The Irish Descendants are a folk group from the Atlantic province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. All the members, born of Irish emitters, were workers in the Newfoundland fishing industry before forming the band in 1990 out of the remnants of two former Newfoundland bands – The Descendants and Irish Coffee. The group helped to popularise traditional Newfoundland music to a wider Canadian audience in the early 1990s, along with other bands such as Great Big Sea. Their popularity within the province itself led to their selection as the official band of the province's 500th anniversary celebrations, during which they performed for the Queen. Tension within the group caused co-frontman D'Arcy Broderick to leave soon after this period, and their lineup has frequently changed since then, with other frontman Con O'Brien being the only constant member. The group's last release was 2007's 'Southern Shore,' produced by Alan Doyle of Great Big Sea.

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History

In the summer of 1986, Con O’Brien and Ronnie Power of Bay Bulls teamed up with Thomas Battcock of Brigus South to form The Descendants. After Battcock’s departure due to other commitments, Power and O'Brien teamed up with multi-instrumentalist and vocalist D'Arcy Broderick of Bay De Verde and Bassist Larry Martin 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 Warner Music and they signed the band following up with their major label debut 'Look To The Sea' in 1993. The record was successful, and was followed by 1994's 'Gypsies and Lovers,' which saw the band expanded to include drummer Gerard Broderick and keyboardist Kathy Phippard. The album won the band the Roots & Traditional Album of the Year award at the Juno Awards, as well as the Entertainer of the Year award at the 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 fistfight, which culminated in Broderick leaving the group. The official reason cited was "irreconcilable musical differences." ^[1] His departure happened just before a tour with Anne Murray, and the band scrambled to find a replacement. A friend pointed them in the direction of an Irish fiddler living in New York by the named of Eamonn O'Rourke, who joined the band for two years. He played with them on 1998's 'Rollin' Home,' the last album with Ronnie Power and Larry Martin, who departed in 2000.

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. This new lineup released 'Blooming Bright Star,' produced once again by Derek Harrington, and featuring Great Big Sea guesting on vocals on the track 'Step It Out Mary.' The lineup released a Christmas album, 'The Gift,' the following year. However, Kelly Russell was to depart from the band in 2003 due to their extensive touring schedule; he was replaced by Graham Wells, a St. John's musician known for his multi-instrumental capabilities. Pardy was to follow suit soon; at this time, Glenn Hiscock joined the band, adding a fiddle back into the lineup, and Bob Pike added bass guitar on 2004's 'Across the Water,' which was also the band's first album released in America. The album was met with Stateside success, as was 'We Are the Irish Descendants,' a compilation album; the former hit the top of the North American Irish music sales charts.

2007 saw the release of 'Southern Shore,' an album recorded without Stamp but with Alan Doyle of Great Big Sea, who produced. Once again, Great Big Sea guested, this time on the song 'Downtown Girl.' The album also featured the group's first song recorded without O'Brien, 'No Con Test.'

The band is noted for its heavy touring schedule. Having toured extensively throughout North America, including headlining Celtic Festivals in Chicago, Boston and Cleveland, The Irish Descendants have performed at such prestigious venues as The Smithsonian in Washington D.C., and have played with many of the nation's best symphony orchestras. They appeared on stage at The Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto in the theatrical production of Needfire , as well as headlining The International Festival of the Sea in England. They continue to play regularly. In 2009, a tour of Alberta was announced featuring Larry Foley and Patrick Moran of the Punters, as Glenn and Paul Hiscock are taking a temporary break from touring. ^[2] Later in the year, the pair were replaced in the band by Toronto native Duncan Cameron and Newfoundland musician Robert Kelly.

Membership

Current members

• Con O'Brien – lead vocals, guitar (1990–present)
• Duncan Cameron – fidde, bouzouki, whistle, bodhran, vocals (2009 – present)
• Robert Kelly – bass, vocals (2009 – present)
• Graham Wells – accordion, tin whistle, bodhran, vocals (2003–present)

Former members

• D'Arcy Broderick – guitar, fiddle, mandola, bouzouki, accordion, banjo and vocals (1990–1997)
• Gerard Broderick – drums, percussion (1994–1998)
• Larry Martin – bass, vocals (1990–2000)
• Byron Pardy – bass, vocals (2000–2003)
• Kathy Phippard – keyboards, flute, vocals (1994–1996)
• Bob Pike – bass (2004)
• Ronnie Power – guitar, bouzouki, whistles, vocals (1990–2000)
• Kelly Russell – fiddle, bouzouki, vocals (1998–2003)
• Paul "Boomer" Stamp – drums, percussion (1998–2004)
• Eamonn O'Rourke – fiddle, guitar, banjo, bouzouki, vocals (1997–1998)
• Mike Hanrahan – lead vocals, banjo, bouzouki, mandolin, guitar (2000–2007)
• Glenn Hiscock – fiddle, banjo, mandolin, vocals (2003 – 2009)
• Paul Hiscock – bass, vocals (2003 – 2009)

Discography

Albums

Year	Album	Chart Positions		CRIA
		CAN	CAN Country
1991	Misty Morning Shore
1993	Look to the Sea			Gold
1995	Gypsies and Lovers	45	22	Gold
1996	Livin' on the Edge	66
1998	Rollin' Home
1999	So Far So Good
2000	Blooming Bright Star
2001	Night at the Pub
2002	The Gift
2004	We Are the Irish Descendants
	Across the Water
2007	Southern Shore

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

1. http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/I/Irish_Descendants/2000/06/20/746187.html
2. http://www.irishdescendants.com/Con_Column.html#010609