The Ploughboys

The Ploughboys have quite a colorful history. After extensive research (and even more extensive drinking!), it’s difficult to say just when the band started. Geoff had been hosting an annual St. Patrick’s Day party since the early 90’s, and after several pints of green beer, invariably he would grab his guitar at the end of the night and start singing Irish songs. One by one, Geoff sucked the rest of the guys into his drunken mayhem. First Jay… then Marty… then Bill…. and the rest, as they say, can be read in the police file.
Their first pub gig was in December 2000 at a little pub in Oakbrook called Finn McCool’s. They barely had enough songs to fill up the three-hour gig. Plus, who would notice if they played Finnegan’s Wake two or three times? The pub was extremely small… or cozy, as they like to say. Let’s just say that with the 8 people that were brave enough to endure that first fateful show, the pub was about filled to capacity. From there, the only way was up! So the next day, they bought a bottle of Bushmills (okay, a few bottles), went to Geoff’s house, and actually started practicing some new material.
With their guitars in tune (well, not really), and livers trembling, they started playing out at the Kerry Piper on Thursday nights. After about a year playing at the Kerry Piper, honing their musical skills and developing their unique brand of Irish music, they decided to take their “show” (using the word loosely) on the road.
Since then, The Ploughboys have been turned down at nearly every major venue across the world – Carnegie Hall, Royal Albert Hall, and Budakan, just to name a few. So, they had to settle for a more humble touring regimen – the greater Chicagoland area.
Today, you can find them delivering their musical stylings at area pubs like the Kerry Piper, Gaelic Park, Gilhooley’s, and wherever else they can drink for free!