The Irish Rovers
Promotional picture of the band.
Background information
Origin	Toronto, Ontario, United States, Northern Ireland
Genre(s)	folk
Years active	1963–Present
Label(s)	Decca Records
Website	Official site
Members
George Millar Joe Millar Wilcil McDowell Kevin McKeown John Reynolds Wallace Hood Sean O'Driscoll

The Irish Rovers are a popular and long-running Canadian-Irish folk group created in 1963. Will Millar had been singing in Ireland with his sister since he was 10 and entertainment was what he knew best so when he came to Calgary he met Les Weinstein who managed to land him a Television show and would later guide the boys on a long successful career. Will's younger brother George Millar who was all of 16 and his friend Jimmy Ferguson came out from Toronto for a 2 week holiday to stay with Will. They had been singing as a weekend hobby with Will's father and sister and so Will invited the 2 young travellers to sing on his TV show. When holiday time was up George and Jimmy asked if they could stay on so Will enrolled George in a local high school and got Jimmy a job- both careers were short lived when the trio made a hit in Calgary. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Template:Hide = Motto: Template:Unhide = Diversity Our Strength Image:Toronto, Ontario Location. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman - Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 106 - Senate seats 24 Confederation July 1, 1867 (1st) Area [1] Ranked... Northern Ireland is a part of the United Kingdom lying in the northeast of the island of Ireland, covering 5,459 square miles (14,139 km², about a sixth of the islands total area). ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Folk music can have a number of different meanings, including: Traditional music: The original meaning of the term folk music was synonymous with the term Traditional music, also often including World Music and Roots music; the term Traditional music was given its more specific meaning to distinguish it from the... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... George Millar, DSO, MC, born September 19, 1910; died January 15, 2005. ... There are several men named John Reynolds: John Douglas Reynolds, a Conservative Member of Parliament for West Vancouver--Sunshine Coast in the Canadian House of Commons. ... Sean ODriscoll is the manager of English football team Doncaster Rovers after a long career at Bournemouth. ... Folk music can have a number of different meanings, including: Traditional music: The original meaning of the term folk music was synonymous with the term Traditional music, also often including World Music and Roots music; the term Traditional music was given its more specific meaning to distinguish it from the... George Millar, DSO, MC, born September 19, 1910; died January 15, 2005. ...

Will then invited his cousin Joe to come out and join the fun! Later the boys became part of a popular folk club of the time called the Depression. A club that also kick started the career of Joni Mitchell. Restless for new horizons, Will had a notion to try their luck in California- the Mecca of folk music success, so piling into his old Jaguar car, with some financial support from Mr Weinstein, the gallant little band invaded California. The car broke down in Northern California and fate had them meet Irish pub owners and an agent who helped them secure a gig at the popular Purple Onion in San Francisco. The group subsequently began performing in folk clubs all over California. Wilcil McDowell joined the band in 1966, around the time the group was signed by Decca Records when The Unicorn Song became a number 1 hit all over the world. Joni Mitchell, CC (born Roberta Joan Anderson on November 7, 1943) is a Canadian musician, songwriter, and painter. ... This page is a candidate for speedy deletion. ...

The group is best known for their hit recording of Shel Silverstein's "The Unicorn" (1967) and Irish ditties The Orange and the Green / Whiskey on a Sunday (1968). They also hosted several variety TV programs in the 1970s on Canadian television. Although they recorded many albums after that, they weren't as successful commercially as "The Unicorn" until 1980, when the band had a crossover hit with a cover of Tom Paxton's "Wasn't That a Party." The success of this out-of-character recording, that was performed in a country-rock style rather than the band's familiar folk style, led to the band rebranding itself as The Rovers and changing styles for the remainder of the 1980s, scoring follow-up hits with songs such as "Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy", "No More Bread and Butter", and the morbid Christmas hit "Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer". By the 1990s, the band was once again known as the Irish Rovers. Sheldon Alan Shel Silverstein (September 25, 1930 – May 10, 1999) was an American poet, songwriter, musician, composer, cartoonist, screenwriter and author of childrens books. ... The Unicorn is the sophmore album of Irish folk music group The Irish Rovers. ... Whiskey on a Sunday is a 2006 album by the Irish-American punk band Flogging Molly. ... The Unicorn is the sophmore album of Irish folk music group The Irish Rovers. ... Thomas R. Paxton was born October 31, 1937 in Chicago, Illinois, the youngest child of Burton and Esther Paxton. ... Chattanoogie Shoe Shine Boy is a popular song. ... Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer is a comedy Christmas song and the eponymous animated movie. ...

Will Millar left the group in 1995; he subsequently recorded solo works and also wrote a book entitled Messing Around in Boats. He went on to do some acting work as well, playing postal carrier and boat owner Jimmy McVeigh on the Canadian comedy program The Red Green Show, and Jimmy, the crusty handyman in the 2005 Canadian slasher film "Sleepover Nightmare". Millar, a neighbor and good friend of writer-director Boon Collins, was also the production designer of the film, along with his wife, Catherine Millar. The bulk of the film was actually shot on Millar’s property and in his home. The Red Green Show is a television comedy that aired on CBC Television in Canada and on PBS in the United States from 1991 until the series finale April 7, 2006 on CBC. Reruns currently air on CBC Television, CBC Country Canada, The Comedy Network, and various PBS stations. ...

Founding member Jimmy Ferguson died in 1997. The remaining members of the group, augmented by new musicians, continue to tour as the Irish Rovers as of 2006.

Discography

cover of The Unicorn single

• The First Of The Irish Rovers (1966)
• The Unicorn (1967)
• All Hung Up (1968)
• The Life Of The Rover (1969)
• On The Shores Of Americay (1971)
• The Best Of The Irish Rovers (1972)
• The Irish Rovers Live (1972)
• Tales To Warm Your Mind (1973)
• Emigrate! Emigrate! (1973)
• Greatest Hits (1974)
• Children Of The Unicorn (1976)
• Tall Ships And Salty Dogs (1979)
• The Rovers (1980)
• No More Bread + Butter (1981)
• Party Album (1982)
• It Was A Night Like This (1982)
• Twentieth Anniversary (1984)
• Party With The Rovers (1985)
• Hardstuff (1989)
• Silver Anniversary (1989)
• The Boys Come Rolling Home (1992)
• Celebrate! The First 30 Years (1994)
• Celtic Collection : The Next Thirty Years (1995)
• The Irish Rovers' Gems (1996)
• Come Fill Up Your Glasses (1998)
• Songs Of Christmas (1999)
• Down By The Lagan Side (2000)
• Live in Concert (2003)
• Another Round (2002)
• 40 Years A-Rovin' (2005)

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External links

• Will Millar's Website
• The Irish Rovers Website
• The Irish Rovers' discography at theBalladeers