There is heartbreak tonight following the passing of revered singer and harpist Moya Brennan on the age of 73 after a brief sickness.
Known because the first lady of Celtic music, Moya was the timeless and ethereal voice on the coronary heart of the Grammy award-winning Donegal supergroup Clannad.
Altan’s Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh has led the tributes tonight, sharing a video of her pricey pal and writing that she was heartbroken: “Chroí bhriste i do dhiaidh. Máire an guth binn.”
Clannad’s Moya Brennan performing on the Together for Creeslough Concert in 2023. (NW Newspix).
Born as Máire Philomena Ní Bhraonáin, Moya was the eldest of 9 youngsters born to Máire (Baba) and the late Leo Brennan of Leo’s Tavern in Crolly. Moya was born in Dublin and raised in Gweedore, and her world-famous siblings embrace singer and composer Enya, in addition to fellow Clannad bandmates Ciarán and Pól.
Clannad was shaped in 1970 by Moya, Ciarán and Pól, along with their twin uncles, Noel and Pádraig Duggan, who’ve each since handed.
Clannad went on to develop into one of Ireland’s most profitable bands on the worldwide stage. Their breakthrough people music, Theme from Harry’s Game, reached quantity 5 within the UK in November 1982 and have become the first Irish-language music to succeed in the UK Top 10. Clannad went on to promote greater than 15 million data worldwide.
In 1999, Moya obtained her first Grammy with Clannad for the 1997 album (*73*), which gained Best New Age Album. Over the years, she obtained a complete of 5 Grammy nominations in that class.
Over the course of her profession, Moya collaborated with a variety of acclaimed artists, together with the late Shane MacGowan, Bono, Chris de Burgh, Robert Plant, Van Morrison and Hans Zimmer.
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One of Moya’s ultimate performances was at Hot Press ‘A History within the Making’ at Dublin’s 3Arena in February 2026.
Clannad’s ultimate billed stay present came about on the Royal Albert Hall in London in October 2024. A yr later, they got here collectively once more for an intimate live performance at Leo’s Tavern to mark the fortieth anniversary of their iconic album Macalla, in help of Donegal Cancer Flights.
In 2022, after a profession spanning greater than 50 years, Moya was conferred with an honorary doctorate in Philosophy from Dublin City University.
Moya was inaugurated because the 2023 Donegal Person of the Year by the Donegal Association Dublin. In 2024, she and her brothers Ciarán and Pól had been awarded the Freedom of Donegal by Donegal County Council.
Clannad awarded Freedom of County Donegal – Pól, Máire and Ciarán Brennan performing after the award ceremony in 2024. Photo Clive Wasson
The honours recognised the band’s contribution to Celtic and New Age music, but in addition Moya’s inspiring function within the lives of numerous artists.
She was recognized for giving the following technology of musicians a begin and for her beneficiant mentoring. The Clubeo nights at Leo’s gave rising expertise a platform, whereas Moya’s hospitality and encouragement had been broadly famend.
Moya and her husband, Tim Jarvis, have two youngsters, Aisling and Paul.
