Clannad & Moya Brennan News

Still from 'Dust'

Pól Brennan has composed the music for the November 2009 film ‘Dust’. The short film is set in Dublin in the year 2007. From the press release the storyline comes across very profound, we bet it’s a brilliant film and can’t wait to get it! “Dust is a film about people’s fear of getting involved in someone else’s problem. James, a Dublin taxi-driver, works hard to make a living. When a Latvian man, Valdis, is mugged next to his taxi, James finds himself reluctantly looking after him. Shot on S16 film, Dust captures the harder side of life in Dublin just before the fall of the Celtic Tiger.”

Pól also composed the music for ‘Kings’ and Irish language film that was considered as Ireland’s non-English entry to the Academy Awards (Oscars). We hope to see Pól do more soundtrack work in the future. With Clannad he recorded the soundtracks for the BBC’s ‘Atlantic Realm’, ‘The Angel and the Soldier Boy’ and of course ‘Robin of Sherwood’. Pól’s work since leaving Clannad has included working/producing with Irish singer Eimear Quinn, working on an album with his partner Tara Ní Bhroinn and releasing an album on Real World Records with Jori Hirota and Guo Yue.

San Patricio

Moya Brennan has made an appearance on The Chieftain’s new album! Moya, who has appeared on a number of Chieftains albums makes a stunning contribution to the ‘San Patricio’ album. It was produced The Chieftains and Ry Cooder and has a huge Mexican influence. The six-time Grammy winners’ album also features Liam Neeson, Los Tigres del Norte, and dozens of other celebrated Mexican, American and Irish musicians and singers. ‘San Patricio’ brings to life the story of the San Patricio Battalion, Irish-Americans who deserted the United States Army to join the Mexican side in the Mexican-American War. Moya performs the song ‘Lullaby for the Dead’. You can hear samples online or watch a documentary on the album and its story over at Amazon.

Cranna Ceoil

Moya Brennan has appeared on the new album by Irish fiddle and viola player, singer, composer, album producer and Norland Wind member Máire Breatnach! Máire has appeared on most of Moya’s solo albums and both have worked together on a range of other artists’ albums. The new album, ‘Cranna Ceoil / In Full Measure’ was released in January under the Gael Linn label, and will become more widely available over the coming weeks. We’ll add a sample as soon as possible! All tracks were composed by Máire, so we can’t wait to hear it. For more information, check out Máire’s official website.

Tony Clarke

On January 4th 2010, producer Tony Clarke passed away. He was the producer behind Clannad’s ‘Legend’, the BAFTA award-winning soundtrack from ‘Robin of Sherwood’, one of ITV’s most prolific programmes. ‘Legend’ is one of Clannad’s best known international albums, its film having again in 2009 been re-released in a deluxe box-set. Clannad were a huge part of the programme, and without Tony, it wouldn’t have come about so amazingly. A producer for the ‘Moody Blues’ he was considered the sixth member of the group. Fuller information can be found on the Moody Blues fansite and of course at the Clannad Newsblog. We are all as readers of Clannad and Moya Brennan news thankful for his HUGE contribution to our heroes’ works.

Tá sé ar shlí na fírinne anois, le beannacht Dé.

Moya Brennan

I found a cool article in the Irish Times posted just 20 minutes ago about the south of Ireland’s biggest ever delegation of traditional musicians to the states. Moya Brennan, Iarla Ó Lionáird, John Spillane and many more of Ireland’s gems performed in New York’s city council chambers and will perform today as well. For more information, check out the article. It’s really amazing that New York and Ireland link so closely, the Conflict did a lot to merge the two places into the most rich pockets of Irish culture in the world.

Ceol Cheann Dubhrann

UPDATE 16 DEC 2009: Here is the front cover for the album designed by the wonderful Édain O’Donnell who also designed Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh’s album ‘Imeall’. Stunning photograph, reminds me of the remastered Clannad albums! Courtesy of Robert McMillen from An tEolas at the Irish News PS, you can BUY THE ALBUM TODAY!

ORIGINAL POST 13 DEC 2009: As promised, here are samples from ‘Ceol Cheann Dubhrann’. The launch was brilliant! Moya and Mairéad couldn’t be there due to being in Germany & Japan, but I spotted Leo who’s looking really well. Photos and stuff to come. I wish I could put up bigger samples, but I’ve decided against it because the album is to raise money for both Scoil Náisiúnta Rann na Feirste and Áislann Rann na Feirste, both of which promote the music of Rann na Feirste and the local communities contributions which can be heard and seen all around the world.

All musicians are from Rann na Feirste or have parents from the area apart from Moya Brennan and Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, from Gaoth Dobhair although they have done a huge job keeping the songs of RNF alive. Moya’s song almost made me cry, it’s just gorgeous! From the album notes it was written by Séamus Ó Grianna (Jimí Fheilimí) and was first sung in 1925 by Hiúdaí Fheilimí. For full notes, grab the album in a few days from Cló Iar-Chonnachta – it is such a worthy cause. Scan of album cover coming soon! Below are samples of my personal favourites:

Lá Breá Te sa tSamhradh – Dónall Mac Ruairí

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Méilte Cheann Dubhrann – Máire Ní Bhraonáin

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An Seanduine Dóite – Aodh Mac Ruairí

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Má Théid Tú Chun Aonaigh – Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh

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Caidé Sin Don Té Sin? – Maighréad & Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill

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Cumhaidh an Fhile – Rosanna Ní Dhónaill

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Éirigh Suas a Stóirín – Seán Mac Ruairí

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Sharon Kips

UPDATE 15 DEC 2009: As well as the sample below, check out another sample over at Sharon’s website, just wow! Get your friend a copy for Christmas

ORIGINAL 14 DEC 2009: Moya Brennan has appeared on the new album ‘Love Will Bring You Home’ by the Dutch X Factor’s winner Sharon Kips, who won the singing show in 2007. Sharon is an amazing Gospel and pop singer who has mastered ballads and belt-out songs. The calm but fresh album has been in my home for two days and I haven’t even mentioned it! You can listen to a sample below of the duet, but we really recommend buying the whole album, or if you’re downloading, include ‘Coming Home’ in your reviews on iTunes, mention Moya lots! Yet another Moya’s collaboration, adding to the list that has included Bono and Robert Plant… oh, and Sharon wrote her album in The Shamrock…

Sample:

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Enya smiling during a signing

A broadcast on Enya’s latest release ‘The Very Best of Enya’ will be broadcast on January 10th 2010 as part of Eurochannel’s special music programme for the New Year! For information, check out Out of the Blue and Sail Away (make sure to subscribe to their feeds or bookmark their sites!)

Ceol Cheann Dubhrann (click to enlarge)

UPDATE: I’ve added samples here!

I’m in Derry today and was at last night’s brilliant Lumiere concert in Cultúrlann Doire – Two Sisters was amazing! I’m about to leave for Leo’s Tavern for the launch of a new album featuring Moya Brennan, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, Maighréad & Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill. The album ‘Ceol Cheann Dubhrann’ (The Music of Ceann Dubhrann) celebrates the songs of Rann na Feirste, a Gaeltacht parish in Donegal were the members of Clannad, Skara Brae and Altan learnt many of the songs they sing today. Moya, under her birth name Máire Ní Bhraonáin sings the almost-title-track, ‘Méilte Cheann Dubhrann’. More information coming soon, I’ll get a copy of the album when I’m up and cut some samples. It’s really brilliant to see the four singers above take on the old Donegal traditional songs again. The four singers are also recording an album together… T with the Maggies! Happy winter (it’s FREEZING, and the ice won’t come off the windscreen of the car! Gahh… off I go.

Liam with Moya

Liam Clancy, famous for his 6-decade-long promotion of Irish song as a young emigrant to America and as a member of the Clancy Brothers died on the 4th of December 2009. It is with great sadness that we post this. A man who paved the way for modern Irish and Gaelic music to allow Clannad, Altan, Moya Brennan, Enya and more recently Líadan to take to the world stages will be sadly missed by all. His final performances were at the National Concert Hall in Dublin, and at The Yellow Bittern Premiere Afterparty – a film about his life. ‘The Yellow Bittern’ is well known as ‘An Bunán Buí’, recorded by Clannad for ‘Crann Úll’, it was among Clancy’s best known songs. For more information on the great man, check out the film’s website. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.