Clannad & Moya Brennan News

Moya Brennan and Excalibur cast

Moya Brennan will perform as Viviane, Lady of the Lake in German production ‘Excalibur’, a Celtic opera for their 2011 stage tour. From the Excalibur website: ‘Created by a deity, predicted by a sorcerer and acquired by a king – an ancient mystery which is now unravelled by music…’. Joining Moya will include Runrig’s Bruce Guthro, members of Fairport Convention and “Mr. Eurovision” himself, Johnny Logan. The tour begins in January 2010. For ticketing information, check out the Clannad Newsblog’s post.

Moya Brennan's Music of Ireland - Welcome to America

Part II of Moya Brennan’s ‘Music of Ireland’ series was released on August 31st 2010. Exclusive to Barnes & Noble, it is available along with Part I (Music of Ireland: Welcome Home). The second part features interviews between Moya and U2, Sinéad O’Connor, The Corrs and Órla Fallon as well as a chat with Cormac de Barra. It also features the first video recording from T with the Maggies, the new band featuring Moya Brennan, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh of Altan, Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill and Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill. For more information, see Barnes & Noble or Music of Ireland (for videos and clips).

We’ve been on a bit of a sabatical with adding news with all the work we’ve been up to! So much has happened in the past wee while, so make sure to check out the Clannad Newsblog! We’re going to add backnews over the next few days and some new stuff from today like the free ‘Clannad: The Collection’ giveaway in Ireland and T with the Maggies news! Sorry for the delay! If you’d like to keep informed with all the recent news, just pop your email into the Newsletter box on the right! NS x

Orla Fallon

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.

Pic of the month: 'Was blind, but now I see' - Amazing Grace

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

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

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 Ms

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!

Leo's Tavern, Donegal

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!

Clannad reformed at Celtic Connections, Glasgow, Scotland in 2007

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.