The Irish Rovers

Music veterans, The Irish Rovers continue to entertain internationally and gain generations of fans, into their 60th year. Last year the legendary band hit Spotify’s VIRAL TOP 50 in both the US and UK/ Ireland, and recorded a new album, No End In Sight.

The album includes their 1977 version of The Wellerman (with an updated ending), and 2023 Canadian Folk Music Awards SINGLE OF THE YEAR nominee, Hey Boys Sing Us A Song. Inspired by the last few years of frustrations the song has become an anthem for our time and includes the welcome refrain, “We all need some happiness back in our lives!"

Over the years, Ireland has felt the impact of The Irish Rovers’ long career of bringing Ireland and Irish music to the rest of the world. Recently, the Rovers were honoured in both Ballymena N. Ireland and Dublin Ireland for all they have done over the years for the music industry and promoting Ireland across North America and beyond. Dublin’s EPIC Museum Director Mervyn Greene refers to The Irish Rovers as ‘one of Ireland’s greatest émigrés’.

Honours …

1968 Winner, RPM Gold Leaf Award (predecessor to JUNOS), "Folk Group of the Year"

1968 Nomination GRAMMY Award, "Folk Performance of the Year”.

1971 Winner ACTRA Award for Best Variety Performance

1971 Winner RPM Gold Leaf Award, Outstanding Record Sales

1975 Nomination JUNO Award, Best Album Cover, "Emigrate! Emigrate!”

1979 Winner PROCAN Harold Moon Award for International Achievement for TV

1981 Nomination JUNO Award, Single of the Year, "Wasn’t That A Party”

1981 Nomination JUNO Award, Folk Artist of the Year

1982 Nomination JUNO Award, Group of the Year

1982 Nomination JUNO Award, Country Group of the Year

1982 Nomination JUNO Award, Folk Artist of the Year

1983 Nomination JUNO Award, Country Group of the Year

2010 Winner, VIMA Award, SOCAN Song of the Year, "Gracehill Fair"

2023 Nomination Canadian Folk Music Awards, Single of the Year, "Hey Boys Sing Us A Song”

BC ENTERTAINMENT HALL OF FAME: The Rovers were contracted for 7 half hour shows but the phenomenal ratings made them overnight household names and they continued with Ken Gibson producing several series and 11 Specials taped in studios, on location across Canada and in Ireland, the UK and New Zealand for the next 18 years, picking up a Nellie (Genie) Award and beating Hockey Night in Canada’s ratings along the way.

Since the 60’s, the Celtic super-group travelled the world as musical ambassadors taking them as far as the Arctic Circle, Japan, and Germany, with regular tours to Australia, New Zealand, and the US.

 The Rovers’ 2018 release, “Up Among the Heather - The Scottish Album” pays tribute to the Scottish influence on their Northern Irish roots. The previous 2017 album “The Unicorn, the Continuing Story” gave us the long-awaited sequel to their famed Unicorn song.

The last decade has seen the Rovers excite yet another generation by returning to the radio airwaves, expanding their visibility to YouTube and returning to the small screen with three television specials; Home In Ireland, Irish Rovers Christmas, and 50th Anniversary – LIVE on St. Patrick’s Day.

On tour in 2015 the Rovers released, “The Irish Rovers – 50 Years” triple CD, (known as ‘The Greatest of The Greatest Hits’) and more recently the “LIVE on St. Patrick’s Day” double CD set which was recorded when the Rovers filmed their final DVD of the same name which includes a whole DVD of extras featuring the lads on a 50th Anniversary week in Ireland and celebrates their entire career.

“Fueled by passion, talent, history and song the musical legacy of The Irish Rovers continues to lead the way for many of today’s folk and Celtic musicians.” Global TV

In 2012 The Irish Rovers released, “Drunken Sailor” CD (Rover Records), and the DVD/television special, “The Irish Rovers Christmas”. The release of the CD was spurred on by 2 Million (now over 45 Mill) hits of their usual show-closer, Drunken Sailor. As well as featuring the title track, the album includes the single, “Whores and Hounds” and a tribute to the great ship, Titanic on its 100th anniversary. The DVD and television special was filmed in Canada on the ski slopes and in the streets and pubs of Banff National Park, and includes their live Christmas concert filmed at Chatham, Ontario’s historic Capitol Theatre with musical guests from Ireland, Morris Crum, Patrick Davey, Gerry O'Connor, with Canadian/Irish Tenor John McDermott and guitarist Jason Fowler.

“Irish Rovers celebrate a bonny resurgence...From the recent resurge in popularity of The Irish Rovers, it would seem the lads themselves have returned to their glory days, and are still charging.” The Morning Call, 2012

The band continues to garner rave reviews, and attract the attention of a new younger audience.

In 2010 The Irish Rovers released the CD, “Gracehill Fair” (Vancouver Island Music Award - Song of the Year), with an extensive tour, and the DVD/television special, “Home In Ireland” which was filmed entirely along the northeast coast of Ireland, and at their Belfast Waterfront Hall concert.

The story of the Rovers began in 1963 in Toronto Canada, where George Millar and Jim Ferguson, both new emigrants from N. Ireland, met at an Irish function. They ended up singing together 'til dawn; and so the Irish Rovers were launched. They performed as a duo until George's cousin, Joe Millar, arrived in Canada. Joe, who sang traditional ballads and played button-key accordion was recruited as he stepped off the plane. George's musician father Bob Millar, who was also an accordion player, became the band's first manager. For the next several months he guided the new band which started their career playing folk song festivals, clubs, hootenanys, The Port o' Call, and Toronto's Royal Alexandra Hotel.

George, Jimmy and Joe left Toronto for Calgary to stay with brother Will who was singing folk songs at Phil's Pancake House which led to a daily children’s TV show, "Just 4 Fun". After a long stint at Calgary’s Depression Cafe the four Rovers headed off to "Americay", landing in at San Francisco’s famous folk club, "The Purple Onion", where they ended up headlining for an unprecedented 22 sold-out weeks. The folk clubs of California became the learning grounds for the young Rovers, and (through old-fashioned hard work and a wee bit of Irish luck) they were offered a recording contract with Decca Records.

The success of the Rovers’ debut album, “The First of The Irish Rovers” lead to their second album, "The Unicorn". At this time, the addition of Wilcil McDowell, enhanced their sound and completed the famous original lineup. In 1968, the predecessor of the Juno’s named The Irish Rovers, “Folk Group of the Year”, and the following year, they received a Grammy nomination for “Folk Performance of the Year”.

Through the 1970's and early 80's, the Rovers brought their magic to television guest starring in several television programs, and then starring in three of their own television series; “The Irish Rovers Show” for the CBC, also “Party With The Rovers”, and “The Rovers Comedy House”. They were also on Global Network in conjunction with Ulster Television in Ireland, which was syndicated around the world. The Irish Rovers brought us the best entertainment of the day, and brought Ireland into living rooms across North America.

At the start of the 80’s, The Rovers’ magic worked on another unknown novelty song. "Grandma Got Run-Over By A Reindeer", became an immediate seasonal anthem, and rose to the top twenty within a week of radio play. The Rovers also soared to the top of the pop and country charts with "Wasn't That A Party”, which was written by their friend, Tom Paxton, after he witnessed one of the band's famous post-show parties. It has gone on to become an international anthem of good cheer.

Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau personally asked that the band become Canadian citizens so that they could officially represent Canada throughout the world. Since then, they have represented Canada at no less than five world Expos, and in recognition for a quarter century of contributions to the International music world, The Irish Rovers won the Performing Rights Organization's (PROCAN) 'Harold Moon Award'.

In ’93 the band established their own record company, Rover Records as their production of albums wasn’t about to slow down, and they desired the freedom that as a younger band, they could not afford.

George Millar still fronts the band he founded in 1963 with his best pal, the late Jimmy Ferguson. Other original Irish Rovers, Will Millar, Wilcil McDowell and Joe Millar are now retired.

The Irish Rovers are still passionate about performing and will continue to tour and entertain their legions of fans. Like the Unicorn, the Rovers are legendary and magical, and a good time is guaranteed for all.

“Throughout the years, these international ambassadors of Irish music have maintained their timeless ability to deliver a rollicking, rousing performance of good cheer- one that will soon have you singing and clapping along. Their songs have become anthems of revelry and joy among generation after generation of fans." Belfast Telegraph, 2010

See further details on their website “Our Story” page. https://theirishroversmusic.com/our-story/#contenttop