Celtic Music: Clannad

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Clannad - A Musical Family Business

Clannad, like many other Celtic artists and groups, began with traditional material. They later expanded into rock, jazz, ambient, and world music. They come from Gaoth Dobhair (Gweedore), a part of County Donegal in the northwest of the Irish Republic between Northern Ireland to the East and the Atlantic Ocean to the west. Enya is a member of the family, and recorded and performed with the group for a few years before leaving to pursue her own highly successful solo career in the early 1980s. Shortly after that, the group had a breakthrough with their album Magical Ring, which features "Theme from Harry's Game," the first (and so far only) recording in Irish to make it to the top five on charts in the UK.

It all began at Leo's Tavern 

Clannad are sister and brother Moya Brennan (Máire Ní Bhraonáin) and Ciarán Brennan (Ciarán Ó Braonáin), and twin brothers and uncles of the other members, Noel Duggan (Noel Ó Dúgáin) and Pádraig Duggan (Pádraig Ó Dúgáin). Pól Brennan (Pól Ó Braonáin) left the group in 1990, although he did join the others in 2007 for an appearance at the Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow, Scotland.

(The photo to the right was used as the cover for the album Fuaim, one of the albums with Eithne (Enya). She is the woman on the right.)

Moya, Ciarán and Pól began performing together in their father Leo's pub. They were joined by their twin uncles and won a talent contest in Letterkenny in 1970. Their first album was recorded in 1973 and they continued recording until 1997, when they disbanded. Following their Celtic Connections appearance with Pól, Moya, Ciarán, Noel and Pádraig got together in 2008 for a tour that began in the UK and features concerts in Europe and Ireland.

Clannad (1973 - 1982) Studio Albums on Amazon 

The contest Clannad won in 1970 included a recording contract with the Irish division of Phillips, but the first album wasn't recorded until 1973, partly because the company balked at the idea of including songs sung in Irish.

MP3 downloads, where indicated, are available in the United States only.

If you wish to order from Amazon.co.uk, please click on the appropriate text link in each CD's description. Clicking on the graphic or title of the CD links you to Amazon's US site.

Clannad

The first album, which does feature songs in Irish, shows influences of contemporaries such as England's Pentangle, jazz, and music collected on trips to Tory Island off the Irish west coast.

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Clannad 2

The second album, recorded in 1975, produced by Donal Lunny and released on Gael-Linn, features singing in Irish and Maire's harp playing.

MP3: Clannad 2

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Dulaman

This 1976 recording is considered by some to be the high point of Clannad's traditional music phase. That year, the group toured Europe for the first time and the response convinced them to turn professional.
MP3: Dulaman

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Crann Ull

This 1980 recording features vocal work from Eithne (Enya) on one track, plus more of Moya's harp.

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Fuaim

This 1982 album is the only one featuring Enya as a full member, and marks the group's first experiments with the synthesizer.

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Clannad (1983 - 1988) Studio Albums on Amazon 

Magical Ring

This 1983 recording marks Clannad's departure from their earlier, more traditional sound. It's also noted for "Theme from Harry's Game," written for a BBC drama. It spent six months on the UK album charts, with other tracks such as "Tower Hill," "Passing Time," and "Newgrange" which have become favorites among fans.

MP3: Magical Ring

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Legend

The success of Magical Ring led to a commission to create music for the BBC series Robin of Sherwood and this 1984 album. They had another hit with "Robin, the Hooded Man." The album led to Clannad winning a BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) award. They were the first Irish act to win the award. Since the material deals with English folklore, this was the group's first album with no songs in Irish.

MP3: Legend

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Macalla

Released in 1986, this album (the name means "echo" in Irish) stands as their most critically acclaimed release. The duet with U2's Bono, "In a Lifetime," was another hit, and several other tracks were released as singles as well.

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Sirius

Recorded in Los Angeles, this 1988 album featured several American guest musicians, including Bruce Hornsby. The album and title track are named for the Greenpeace ship "Sirius." The following year Clannad embarked on a world tour, and the album rose to become one of their best sellers.

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Atlantic Realm

Recorded in 1988, this is a soundtrack for a BBC documentary about the Atlantic Ocean.

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Clannad (1989 - 1997) Studio Albums on Amazon 

The Angel and the Soldier Boy

This is the soundtrack for a half-hour animation, with the music telling the story. It was recorded in 1989.

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Anam

This 1991 album is the first without Pol Brennan. Ciaran began writing more of the group's songs. When it was released in the States in 1992, it included two songs from previous albums, "In a Lifetime" and "Theme from Harry's Game." The latter had been used in the movie "Patriot Games" and a Volkswagen ad. The song went on to win a Billboard Music Award for World Music Song of the Year.

Order CD from Amazon.co.uk: Anam: Remastered & Repackaged

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Banba

1994's Banba became Clannad's first album to be nominated for a Grammy, and it reached the top spot on the World Music chart. "I Will Find You" was written for the film "The Last of the Mohicans" and features Moya singing in Mohican and Cherokee.

Order CD from Amazon.co.uk: Banba: Remastered & Repackaged

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Lore

This 1996 album was another big seller for Clannad. "Croi Croga" was written as a theme tune for Mel Gibson's film "Braveheart" but didn't make it to the soundtrack. There's a strong jazz element present, and it is blended with traditional Irish music.

Order CD from Amazon.co.uk: Lore: Remastered & Repackaged

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Landmarks

1997 marks Clannad's last studio release (so far). The landmarks are those of County Donegal, in particular their home area of Gweedore. It won a 1999 Grammy for Best New Age Album, the same category for which Enya has won four awards (she was between albums at the time).

Order CD from Amazon.co.uk: Landmarks: Remastered & Repackaged

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Clannad Compilation Albums on Amazon 

Past Present

This 1989 compilation covers Clannad's work to that time and also features two new tunes. It made the UK Top Ten and also garnered Clannad a UK Platinum award.

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Clannad: The Collection

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Themes

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Rogha: The Best of Clannad

MP3: Rogha: The Best Of Clannad

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An Diolaim: Folk Roots of One of Ireland's Groups

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Clannad Compilation and Live Albums on Amazon 

A Magical Gathering: The Clannad Anthology

Two discs

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The Best of Clannad: In a Lifetime

MP3: The Best Of

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Celtic Themes: Very Best of Clannad

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Clannad in Concert

This 1979 album features music from Clannad's 1978 Swiss tour.
MP3: Clannad In Concert

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Live in Concert

From 1996, this live album features favorite tunes from as far back as 1973 updated with full band arrangements. The duet of "In a Lifetime" features former "Riverdance" singer Brian kennedy.
MP3: Live In Concert

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Video: Clannad on YouTube 

Clannad - Theme from Harry's Game - Ardán April 2007

Imtheochaidh soir is siar ** I will go east and go west A dtáinig ariamh an ghealach is an ghrian ** From whence came the moon and the sun Fol lol the doh, fol the day Fol the doh, fol the day Imtheochaidh an ghealach's an ghrian ** The moon and the sun will go An duine óg is a cháil 'na dhiadh ** And the young man with his reputation behind him Imtheochaidh a dtáinig ariamh ** I will go wherever he came from An duine óg is a cháil ne dhiadh ** The young man with his reputation behind him Harry's game was an ITV drama about Captain Harry Brown -- an SAS undercover agent - infiltrating the IRA. Harry is on a mission to find the assassin of a British Cabinet Minister in the Falls Road area of Belfast. Harry is alone: not even the army has been told of his presence; his wife is fed up with him. A deadly game of cat and mouse ensues, in which too many innocent lives will be impacted and neither side can win. Harry befriends a local woman who falls for him, and will in turn be consumed by Harry's relentless search for the assassin. The IRA soon realise they have an informant in their midst and bring in the same assassin to hunt down Harry. The play's ending ... (warning - spoiler!) .... was sad: the betrayed and by now dead Harry is lying on a dirty street as the locals just step over the body, ignoring it. Based on Gerald Seymour's first novel Available on DVD - ASIN: B0009YVDB2 Contains loose parallels with the real-life events of both Grenadier Guards/SAS Captain Robert Nairac, and his murder by the IRA in 1977, and the 1979 assassination of Shadow Northern Ireland Secretary Airey Neave. The chorus "Fol lol the doh fol the day, Fol the doh fol the day", orginates in Irish mouth-music. Written by Pól Ó'Braonáin of Clannad in 1982. Appears on several Clannad albums: Magical Ring; Pastpresent; Anam; Themes; Live In Concert; Hourglass (single), along with the more recent Celtic Woman recording Clannad - Theme from Harry's Game - Ardán April 2007 - www.tg4.ie

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Clannad Links 

The official Clannad website
The site features news, including 2008 tour dates, album notes, photos, and a forum.
Clannad on Wikipedia
An extensive and well-developed entry for Clannad.
Clannad Video Showcase
Watch your own Clannad mini-concert!
Other Celtic music lenses by MobyD
A lens to help you find similar lenses I've made.
Clannad at HavePun-WillTravel.com
This lens recreated as a page on my website.

Share Your Thoughts about Celtic Music: Clannad 

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  • Reply
    CrypticFragments CrypticFragments Oct 7, 2008 @ 5:18 pm
    we had a pint @ Leo's Tabhairne when I spent the summer in Donegal in 1995. I've got quite a collection of Clannad's music as well as sister Enya.
    5* for this one
  • Reply
    poddys poddys May 29, 2008 @ 3:35 pm
    Wow I'm honoured to be the first to write in the Clannad guestbook. You did a great job on this lens, very nice tribute to Clannad. I first came across them like most English people with the theme to Robin Hood and instantly liked them.

    I enjoy a lot of Irish music in other genres as well, from the Irish Tenors to Horslips (I have most of their CD's).

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by MobyD

I'm very interested in Celtic music and have created a series of lenses about performers. See Celtic Music: Lenses (named Lens of the Day on March 16,... (more)

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