The Irish Descendants

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "The Irish Descendants" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (February 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

The Irish Descendants
Origin	Koch, Kells, Fontana Distribution, Avondale
Members	Con O'Brien Justin Hickey Rowan Sherlock Terri Lynn Humber
Past members	See Member history
Website	Band Facebook page

The Irish Descendants are a

to leave soon after this period, and their lineup has frequently changed since then, with frontman Con O'Brien being the only constant member. Regular touring and occasional album releases, most recently Is your Rhubarb Up in 2018, have kept the group in the public eye.

History

In the summer of 1986, Con O’Brien and Ronnie Power of

Grates Cove

to form the new band The Irish Descendants.

In 1991, the Descendants recorded their first album, Misty Morning Shore, on independent label Duckworth Records. It caught the attention of

East Coast Music Awards

.

Their 1996 album, Livin' On The Edge, featured a contemporary country sound which caused a rift in the band. At a New Year's Eve show in the group's hometown of St. John's, Broderick and O'Brien engaged in a fight backstage, which culminated in Broderick leaving the group. The official reason cited was "irreconcilable musical differences."^[1] His departure occurred just before a tour with Anne Murray, and the band's rush to fill his shoes led them to Eamonn O'Rourke, an Irish fiddler living in New York City, who joined the band for a short time. He played with them on 1998's Rollin' Home; this proved the group's last album with Ronnie Power and Larry Martin, who departed in 2000, and their last original album for Warner. The label released a final, compilation album entitled So Far So Good in 1999.

In 2001, the group resurfaced with a new lineup: O'Brien joined forces with St. John's musician Mike Hanrahan, as well as veteran players Byron Pardy, Kelly Russell and Paul 'Boomer' Stamp (all of whom had played, as guests, on Rollin' Home). This new lineup released Blooming Bright Star on

The album hit the top of the North American Irish music sales charts. A second compilation followed, entitled We Are the Irish Descendants. Stamp left the band in 2004.

2007 saw the release of Southern Shore, produced by Alan Doyle of Great Big Sea, who also co-wrote the track 'Not for the Money Alone' with O'Brien and played on several songs; Great Big Sea also guested on the song 'Downtown Girl.' The album also featured the group's first song recorded without O'Brien, 'No Con Test.' In 2009, the Hiscock brothers took a temporary break from touring, replaced in the lineup by various musicians (and for one tour, Kelly Russell).^[2] Later in the year, the pair were replaced permanently by Toronto native Duncan Cameron and Newfoundland musician Robert Kelly. A third compilation, titled Encore: The Best of the Irish Descendants Volume 2 was also released, this time by Avondale. 2010 marked the group's 20th anniversary, celebrated with a series of shows in western and central Canada, as well as a closing performance at the 34th Newfoundland and Labrador Folk Festival, in St. John's. In addition, another lineup change was evident: Wells departed, and veteran Dave Panting (formerly of Rawlins Cross) joined the band.^[3]

The band is noted for its heavy touring schedule. They have played overseas, notably at the International Festival of the Sea in England, although the majority of their work has been in North America, particularly Canada. Upon the celebration of Newfoundland's quincentennial in 1996, the group was selected as one of the official entertainers, and as such performed for the representatives of the

. They continue to play regularly.

On 19 September 2021, the band reunited with all of the original members for a sold out, one night only, performance at the Iceberg Alley Performance Tent. However, in the wake of

. The Irish Descendants then played their sold-out show along with The Masterless Men and The Navigators.

Member history

The members of the Irish Descendants have changed repeatedly over the years, both in number and in name. Founding member Con O'Brien has been the only original member of the group since 1990. The group has occasionally recorded and toured with guest musicians and alumni; most recently, Larry Foley, Patrick Moran, Billy Sutton, Sandy Morris, Ron Hynes, Jamie Snider, Alan Doyle, Rowan Sherlock, and Kelly Russell joined the group at various times in 2009.

Discography

Albums

This section of a poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libelous. Find sources: "The Irish Descendants" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (May 2021) (Learn how and when to remove this message )

Year	Album	Peak chart positions		Certifications
		CAN	CAN Country
1991	Misty Morning Shore
1993	Look to the Sea			Gold
1994	Gypsies and Lovers	45	22	Gold
1996	Livin' on the Edge	66
1998	Rollin' Home
2001	Night at the Pub
	Blooming Bright Star
	The Gift
2004	We Are the Irish Descendants
	Across the Water
2007	Southern Shore
2018	Is Your Rhubarb Up

Compilations

Year	Album
1999	So Far, So Good - The Best Of The Irish Descendants
2009	Encore - Best Of The Irish Descendants Volume 2
2011	Rise Again - Volume 1 (Includes new recordings)

Singles

Year	Single	Chart Positions		Album
		CAN AC	CAN Country
1993	"Last of the Great Whales"	31		Look to the Sea
1995	"Catch the Wind"	19		Gypsies and Lovers
1996	"The Rock and a Hard Place"		64	Livin' on the Edge
1999	"Catch the Wind" (re-release)	67		So Far So Good

References