Clannad & Moya Brennan News

Órla Fallon, formerly of the international show Celtic Woman will perform in Dublin for the first time in four years. Órla, who has recorded Clannad, Moya Brennan and Enya songs with Celtic Woman, and as a solo artist will perform alongside, and with support, Sinéad Madden, of the Moya Brennan band. Órla is the most traditionally known, in terms of music, among her bandmates. The performance in Ireland’s National Concert Hall takes place on July 21st 2010 at 8pm.

Órla and Sinéad both have new albums. Sinéad’s features Moya’s voice and studio skills, and Órla has recently appeared on Music of Ireland – Welcome Home, the US programme that is hosted by Moya Brennan, who also interviews Órla. Further information on the performance is available at the National Concert Hall website. Moya Brennan will also hold concerts with her band, including Sinéad, this year and next.

Every month, we are going to have a picture of a Brennan/Duggan member or their bands that is quite rare! Most pictures have already been seen before, so we will try to be imaginative. We’d like to apologize for the lack of updates recently, life has been so, so busy! Todays picture is of Moya Brennan! [=

This picture is from the Two Horizons days, but we’re not sure what newspaper story it was from. Instead, we’ve come up with our own teeny (probably wrong!) concept: from TH & The Other Side of the Rainbow, and Moya’s support for the Amazing Grace film and recording of the song, we *wait for it, wait for it*, caption the photo, ‘Was blind, but now I see’, a lyric from that amazing (excuse the pun) song that has lots of Irish connections. And of course, Moya is a very graceful and amazing person! [=

Give us your own captions! [=
Northern Skyline HQ.x

(find our last photo at http://www.clannad.org.uk/2008/09/from-the-archive-01/)

T with the Maggies announced on their Twitter page that their new CD is coming along well. The group, made up of Moya Brennan, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill & Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill, will be recording over the Summer to deliver their new album, yet untitled soon. You can listen to the music on the T with the Maggies website in the meantime!

Pól Brennan, founder and former Clannad member will again perform at Féile Ealaíne an Earagail – The Errigal Arts Festival. The féile (festival) finalé will take place on July 18th at An Grianán in Letterkenny. Pól will be joined by Guo Yue (with whom he recorded the ‘Trísan’ album for Peter Gabriel’s Real World Records) and Kenyan percussionist Ayub Ogada. Pól will also accompany the pair with wife and singer Tara Byrne and Jed Lynch. Further information and tickets available from EAF.ie.

T with the Maggies (Moya Brennan, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill & Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill) are to perform a fundraising concert on July 1st with special guests Runa (Fionán de Barra, Shannon Lambert-Ryan and Cheryl Prashker), Brídín Brennan, Deirdre Brennan and many more!

The concerts raise funds for the Save Our Scenery (SOS) campaign, who work to put an end to the destruction of the Donegal landscape and are part of Donegal Alternatives to Pile-Ons. For further information, check out the Leo’s Tavern website!

Brian Kennedy, Frances Black and others will perform on 29th July along with special guests and Moya Brennan, who will also host the event. Please support the cause!

As part of the Earagail Arts Festival, an evening of music, talks and conversations looking back at the history of Leo’s Tavern will take place on July 9th 2010. Tábhairne Leo proprietor Bartley Brennan along with Leo himself & sister Moya Brennan will recount stories of the early days on tour with Clannad. Special new videos will be shown, and performances given by Moya and her daughter, Aisling Jarvis. For more information check out Leo’s Tavern and Féile Ealaíne an Earagail!

Thanks to the Clannad Newsblog, we now know that Clannad will perform in Trieste, Italy at Triskell International Celtic Festival 2010 on Saturday 17th July at 9pm. Clannad will take to the stage (Moya, Ciarán, Noel & Pádraig, no Pól for those who asked!) at the Rossetti Opera House. This is Clannad’s only confirmed date of the year.

Last year, there was confirmation of an “unplugged” album from the band who haven’t released a new studio album since 1997/8. If you are free to get there, send us any photos! Woo! Ticket links can be found on our ‘Tour’ page.

David Ross, known as Nassau Royal, will be releasing his debut album in May. As he posted earlier on MySpace the album will be called Breath of the Universe. Several album launches have already been announced, one in Germany and one in The Netherlands.

German Album Launch: Kulturkeller, Engen, Germany – May 28th and May 29th, 2010
Dutch Album Launch: The Tara, Amsterdam, The Netherlands – June 26th, 2010
Spanish Album Launch: Rock Island Bar, Fuerteventura, Spain – Juny 7th, 2010

A tracklist hasn’t been posted yet, but there is a preview song on his Myspace, called Astoria Dreams.

Nassau Royal provided the lead single with Moya Brennan a few years ago for the Sanctuary album. The song was called Stars Are Made For The Sky. Click here to listen to the song on YouTube.

Moya Brennan will be performing at a live showcase aimed at promoting tourism in Donegal. The county, known internationally for its music and culture (as the home of Clannad, Enya, Altan and many more) will be shown in its true light throughout the day, on 16th May 2010 in Dublin’s cultural quarter, Temple Bar. The music begins at 1pm and will also feature Altan (singer Mairéad is also a member of T with the Maggies!), Aoife Ní Fhearraigh, An Crann Óg, Mickey Jo Harte, The Henry Girls and the Donegal Youth Orchestra! For more information, check out Donegal Live.

Moya Brennan and Cormac de Barra will be releasing a new album, called My Match Is A Makin’, during the Dutch Spring Tour 2010. An album focused mainly on the harp it will feature some Clannad songs as well as Irish traditionals. For the time being this album will be only available at the Dutch Spring Tour, but rumour has it that the album will also be available world wide soon (or at least in Ireland).

The following tracks will appear on the album:

1. Tá mo Chleamhnas á Dhéanamh / My Match is a Makin’
2. The Streets of Derry
3. Crann Úll
4. Carolan’s Concerto
5. She Moved Through the Fair
6. An Seanduine Dóite
7. Bean Dubh a’ Ghleanna
8. Longing to See You
9. Taim Breoite go Leor
10. Mo Mhian.

As the album will only be available in The Netherlands for the time being, the places to get the album are:

April 14 Vlaardingen, Stadsgehoorzaal
April 15 Purmerend, Purmaryn
April 16 in Leiden, Stadsgehoorzaal
April 17 in Kerkrade, Parkstad Limburg Theater
April 18 in Alkmaar, Theater De Vast
April 20 in Breda, Chassé Theater
April 21 in Eindhoven, Eindhoven Airport Zaal
April 22 in Hengelo, Rabotheater
April 24 in Wageningen, Theater Junushoff
April 25 in Hoogeveen, Theater de Tamboer
April 27 in Tiel, Schouwburg Agnietenhof
April 28 in Cuijk, Schouwburg Cuijk
April 29 in Laren, Singertheater

For more information on the Spring tour 2010 visit Moya’s Live Page.