The Dubliners of 2018, Seán Cannon is the only former member still in this group, following Eamonn Campbell's death in October 2017. The Dubliners, initially known as "The Ronnie Drew Ballad Group", formed in 1962 and made a name for themselves playing regularly in O'Donoghue's Pub in Dublin. The change of name came about because of Ronnie Drew's unhappiness with it, together with the fact that Luke Kelly was reading "Dubliners" by James Joyce at the time. Founding members were Drew, Kelly, Ciarán Bourke and Barney McKenna. Drew, McKenna and Thomas Whelan had originally teamed up for a fundraising concert and then
Young Dubliners and the Young Dubliners carried on as a six piece group while touring to support the new CD release. In 1999, lead guitarist Randy Woolford, announced his retirement from touring and left the band. Woolford had been in the band for 9 years and had co-written most of the band's songs. Woolford had been a big part in creating the Dubs Irish Rock sound/style. He was replaced by Southern California native Bob Boulding, who joined the band during the summer tour of that year. After the conclusion of that national tour, drummer Jon Mattox followed suit and also gave notice