Celtic Music Video Showcases

Liam Kelly, Shane Mitchell, Martin Mc Ginley, Brian Mc Donagh and Michael Holmes got together in 1989 to record The Boys of Sligo which inspired them to form the band called Dervish. They were joined in 1991 by singer Cathy Jordan and champion fiddler Shane McAleer and recorded the first album under the Dervish name, Harmony Hill. This album quickly became acclaimed as a landmark Irish traditional album.

Dervish Video Showcase
Dervish lens

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.

Clannad Video Showcase
Clannad lens

"Their seductively contemporary sound and production, their mastery of traditional instruments (along with a willingness to look beyond them) and the voice of Karen Matheson have helped Capercaillie re-model the Celtic landscape..."
Q MAGAZINE - Quote from Capercaillie's website

Capercaillie Video Showcase
Capercaillie lens

De Danann was formed in 1974 in Spiddal, County Galway by Frankie Gavin (fiddle), Alec Finn (guitar, bouzouki), Johnny "Ringo" McDonagh (bodhrán) and Charlie Piggott (banjo).

They took their name from the mythical Irish tribe Tuatha Dé Danann. Along the way, for reasons not made clear, the group decided to change the spelling of the name to De Dannan, without the accent mark, which is how it appears on Ballroom and following recordings.

De Dannan Video Showcase
De Dannan lens

The Chieftains are credited with bringing traditional Irish music to the world's attention. Paddy Molony got some musicians together in 1962 and they recorded an album that was at the time regarded as a one-time thing. But five years later, they got together again, and a second album followed in 1968. Harpist Derek Bell joined in 1973, but they weren't playing full time until 1975.

The Chieftains Video Showcase
The Chieftains lens

Enya first gained notice as a solo artist with her work on the BBC Scotland series The Celts. The music was released as Enya and later remastered and released as The Celts. Her four latest albums of new material have each won a Grammy Award for "Best New Age Album."

Enya was born Eithne Patricia Ni Bhraonain, part of the very musical Brennan family of Gaoth Dobhair (Gweedore), County Donegal, Ireland. Several of her relatives formed the well-known Irish band Clannad, and Enya performed on the albums Cran Ull and Fuaim. She left the group when producer and manager Nicky Ryan left in 1982, shortly before Clannad became known for "Theme from Harry's Game." She started her own recording studio.

Enya Video Showcase
Enya lens

Altan began with the duo of flute player Frankie Kennedy from Belfast, and fiddler and singer Mairead Ni Mhaonaigh from Gaoth Dobhair (Gweedore) in Donegal. Their first album got a little help on one track from Eithne Ni Bhraonain, better known as Enya. While their second album was called Altan, it wasn't until the third album that the band took the name. Frankie died of cancer in 1993, but he insisted that the rest of the band continue after his passing. After a few years Altan was back with new music.

Altan Video Showcase
Altan lens