The group was formed by Leslie Dowdall, Jack Dublin, Vinnie Kilduff, Ivan O'Shea, Martin Clancy, Paul Byrne and Steve Wickham in the early 1980s.
[1] Although the group's focus was an early Roxy Music-style rock, it combined this aspiration with modern-styled folk and traditional Irish music in the form of uilleann pipes and acoustic guitars, laced together with raw vocals and electronic violin.
The remaining members recruited replacements – Aingeala de Burca on violin and Brian O'Briain on uilleann pipes.
Two new recruits were found – Alicia 'Lovely' Previn on violin and Matt Spalding on bass – and The Long Acre was released in 1988.
Leslie Dowdall continues to perform, be it solo or guesting with other Irish and international singers.
Paul Byrne and Jack Dublin still play together as the rhythm section in Rocky de Valera and The Gravediggers.
In late 2010, they also played several shows as part of a band backing Pogues frontman, Shane MacGowan.