Prior to the band's formation, two of the brothers toured as a duo, known simply by their names as Eddie and Finbar Furey.

In the meanwhile, their youngest brother Paul Furey had, together with Davey Arthur and Brendan Leeson, formed a band called The Buskers.

[2] Eddie and Finbar and the Buskers appeared together in Germany at the "Irish Folk Festival" in 1974, where they performed as The Furey Brothers.

[3] Finbar, Eddie, and Paul Furey formed a folk group called Tam Linn in 1976 with Davey Arthur.

[5] "The Green Fields of France" (a title commonly but incorrectly given to Eric Bogle's "No Man's Land") also gave them an Irish No.

Finbar left the band to begin his own solo career in 1996, with Eddie, George, and Davey Arthur continuing some touring in Ireland, the UK and the European continent.