Photo by Shigeru Suzuki

In his two years with Sweeney's Men, the group ignited an interest in traditional Irish music that survives to this day. Their successful singles, "Old Maid in the Garret" and "The Waxie's Dargle" landed at the very top of the Irish Hit Parade.

Andy left the band in 1968, and made his first trip abroad, hitchhiking in Bulgaria, Romania and Yugoslavia, earning his living as a street musician and absorbing the musical traditions of the Balkans. Returning to Ireland, Irvine united with Christy Moore, Donal Lunny and Liam O'Flynn to form Planxty, fanning the flames of Irish Traditional Music well into the next generation.

Planxty took a break in 1976 and Irvine worked and recorded with Paul Brady, making the classic album Andy Irvine & Paul Brady. After a brief time with De Dannan, he rejoined the reunited Planxty from 1979 until its breakup in 1983. Andy's his first solo album, Rainy Sundays...Windy Dreams, followed, as well as Parallel Lines,  a duo album with the great Scots troubadour, Dick Gaughan.

Never one to rest on his laurels, Andy formed Mosaic, a pan-European band that included Donal Lunny and Hungarian singer Marta Sebestyen. After one blissful summer traveling through Europe with this band, Andy returned to solo and duo work. This work soon grew into Patrick Street, featuring Kevin Burke (Bothy Band), Jackie Daly (De Dannan) and guitar maestro Arty McGlynn.

Patrick Street, originally billed as Legends of Irish Musi,  one of the few times such hoopla was accurate, recorded three albums from 1987 to 1990. Andy then recorded his second solo album, Rude Awakening, and created the hugely influential Eastwind, an album of Balkan music, produced by Bill Whelan and featuring Davy Spillane on uilleann pipes. Patrick Street regrouped in 1993 with Kevin, Jackie, Andy, and Ged Foley. To date Patrick Street has released eight recordings, all on the Green Linnet label.

Way Out Yonder came out in 2001. Early in 2002, Andy drafted some long-time musical friends and formed his 'dream band' for a one-off tour of Australia. Calling themselves Mozaik, reminiscent of the earlier cross-genre group, Andy was joined by Donal Lunny, Dutch guitarist Rens van der Zalm, Hungarian bagpiper Nikola Parov and American fiddler Bruce Molsky.

October 2002 saw the release of Patrick Street's Street Life.  

Discography:  

Sweeney's Men, with Sweeney's Men (1968)

Prosperous, with Planxty (1972)

Planxty, with Planxty (1973)

The Well Below the Valley, with Planxty (1973)

Cold Blow and the Rainy Night, with Planxty (1974)

Andy Irvine / Paul Brady (Mulligan LUN 007, 1976)

After The Break, with Planxty (1979)

Rainy Sundays...Windy Dreams  (Tara 3002, 1980)

The Woman I Loved So Well, with Planxty (1980)

Live At Olympia Theatre, Dublin, with Planxty (1980)

Parallel Lines, with Dick Gaughan  (Folk Freak FF 4007, 1982)

Words and Music, with Planxty (1983)

Arís, with Planxty (1984)

Patrick Street, with Patrick Street (Green Linnet, 1986)

No. 2 Patrick Street, with Patrick Street (Green Linnet, 1988)

Irish Times, with Patrick Street (Green Linnet, 1989)

Rude Awakening (Green Linnet GLCD-11143, 1991)

Eastwind, with Davy Spillane (Tara CD 3027, 1992)

All In Good Time, with Patrick Street (Green Linnet, 1992)

Cornerboys, with Patrick Street (Green Linnet, 1996)

Rain On The Roof (independent AK-1 , 1996)

Made in Cork, with Patrick Street (Green Linnet, 1997)

Live From Patrick Street, with Patrick Street (Green Linnet, 1999)

Compendium: The Best Of Patrick Street, with Patrick Street (Green Linnet, 2000)

Way Out Yonder (independent 2000, re-released in March 2001 on Appleseed Recordings)

Street Life, with Patrick Street (Green Linnet, 2002)

Planxty Live 2004, with Planxty (2004)

Live from the Powerhouse, with Mozaik (2004)

Changing Trains, with Mozaik (2007)

On the Fly, with Patrick Street (2007)

Abocurragh (2010)

Official Web Site: www.andyirvine.com

In Italy:

Gigi Bresciani
Tel: +39 35 732005
mobre@tin.it