour with a show called A Time To Remember. A double album based on the show was recorded live at the Vienna concert.
It was perhaps the most poignant show and album The Dubliners had ever produced. It reprised many of the band’s most popular songs such as Kelly the Boy From Killane, The Black Velvet Band, Whiskey in the Jar, The Town I Loved so well and many others.
More importantly, though, it showed the current band members playing along live with video and audio of songs being sung by the original band members, Ciaran Bourke, Luke Kelly and Ronnie Drew.
It was a wonderfully innovative idea, which conjured up some of the most poignant and moving moments ever experienced at a Dubliners concert, or any concert for that matter.
The Dubliners – evergreen giants of Irish folk music
The ‘rough diamond’ appeal of The Dubliners
Dubliners hit records in the singles charts
The Dubliners’ contribution to the folk music revival
Dubliners line-up has seen several changes
Dubliners were often hit by tragedy
