The Irish Rovers The Irish Rovers is a popular and long-running Canadian - Irish folk group created in the 1960s . They took their name from the old song The Irish Rover , the story of a fabulous Irish sailing ship . They have also been known as just `` The Rovers '' . The group consists of Will Millar , Jimmy Ferguson , George Millar , Joe Millar and Wilcil McDowell . The group is best known for their hit recording of Shel Silverstein 's `` The Unicorn '' ( 1968 ) , and also hosted several variety TV programs in the 1970s on Canadian television . `` The Unicorn Song '' , despite having nothing to do with Ireland nor Irish culture , is popular in Irish pubs all over the world to this day . Although they recorded many albums after that , they were n't as successful commercially as `` The Unicorn '' until 1980 , when the band had a crossover hit with a cover of Tom Paxton 's `` Was n't That a Party. '' The success of this out-of-character recording , that was performed in a country-rock style rather than the band 's familiar folk style , led to the band rebranding itself as The Rovers and changing styles for the remainder of the 1980s , scoring follow-up hits with songs such as `` Chatanoogie Shoeshine Boy '' , `` No More Bread and Butter '' , and the morbid Christmas hit `` Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer. '' By the 1990s , the band was once again the Irish Rovers . Discography The First Of The Irish Rovers ( 1966 ) The Unicorn ( 1967 ) All Hung Up ( 1968 ) The Life Of The Rover ( 1969 ) On The Shores Of Americay ( 1971 ) The Best Of The Irish Rovers ( 1972 ) The Irish Rovers Live ( 1972 ) Tales To Warm Your Mind ( 1973 ) Emigrate ! Emigrate ! ( 1973 ) Greatest Hits ( 1974 ) Children Of The Unicorn ( 1976 ) Tall Ships And Salty Dogs ( 1979 ) The Rovers ( 1980 ) No More Bread + Butter ( 1981 ) Party Album ( 1982 ) It Was A Night Like This ( 1982 ) Twentieth Anniversary ( 1984 ) Party With The Rovers ( 1985 ) Hardstuff ( 1989 ) Silver Anniversary ( 1989 ) The Boys Come Rolling Home ( 1992 ) Celebrate ! The First 30 Years ( 1994 ) Celtic Collection  : The Next Thirty Years ( 1995 ) The Irish Rovers ' Gems ( 1996 ) Come Fill Up Your Glasses ( 1998 ) Songs Of Christmas ( 1999 ) Down By The Lagan Side ( 2000 ) Live in Concert ( 2003 ) Another Round ( 2002 ) 40 Years A-Rovin ' ( 2005 ) External links The Irish Rovers Website This article on a Canadian band or other musical ensemble is a stub . You can help by expanding it . Categories : Canadian folk music groups 