Before joining the Dubliners full-time, Kelly had spent some time playing at English folk clubs such as the Jug o'Punch in Birmingham, run by the folk singer Ian Campbell.
Inden Luke Kelly sluttede sig til The Dubliners på fuld tid, havde han spillet på forskellige engelske folkemusikstedersom Jug o'Punch i Birmingham, der blev drevet af folksangeren Ian Campbell.