Ah, The Fureys! Memories come flooding back - like the time Eddie and Fin played The Cottage Theatre in Cumbernauld and the only "dressing room" was the beer cellar. After the gig, they were staying at my place and we had to walk back. I, fool that I was, offered to carry Fin's pipes. The weight of the case had my knuckles dragging on the ground until I realised he was carrying the pipes under his arm! When we got home the contents of the case were revealed! Two dozen cans of the black stuff!
The University Folk Club (or The Crown Folk Club which was basically the same organisation) brought Ted over for the Edinburgh Festival. Year 1 - he was paid daily which resulted in some monumental lunchtime sessions in Sandy Bell's and a distinct effect on that evening's performance. Year 2 - he was given a daily allowance for food, fags etc and paid at the end of the week. No difference, people just kept buying him drinks! Year 3 - I picked him up in the morning and after a couple of drinks, swept him off for a tour of Edinburgh and it's environs (I had a car by then) then back to my parents or in-laws for a meal and a sleep before delivering him to the gig in a relatively sober condition. My daughter was about 4 months old at the time and Ted kept apologising for not being able to buy her "a little sweety" Come pay day, he bought her a 5lb box of chocolates! Perfect fodder for a 4 month old child!
When I moved to Germany. I arrived to find my German buddy, Martin, had bought us tickets to see The Fureys & Davy Arthur in Nuremberg. This was "Sweet Sixteen" time and we're talking tour bus and posh hotels. In their hotel afterwards I realised that Martin, who speaks excellent English, didn't have a clue about the conversation and I found myself translating Furey English into understandable English!
Last saw Finbar at Hamish Imlach's funeral. Must try to catch up sometime.
Yes, they had an eye for the big bucks - what's so wrong with that? Still excellent musicians. Finbar's recording of "The Fox Chase" is up there with the best of them.

Eddie