Based in New York City, Black 47 espouses an unblinkingly political and thoroughly Irish form of rock 'n' roll, with songs covering topics from the Northern Ireland conflict to civil rights and urban unrest in contemporary New York. Black 47 earned their chops playing the pub scene in Manhattan. Formed in the Bronx by Larry Kirwan and Chris Byrne in 1989. Their name is derived from 1847, the worst year of the Great Irish Famine.
Black 47 began as a two-piece with Larry Kirwan on vocals and electric guitar and Chris Byrne on whistles. Their first performance was in the Bronx on October 2, 1989. During the first year a horn section was added with Fred Parcells on trombone and Geoffrey Blythe on saxophones. Later they were joined by Thomas Hamlin on drums.

In 1991 the band created a stir in the downtown Manhattan scene with their weekly residency at Paddy Reilly's on Second Avenue. In the same year, the band released an eponymous independent album which gained the attention of the music industry.

The Cars' Ric Ocasek produced "Fire of Freedom" their first major label release in 1993. During this year, the singles "Funky Céilí" and "Maria's Wedding" were in heavy rotation on alternative radio and MTV's 120 Minutes.

"Home of the Brave" followed in 1994 with Jerry Harrison serving as producer. The album continued the band's socio-political themes of American labor and civil rights, Irish nationalism, and the immigrant experience.

In 1996 the band shifted from EMI to Mercury Records. They released "Green Suede Shoes" which had been their most critically successful album since "Fire of Freedom."

In their tenth year together, Black 47 released a limited edition compilation "Ten Bloody Years" and their first live recording "Live In New York City" which took place in the now defunct Wetlands nightclub.

In 2000, founding member Chris Byrne left the band to focus on his solo music project Seanchaí and the Unity Squad.