IRISH music legends The Fureys are returning to Clacton for a night to remember.

The group has been entertaining crowds worldwide for 41 years - with audiences including former Australian Prime Minister John Howard, former Irish President Mary McAleese and the late Pope John Paul II.

Former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair has publicly stated his favourite peace song of all time is the Fureys’ Green Fields of France and Irish President Michael D Higgins attended their last concert in National Concert Hall.

The band was formed in 1978 by an accident, literally.

George, Paul and Davey were playing in Denmark with their own band, called the Buskers, and Eddie and Finbar, while touring around Germany, were involved in a road accident.

When George and Paul got news of the accident they immediately travelled to Germany to be with their brothers.

They then decided that they should all be playing together and this was the start of the Fureys.

Inevitably changes have occurred over the years.

Their brother Paul died suddenly in June 2002 and Finbar left the band in December 1996, however George and Eddie have continued to delight audiences on their tours and have released a new CD The Fureys…40 years on…to be continued.

A Princes Theatre spokesman said: “The Fureys are responsible for some of the most stirring music ever to capture the public imagination.

“Their folk-based music has received standing ovations in some of the biggest concert halls of the world and they credit their musical ability to their parents, Ted and Nora, who were well-known musicians themselves.

“They encouraged their sons to play music from a very early age and there was live traditional music in their house almost nightly.”

For the Clacton show they will be performing all their hits such as I Will Love You, When You Were Sweet 16, The Old Man, Red Rose Café, and From Clare To Here.

The Fureys will be playing in Clacton on Sunday, March 10, at 7.30pm.

For tickets and further details, visit the theatre’s website at princestheatre.co.uk.