Celebrated Irish musician Dónal Lunny dies aged 79
A founding member of three renowned bands - The Bothy Band, Planxty and Moving Hearts - he was widely credited for the revival and growth of Irish traditional music.
Celebrated Irish musician Dónal Lunny dies aged 79
Dónal Lunny, one of Ireland’s most celebrated traditional musicians and multi-instrumentalists, has died aged 79.
A founding member of three acclaimed bands — The Bothy Band, Planxty and Moving Hearts — he was widely credited with helping revive and expand Irish traditional music.
He also composed and wrote scores for a broad range of projects, including TV dramas, documentaries and films.
In recent years, he worked with contemporary artists including Kate Bush, Rod Stewart, Elvis Costello and Clannad.
He is remembered for leaving a lasting mark on Ireland’s music scene and was once described by U2’s Bono as the island’s "answer to Quincy Jones".
Born in Tullamore, County Offaly, in 1947, Lunny moved to Newbridge in County Kildare when he was five, and he said music had always been an enjoyable part of his life from childhood.
According to Irish broadcaster RTÉ, he first met a young Christy Moore in 1959, and the two school friends discovered a musical bond that would endure for many decades.
As a founding member of Planxty with Moore, Liam O'Flynn and Andy Irvine, Lunny helped reshape traditional Irish music. The group released three albums between 1971 and 1973, with Lunny playing bouzouki, guitar, keyboards and bodhrán throughout.
In 1973, he established Mulligan Records and later produced 17 albums, with the label releasing music from artists including Boomtown Rats, The Radiators and Agnes Bernell.
Lunny joined The Bothy Band in 1975, helping push the limits of traditional Irish music alongside Matt Molloy, Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill, Kevin Burke, Paddy Glackin and Paddy Keenan.
The Irish Traditional Music Archive said Lunny’s influence on Irish music was "immense"
In 1992, Lunny produced and served as musical director of the acclaimed TV series Bringing It All Back Home, launching a long creative partnership with producer Philip King.
He also composed film scores, including for This Is My Father, starring Aidan Quinn and James Caan.
After a successful career spanning decades, Lunny received a lifetime achievement award at the BBC Radio 2 Folk Awards in 2018.
Last year, he was given a lifetime achievement award at the RTÉ Radio 1 Irish Folk Awards.
One of his final public appearances was in August, when he performed at the Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann [All-Ireland Fleadh] in Belfast.
Musician and composer Neil Martin, who had worked with Lunny throughout his career, described the loss as "huge" and said he was an "extraordinary figure".
"Since the mid-60s nearly anything that was of significant movement within the traditional music world, Dónal was at the epicentral to it," he told BBC's Evening Extra programme.
Recalling a time he spent with Dónal 18 months ago, when they sat over a drink, Neil said he thought "Lunny's back again" and added that, although the musician had been unwell for some time, the news of his death came as "a bit of a shock".
He told the programme he was "delighted" that his last memory with Dónal is a "happy one".
"All the musicians in Ireland will have nodded to him at some stage," he added.
In a statement, The Irish Traditional Music Archive (ITMA) said Lunny's influence on Irish music was "immense" and that he "opened new harmonic and rhythmic possibilities".
Referring to the work he produced in his bands, they said "his imagination shaped the sound of Irish music" and described his career as being built on "creativity, friendship and collaboration."
"Dónal leaves behind an extraordinary body of work. His artistry, generosity and influence are woven deeply into the living tradition and into the lives of so many who knew him, were inspired by him, or had the privilege of playing and working alongside him," ITMA added.
Lunny is survived by his family, including his children Oisin, Cora Venus, and Sora Chan, as well as his partner Una O'Boyle. His brother, Manus, is also a noted musician and producer.
He had a brief relationship with his musical collaborator Sinéad O'Connor in the early 2000s, and they welcomed a son, Shane, in 2004.
Shane died in 2022 at the age of 17, followed by his mother in 2023.