* En anglais uniquement
Andy Irvine has been a major influence on traditional Irish music for more than three decades. A former member of Sweeny's Men and
Planxty, the London-born multi-instrumentalist and vocalist has continued to extend the musical traditions of the Emerald Isle as a soloist, a duet partner of
Dick Gaughan and
Paul Brady, and a founding member of Irish supergroup
Patrick Street.
The son of a Scottish father and an Irish mother,
Irvine was inspired by his mother, an actress, to pursue a career in theater and appeared in numerous films and stage productions as a youngster. Music, however, had an even greater lure. After learning to play guitar,
Irvine played in several teenaged skiffle bands, acquiring an interest in traditional folk and the songs of
Woody Guthrie. Moving to Dublin, Ireland in the early '60s,
Irvine became involved with the city's folk circuit, performing with Irish musicians including
Johnny Moynihan,
Luke Kelly, and
Ronnie Drew. In 1966, after touring with
Moynihan and
Joe Dolan,
Irvine helped to form the band,
Sweeney's Men. Although they were together for only two years, the group sparked a revival in traditional Irish music and had two hits, "Waxies Dargle" and "Old Maid in the Garret."
Leaving
Sweeney's Men in May 1968,
Irvine spent a year-and-a-half as a street musician in Bulgaria, Romania, and Yugoslavia, developing an understanding of eastern European music. After returning to Ireland,
Irvine played with
Donal Lunny and
Christy Moore. Following his participation in the recording of
Moore's 1972 album,
Prosperous,
Irvine joined with
Moore,
Lunny, and
Liam O'Flynn to form the trad rock band
Planxty. Despite numerous personnel changes, the band continued to work together until late 1975.
In 1976 and 1977,
Irvine worked with
Paul Brady, with whom he recorded an album, and Mick Hanley. When the original lineup of
Planxty reunited in 1978,
Irvine rejoined the band. He remained with the group until 1983, when
Lunny and
Moore left to form
Moving Hearts. With the breakup of
Planxty,
Irvine recorded his debut solo album, Rainy Sundays....Windy Dreams and a duo album with
Dick Gaughan,
Parallel Lines. In addition to performing briefly with
De Danann,
Irvine performed with
Lunny and
Declan Masterson in a multi-national band, Mosaic, that focused on traditional Eastern European music.
Irvine formed a duo with
Gerry O'Beirne, which was enlarged with the addition of
Kevin Burke and
Jackie Daly of
De Danann. After
O'Beirne was replaced by
Arty McGlynn, the band named itself
Patrick Street and recorded three albums between 1986 and 1989. With the group taking a hiatus in 1989,
Irvine recorded his second solo album,
Rude Awakening, and the multi-artist compilation
East Wind, a collection of Bulgarian and Macedonian tunes. In 1993,
Irvine resumed his association with
Patrick Street. ~ Craig Harris