SCRAPBOOK PAGE 1 - A GENERAL OVERVIEW
Monday, March 1, 2010 at 11:05AM 
Upcoming Events page has been updated March 2012 with info about Will's 2012 art exhibit in Victoria, BC. Click on the "upcoming events" link to the right. And here's a link to the gallery http://www.winchestergalleriesltd.com/artists/millar/2012/index.php Updated 2000s page with a link to YouTube where someone uploaded a video of Will at the art gallery in March 2012.
This is my personal scrapbook about the Irish Rovers and Will Millar. If you're thinking, "gee, I've seen something like this before but it looked different", you're right - I used to have a free web site through my ISP but they discontinued that service so I've had to rebuild this.
I am just a fan. I don't have any magic way to get you good tickets to a concert, or any way to get copies of the older records, and, although I do know how to get in touch with a couple of the members of the group, I don't want to abuse that privilege. If you have any questions for the Irish Rovers or Will Millar, please go to their official websites and use the contact info there. Will's page is http://celtic-music.com/ and the Irish Rover's site is http://www.irishrovers.info/
Now on to the fun stuff!
I want to take a moment to thank everyone who made this possible: My parents, for taking me to the first Irish Rovers concert I went to in 1970. Will, Joe, Jimmy, George, and Wilcil for getting together in the first place! My husband Cal, for buying a computer for me and letting me have Internet access at home. My friend Marla for taking the pictures of Will in the summer of 2004 and sending them to me. Mary, who ran across this site and was frustrated by the size of the newspaper clippings, who very kindly scanned the printouts I sent her and sent them back on CD in a format that I could post for everyone to read. And last but certainly not least, Will Millar himself for sending the copy of the review of his "Ireland - Where the Song and Dance Began."
As you read through this web page, you will see who my absolute favorite Irish Rover is, was, and always will be. All the guys are great and no matter who’s in the line-up they put on a wonderful show, but if I seem to mention one in particular – well, it’s my web site! Will, if you ever get a chance to read this, this is for you.
I have absolutely loved the Irish Rovers ever since I first heard the song “The Unicorn” on the radio. Over the years I’ve kept a scrapbook with newspaper clippings, ticket stubs, photos (some really fuzzy ones taken with a point-and-shoot camera of the TV screen – that’s how much of a fan I am), and lately pages printed from the Internet. I will try to share some of those with you here.
I first heard “The Unicorn” on the radio a lot earlier than 1968, which is the date I always see listed for it. It had to be in the fall of 1966. We lived at Selfridge Air Force Base in Michigan then, and since that’s just north of Detroit we could pick up the radio stations from Windsor, Ontario, loud and clear. We had one button on the car radio set for a Windsor station (don’t remember the call letters – we used to just call it “the Canadian station.”) and the radio in the kitchen was set for the same station. Since it was one of those radios with the very fussy tuner, we just set it for one station and didn’t change it because once it was changed it was very hard to get tuned in again. One fall day I was outside playing after school and waiting for my father to get home from work. When he got home I ran up to him like kids do (I was 11-1/2) and my father got out of the car and said, “Turn on the Canadian station, there’s a song on there I think you’ll like.” So I ran into the kitchen, turned on the radio, and heard most of “The Unicorn.” Daddy was right – I liked the song.
Sometime before too long we bought the 45 rpm record with “The Unicorn” on one side and “Black Velvet Band” on the other. I must have driven my parents crazy with that – I listened to one side, then flipped it over and listened to the other, then flipped it over . . . on and on and on. Now I wish I had kept the sales slip and taped it to the record jacket, but at the time I never knew this was going to be a lifetime thing. I still have the 45.
My father retired from the Air Force in December 1966 and we moved to Spokane, Washington. Over the intervening years I bought several Irish Rovers albums (which I still have too). We watched them on TV when we knew they were on. Never did see the episode of The Virginian they appeared in because that wasn’t a show we watched on a regular basis, until 2008 when a new friend sent a copy to me (thanks again Bobby!)
1970 was when I began going to their concerts. Here’s a list of when and where I have seen either the Irish Rovers or Will Millar perform live:
November 10, 1970 -- Coliseum -- Spokane, Washington
September 4, 1971 -- PNE -- Vancouver, British Columbia
February 7, 1972 -- Fox Theater -- Spokane, Washington
May 13, 1972 -- Trail High School -- Trail, British Columbia
April 17, 1973 -- Fox Theater -- Spokane, Washington
August 30,1974 -- Opera House --Spokane, Washington
October 17, 1975 -- Opera House -- Spokane, Washington
April 17, 1977 -- Opera House -- Spokane, Washington
October 28, 1978 -- Opera House -- Spokane, Washington
April 9, 1980 -- Opera House -- Spokane, Washington
April 9, 1982 -- Opera House -- Spokane, Washington
February 4, 1986 -- Opera House -- Spokane, Washington
February 7, 1987 -- Opera House -- Spokane, Washington
February 21, 1988 -- Opera House -- Spokane, Washington
February 5, 1989 -- Opera House -- Spokane, Washington
March 9, 1990 -- Opera House -- Spokane, Washington
March 9, 1991 -- Opera House -- Spokane, Washington
March 12, 1995 -- Opera House -- Spokane, Washington
March 20, 1997 -- The Met -- Spokane, Washington -- first time I saw them after Will left.
March 28, 1998 -- The Met -- Spokane, Washington – Will and his Mad Irishmen
November 25, 2001 -- Performing Arts Center -- Omak, Washington – Irish Rovers
March 17, 2002 -- Sid Williams Theatre -- Courtenay, British Columbia – Will
March 30, 2003 -- The Met -- Spokane, Washington – Irish Rovers
November 9, 2004 --Charles Bailey Theatre -- Trail, British Columbia -- Will with "Ireland - Where the Song and Dance Began" This marks the 34th year since I first saw him in concert!
March 17, 2008 -- Duncan, British Columbia. I drove up there on my days off to see the opening of Will's art exhibit. Details on the 2000's page. Short review - it was GREAT!
March 21, 2010 -- Port Angeles, Washington -- Irish Rovers
September 28, 2011 -- Trail, British Columbia -- Irish Rovers
MY COLLECTION
45's:
The Unicorn/Black Velvet Band -- the one that got me hooked! I listened to it over and over and over. 
Lily the Pink/Mrs. Crandall's Boardinghouse. 
Whiskey on a Sunday/The Orange and the Green. 
Did She Mention My Name?/Peter Knight. 
Wasn't That a Party/Matchstick Men and Matchstick Cats and Dogs. 
Cassette Tapes
LPs 
CDS
;)
;)
;)
AUTOGRAPHS
I have been lucky enough to get autographs from the group over the years. Here are a few:
;)
;)
MUSIC VIDEOS 
ODDS AND ENDS
I bought the songbook in 1972 when they were at the Fox Theater. It has the music for several of their songs in it, including The Unicorn.
In the back of the songbook was an ad for Will's book of poems. I bought the softcover version, kind of wish I had bought the hardback.
These buttons were given to me free by a waitress at the Unicorn Pub in Calgary, Alberta.
When I was taking some college courses and first had access to the Internet, I ran across an ad for a book/CDROM that Will had written named The Cuckoo's Gift. Since I didn't have a computer at home then, I didn't order it right away. Later, when I did get a computer and Internet access at home, I finally saw it on e-Bay and bought it. It's a story about how one should treat all creatures nicely.
Will has also written two books and gathered jokes together in a third:
These books are all interesting. Childern of the Unicorn was written in the 1970's when the group was in it's heyday and tells about the beginning of the Irish Rovers. Messing About in Boats is more Will's autobiography. The joke book is for everyone who ever wished they could remember the jokes that were told during the shows.
The crown jewel of my collection is an original oil painting by Will -- Otter Crossing at Port Townsend:
The Balladeers web site has a Q&A with George at http://www.theballadeers.com/20_q_01.htm
When I spoke to Will after his concert in Trail, he said George was rewriting history in that interview. My suggestion is to read George's interview, then read Children of the Unicorn, and draw your own conclusions. I know who I believe, but I've already admitted who I'm smitten with.
The decades will each be on a different tab, so check at the top of the page and go to whichever one you want next. Enjoy!