he Dubliners last played Bradford in April 2000 – before the attack on the World Trade Centre, before the London bombings, before the killing grounds of Iraq and Afghanistan.

Obsolete as the observation may seem, the world was a very different place. Since then, to quote the poet W B Yeats, the world has changed utterly.

But good things go on. One of them is The Dubliners, the band of Irish musicians and singers who are in concert at St George’s Hall next month.

If Guinness, God and history are the body, soul and mind of Ireland, then music is its chief muse.

The difference between the number of musicians and the quantity of stout that country has produced is this: the barrels of cool black bitter with the dog collar of froth can be counted. Irish musicians are numberless as the stars.

Does that account for what seems a lack of ego in Irish music, and its popularity all over the world?

Dubliners’ fiddler John Sheahan says: “I think it’s the music that carries the whole thing. You can be replaced by another instrumentalist or singer. I suppose the music explains what we are – the history, the joy, the sadness.

The late Ronnie Drew founded The Dubliners in 1962. The Ronnie Drew Band, as it was called, consisted of Ronnie, Luke Kelly, Ciaran Bourke and Barney McKenna.

Fiddle player John Sheahan joined in 1964, by which time the band’s name had changed to the title of James Joyce’s book of short stories. He has been a Dubliner for 46 of his 70 years.

Luke, Ciaran and Ronnie Drew have passed on. John’s three commemorative poems to each of them are part of the current show.

“Every January, Luke’s brothers and sisters and friends gather at his graveside. Somebody in public prominence says a few words. Barney, myself and Eamonn (band member Eamonn Campbell) play a few tunes round the grave. Then we go off to the pub. The characteristics of the stone slab are aspects of Luke.

“It’s the 25th anniversary of Luke’s death, the 21st anniversary of Ciaran’s and the first anniversary of Ronnie’s death.

“So we came up with the notion of a tribute-type concert with a segment for each of them. We’ve got one or two video clips showing the original line-up and the present one. We sing along with the video. And I do the three poems,” John adds.

The tours may be shorter than they were, but going on the road at 70 years of age is still a feat. Why do it?

“It’s more for the pleasure of it. It’s not an economic necessity because we have done pretty well over the years. Barney says, ‘Oh it’s too late to stop now’.”

If Barney McKenna’s sayings are not being collected for possible future publication, they should be.

John says: “Here’s another example of how he twists English round. Barney was driving [singer] Finbar Furey. Now Barney’s driving wouldn’t be the best – stopping at the wrong lights, driving in the wrong lane.

“Finbar said, ‘What’s wrong with you? You’re a brutal driver!’ Barney said, ‘You think this is bad, you should be with me when I’m on me own.’”

Good cheer is a fundamental part of The Dubliners’ music. A recent reception at Dublin’s Mansion House to commemorate Luke Kelly experienced an abundance of it.

John said: “At the end of the reception the Kelly family started singing and the pints of Guinness were flowing in the Mansion House. At two in the morning they asked us to go home because they had to prepare for another function that morning. It was like a pub sing-song.”

The Dubliners play St George’s Hall on Saturday, March 20, starting at 7.30pm. For tickets, ring (01274) 432000.