Moya Brennan (born Máire Philomena Ní Bhraonáin on 4 August 1952), also known as Máire Brennan, is an Irish folk singer, songwriter, harpist, and philanthropist. She is the sister of the musical artist known as Enya. She began performing professionally in 1970 when her family formed the band
Clannad
Clannad () is an Irish band formed in 1970 in Gweedore, County Donegal by siblings Ciarán, Pól, and Moya Brennan and their twin uncles Noel and Pádraig Duggan. They have adopted various musical styles throughout their history, including f ...
. Brennan released her first solo album in 1992 called ''
Máire
Máire is the Irish language form of the Latin Maria, which was in turn a Latin form of the Greek names Μαριαμ, or Mariam, and Μαρια, or Maria, found in the New Testament. Both New Testament names were forms of the Hebrew name or Mir ...
'', a successful venture. She has received a
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...
from five nominations and has won an
Emmy Award
The Emmy Awards, or Emmys, are an extensive range of awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international television industry. A number of annual Emmy Award ceremonies are held throughout the calendar year, each with the ...
. She has recorded music for several soundtracks, including ''
Titanic
RMS ''Titanic'' was a British passenger liner, operated by the White Star Line, which sank in the North Atlantic Ocean on 15 April 1912 after striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage from Southampton, England, to New York City, United ...
'', ''
To End All Wars
''To End All Wars'' is a 2001 war film starring Robert Carlyle, Kiefer Sutherland and Sakae Kimura and was directed by David L. Cunningham. The film is based on '' Through the Valley of the Kwai'', an autobiography of Scottish captain Ernest G ...
'' and ''
King Arthur
King Arthur ( cy, Brenin Arthur, kw, Arthur Gernow, br, Roue Arzhur) is a legendary king of Britain, and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain.
In the earliest traditions, Arthur appears as a ...
''.
Musical upbringing
Máire Philomena Ní Bhraonáin was born on 4 August 1952 in
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
after her parents eloped from
County Donegal
County Donegal ( ; ga, Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county of Ireland in the province of Ulster and in the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Donegal in the south of the county. It has also been known as County Tyrconne ...
to marry in
County Louth
County Louth ( ; ga, An Lú) is a coastal county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Ireland, within the province of Leinster. Louth is bordered by the counties of Meath to the south, Monaghan to the west, Armagh to the north and Down to the ...
. Máire grew up as the eldest child of a musical family in the remote parish of
Gweedore
Gweedore ( ; officially known by its Irish language name, ) is an Irish-speaking district and parish located on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of County Donegal in the north-west of Ireland. Gweedore stretches some from Glasserchoo in the ...
(''Gaoth Dobhair''), a
Gaeltacht
( , , ) are the districts of Ireland, individually or collectively, where the Irish government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant vernacular, or language of the home.
The ''Gaeltacht'' districts were first officially recog ...
area in County Donegal, where the Irish language and tradition continue to flourish., starts at 4:10 Her mother Máire (née Ní Dhúgáin or ''Duggan'' in English) was a music teacher and her father, Leo Brennan, was a member of a cabaret band with whom she performed as a child.
Moya is the eldest of nine children. She has four sisters, Deirdre, Eithne (better known as
Enya
Enya Patricia Brennan (; ga, Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin; born 17 May 1961), known professionally by the mononym Enya, is an Irish singer, songwriter, and musician known for modern Celtic music. She is the best-selling Irish solo arti ...
Ciarán
Ciarán (Irish spelling) or Ciaran (Scottish Gaelic spelling) is a traditionally male given name of Irish origin. It means "little dark one" or "little dark-haired one", produced by appending a diminutive suffix to ''ciar'' ("black", "dark"). ...
, Pól, Leon and Bartley. She sang along with her siblings in the family pub,
Leo's Tavern
Leo's Tavern ( ga, Tábhairne Leo) is a restaurant and pub in the Donegal Gaeltacht, known as the home of music artists Clannad, Enya and Moya Brennan.Amharclann Ghaoth Dobhair
Amharclann Ghaoth Dobhair (), anglicized as Gweedore Theatre, is a local theatre in the Gaeltacht region of Derrybeg in the parish of Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland. It seats over 200 patrons, and ever since it was opened by actress Siobhán ...
'' (Gweedore Theatre). After leaving secondary school, Brennan spent a few years at the
Royal Irish Academy of Music
The Royal Irish Academy of Music (RIAM) in Dublin, Ireland, is one of Europe's oldest music conservatoires, specialising in classical music and the Irish harp. It is located in a Georgian building on Westland Row in Dublin. An institution which ...
in Dublin studying the
harp
The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has a number of individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orche ...
, the piano and singing. She has also taught music at Holy Cross College in
Falcarragh
An Fál Carrach (anglicized as Falcarragh), sometimes called Na Crois Bhealaí ("the crossroads") is a small Gaeltacht town and townland in north-west County Donegal, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The settlement is in the old parish of Cloughanee ...
, County Donegal.
Years with Clannad
In 1970, Brennan joined her two brothers Pól and Ciarán, and their mother's twin brothers Noel and
Pádraig Ó Dúgáin
The Duggans ( ga, Na Dúgáiní) were an Irish musical duo from Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland.
The twin brothers Noel Duggan and Pádraig Duggan ( ga, Ó Dúgáin) came to prominence in the 1970s with the folk group Clannad, and took a ten ...
, and eventually formed Clannad. They were introduced to television by Irish musician and broadcaster
Tony MacMahon
Tony MacMahon (18 April 1939 – 8 October 2021) was an Irish button accordion player and radio and television broadcaster.
MacMahon's chief early inspiration, accordionist Joe Cooley, was a frequent caller at the MacMahon home in Ennis, Co. Cla ...
. After enjoying a decade of being among the world's foremost Irish musical groups, Clannad graduated to chart success in 1982 with the album ''
Magical Ring
A magic ring is a mythical, folkloric or fictional piece of jewelry, usually a Ring (jewellery), finger ring, that is purported to have Magic (supernatural), supernatural properties or powers. It appears frequently in fantasy and fairy tales. M ...
''. Brennan was at the forefront of the group's success and her voice suddenly became synonymous with
Celtic music
Celtic music is a broad grouping of music genres that evolved out of the folk music traditions of the Celtic people of Northwestern Europe. It refers to both orally-transmitted traditional music and recorded music and the styles vary considerab ...
and Irish music. She recorded 17 albums with Clannad and has won a
Grammy
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
Ivor Novello
Ivor Novello (born David Ivor Davies; 15 January 1893 – 6 March 1951) was a Welsh actor, dramatist, singer and composer who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the first half of the 20th century.
He was born into a musical ...
award with the quintet. Her sister, Eithne Ní Bhraonáin, spent a couple of years with Clannad in the early 1980s, and went on to pursue a very successful solo career as
Enya
Enya Patricia Brennan (; ga, Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin; born 17 May 1961), known professionally by the mononym Enya, is an Irish singer, songwriter, and musician known for modern Celtic music. She is the best-selling Irish solo arti ...
.
Following Clannad's 2008 reunion tour, it was announced that Brennan would be working on a new
unplugged
Unplugged may refer to:
*Acoustic music, music not produced through electronic means
*Unplugged (B.A.P song), "Unplugged" (B.A.P song), 2014
*Unplugged (Modern Family), "Unplugged" (''Modern Family''), a 2010 episode of ''Modern Family''
Albums a ...
album with the group, for release in 2009, but that never came to fruition.
Solo career
Brennan released her first solo album in 1992, ''
Máire
Máire is the Irish language form of the Latin Maria, which was in turn a Latin form of the Greek names Μαριαμ, or Mariam, and Μαρια, or Maria, found in the New Testament. Both New Testament names were forms of the Hebrew name or Mir ...
'', on
Atlantic Records
Atlantic Recording Corporation (simply known as Atlantic Records) is an American record label founded in October 1947 by Ahmet Ertegun and Herb Abramson. Over its first 20 years of operation, Atlantic earned a reputation as one of the most i ...
. '' Misty Eyed Adventures'' on BGM followed three years later. In 1998, Brennan signed with
Word Records
Word Records is a Christian faith-based entertainment company based in Nashville, Tennessee. It is owned by Curb Records, and is a part of Word Entertainment. It is distributed by Warner Records (the former Warner Bros. Records).
History
In 1 ...
Grammy Award for Best New Age Album
The Grammy Award for Best New Age Album is presented to recording artists for quality albums in the new-age music genre at the Grammy Awards, a ceremony that was established in 1958 and originally called the Gramophone Awards. Honors in several ca ...
in 2001. Brennan is managed by her husband Tim Jarvis and her brother Leon Ó Braonáin. Her music is usually classified as
New Age
New Age is a range of spiritual or religious practices and beliefs which rapidly grew in Western society during the early 1970s. Its highly eclectic and unsystematic structure makes a precise definition difficult. Although many scholars conside ...
or Celtic. She accepts the Celtic label, but has at times indicated a slight discomfort with being seen as "New Age" as much of her music is strongly Christian, with several of her songs centring on maintaining a relationship with Jesus. Some of her songs show influences from her Roman Catholic upbringing or seem relational due to her own views concerning
Mary, the mother of Jesus
Mary; arc, ܡܪܝܡ, translit=Mariam; ar, مريم, translit=Maryam; grc, Μαρία, translit=María; la, Maria; cop, Ⲙⲁⲣⲓⲁ, translit=Maria was a first-century Jews, Jewish woman of Nazareth, the wife of Saint Joseph, Jose ...
.
In 2000, her autobiography, '' The Other Side of the Rainbow''. was published and she also performed her song "Perfect Time" live at
World Youth Day
World Youth Day (WYD) is an event for young people organized by the Catholic Church that was initiated by Pope John Paul II in 1985, sometimes nicknamed in later years as the "Catholic Woodstock". Its concept has been influenced by the Light-Li ...
in Rome in front of crowds of pilgrims and
Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...
. There were 2.1 million people present, making it the largest crowd ever gathered in the
Northern Hemisphere
The Northern Hemisphere is the half of Earth that is north of the Equator. For other planets in the Solar System, north is defined as being in the same celestial hemisphere relative to the invariable plane of the solar system as Earth's Nort ...
. She considered it an honour as she believes in mutual respect among Christians. Moya also recorded on the event's album, ''One''. She recorded a duet with Booley, now known as
Duke Special
Duke Special (born Peter Wilson; 4 January 1971) is a songwriter and performer based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. A piano-based songwriter with a romantic style and a warm, distinctly accented voice, he was previously known for his distinctiv ...
. The song, titled "Peace Has Broken Out", is about
the Troubles
The Troubles ( ga, Na Trioblóidí) were an ethno-nationalist conflict in Northern Ireland that lasted about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998. Also known internationally as the Northern Ireland conflict, it is sometimes described as an "i ...
in Ireland.
In film, she was featured vocalist on ''
King Arthur
King Arthur ( cy, Brenin Arthur, kw, Arthur Gernow, br, Roue Arzhur) is a legendary king of Britain, and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain.
In the earliest traditions, Arthur appears as a ...
'' (2004), co-writing the title theme "Tell Me Now (What You See)" with
Hans Zimmer
Hans Florian Zimmer (; born 12 September 1957) is a German film score composer and music producer. He has won two Academy Awards, Oscars and four Grammy Awards, Grammys, and has been nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards, Emmys and a Tony Awar ...
and wrote additional music score for ''
To End All Wars
''To End All Wars'' is a 2001 war film starring Robert Carlyle, Kiefer Sutherland and Sakae Kimura and was directed by David L. Cunningham. The film is based on '' Through the Valley of the Kwai'', an autobiography of Scottish captain Ernest G ...
'' (2001). In 1995, she duetted with
Shane MacGowan
Shane Patrick Lysaght MacGowan (born 25 December 1957) is an Irish singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known as the lead singer and songwriter of Celtic punk band the Pogues. He was also a member of the Nipple Erectors and Shane MacGo ...
with "You're the One" for the movie ''Circle of Friends''. Brennan has collaborated with many other musicians, including
Chicane
A chicane () is a serpentine curve in a road, added by design rather than dictated by geography. Chicanes add extra turns and are used both in motor racing and on roads and streets to slow traffic for safety. For example, one form of chicane is ...
,
Alan Parsons
Alan Parsons (born 20 December 1948) is an English audio engineer, songwriter, musician and record producer.
Parsons was involved with the production of several notable albums, including the Beatles' ''Abbey Road'' (1969) and ''Let It Be'' ( ...
,
Bono
Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known by his stage name Bono (), is an Irish singer-songwriter, activist, and philanthropist. He is the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band U2.
Born and raised in Dublin, he attended M ...
,
Robert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant (born 20 August 1948) is an English singer and songwriter, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the English rock band Led Zeppelin for all of its existence from 1968 until 1980, when the band broke up following the ...
,
Van Morrison
Sir George Ivan Morrison (born 31 August 1945), known professionally as Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose recording career spans seven decades. He has won two Grammy Awards.
As a teenager in t ...
the Doobie Brothers
The Doobie Brothers are an American rock band formed in 1970 in San Jose, California, known for their flexibility in performing across numerous genres and their vocal harmonies. Active for five decades, with their greatest success in the 1970s, ...
,
Bruce Hornsby
Bruce Randall Hornsby (born November 23, 1954) is an American singer-songwriter and pianist. His music draws from folk rock, jazz, bluegrass, folk, Southern rock, country rock, jam band, rock, heartland rock, and blues rock musical traditions ...
,
Joe Elliott
Joseph Thomas "Joe" Elliott (born 1 August 1959) is an English–Irish rock singer, best known as the lead singer and one of the founding members of the hard rock band Def Leppard. He has also been the lead singer of the David Bowie tribute ba ...
,
The Chieftains
The Chieftains are a traditional Irish folk band formed in Dublin in 1962, by Paddy Moloney, Seán Potts and Michael Tubridy. Their sound, which is almost entirely instrumental and largely built around uilleann pipes, has become synonymous wi ...
,
Paul Young
Paul Antony Young (born 17 January 1956) is an English musician, singer and songwriter. Formerly the frontman of the short-lived bands Kat Kool & the Kool Cats, Streetband and Q-Tips, he became a teen idol with his solo success in the 1980s. ...
,
Paul Brady
Paul Joseph Brady (born 19 May 1947) is an Irish singer-songwriter and musician from Strabane, Northern Ireland. His work straddles folk and pop. He was interested in a wide variety of music from an early age.
Initially popular for playing ...
,
Michael Crawford
Michael Patrick Smith, (born 19 January 1942), known professionally as Michael Crawford, is an English tenor, actor and comedian.
Crawford is best known for playing both the hapless Frank Spencer in the sitcom ''Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em'' an ...
Ronan Keating
Ronan Patrick John Keating (born 3 March 1977) is an Irish singer. He debuted in 1993 alongside Keith Duffy, Michael Graham, Shane Lynch, and Stephen Gately, as the co-lead singer (with Gately) of Irish pop group Boyzone. His solo career start ...
.
In total Brennan has recorded 25 albums, and has sold 20 million records. Since 2002, she has promoted herself as Moya Brennan — a spelling closely resembling the phonetic pronunciation of her name for those not familiar with the Irish variant of the spelling – and, in 2009, she legally changed her name by
deed poll
A deed poll (plural: deeds poll) is a legal document binding on a single person or several persons acting jointly to express an intention or create an obligation. It is a deed, and not a contract because it binds only one party (law), party.
Et ...
. Under this moniker she released an album entitled ''Two Horizons'' in 2003 under her new label, Universal. She has also collaborated with dance artist Chicane for performing the vocals on the single "
Saltwater
Saline water (more commonly known as salt water) is water that contains a high concentration of dissolved salts (mainly sodium chloride). On the United States Geological Survey (USGS) salinity scale, saline water is saltier than brackish water, ...
", which was also featured in the VisitScotland advertising campaign, as well as having been used by
Fáilte Ireland
Fáilte Ireland is the operating name of the National Tourism Development Authority of the Republic of Ireland. This authority was established under the National Tourism Development Authority Act of 2003 and replaces and builds upon the functions ...
to promote Ireland, and by
Belfast
Belfast ( , ; from ga, Béal Feirste , meaning 'mouth of the sand-bank ford') is the capital and largest city of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan on the east coast. It is the 12th-largest city in the United Kingdo ...
city council, both in television adverts.
On 17 March 2004, she performed at the Speaker's Luncheon on
Capitol Hill
Capitol Hill, in addition to being a metonym for the United States Congress, is the largest historic residential neighborhood in Washington, D.C., stretching easterly in front of the United States Capitol along wide avenues. It is one of the ...
in front of President
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 43rd president of the United States from 2001 to 2009. A member of the Republican Party, Bush family, and son of the 41st president George H. W. Bush, he ...
and Irish dignitaries.
During the World Youth Day 2005 in Cologne, she performed with
Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI ( la, Benedictus XVI; it, Benedetto XVI; german: link=no, Benedikt XVI.; born Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, , on 16 April 1927) is a retired prelate of the Catholic church who served as the head of the Church and the sovereign ...
in the Vigil in front of a million people and was also part of the official WYD CD ''Building on World''.
2006 saw the release of her Christmas album, simply entitled '
An Irish Christmas
''An Irish Christmas'' is a music album by Irish musician Moya Brennan. According to Moya, the idea for the album first came to her some time ago: "I've been involved in number of other people's Christmas projects in recent years," explains Moya ...
', although it was originally planned to bear the title 'Love Came Down'. A year later, Brennan released her album '
Signature
A signature (; from la, signare, "to sign") is a handwritten (and often stylized) depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a simple "X" or other mark that a person writes on documents as a proof of identity and intent. The writer of a ...
', which she described as a collection of snapshots of her life. The album featured only one Irish song but featured choruses and backing vocals in her native language throughout.
While touring with the latter album, during 2007 and 2008, Moya recorded several collaborations and guest vocals on albums by
Iona
Iona (; gd, Ì Chaluim Chille (IPA: iːˈxaɫ̪ɯimˈçiʎə, sometimes simply ''Ì''; sco, Iona) is a small island in the Inner Hebrides, off the Ross of Mull on the western coast of Scotland. It is mainly known for Iona Abbey, though there ...
,
Joanne Hogg
Joanne Hogg is a Northern Irish musician, best known for her work as the lead singer and songwriter with the Celtic Christian progressive rock and pop band Iona (named after the island Iona).
Early life and education
Hogg's father is a Presb ...
and with Grand Canal on Ireland's Official Olympic Anthem, " Green to Gold. All three recordings were in aid of several charities.
Her 2008–2009 live album '' Heart Strings'' was recorded with the
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic
Royal Liverpool Philharmonic is a music organisation based in Liverpool, England, that manages a professional symphony orchestra, a concert venue, and extensive programmes of learning through music. Its orchestra, the Royal Liverpool Philharmon ...
and
Julie Feeney
Julie Feeney is a singer-songwriter, composer, actress, and record producer from
Galway, Ireland. She produces and orchestrates her own work, composing both instrumental and electronic music, with full orchestrations. She is a three-time nomi ...
. Moya has toured to promote the album extensively in the Netherlands, Germany, Ireland and England.
In 2009, Brennan recorded the official soundtrack on
Maryland Public Television
Maryland Public Television (MPT) is the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member state network for the U.S. state of Maryland. It operates under the auspices of the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission, an agency of the Maryland state govern ...
documentary film 'Intrepid Journal' which documents 50 years of American foreign policy, from
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
to the
September 11 attacks
The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commercia ...
.
In April 2010, Moya released a new studio album with harpist and live band member
Cormac de Barra
Cormac de Barra is a harpist, singer and television presenter and is part of the Moya Brennan Band.
Biography
De Barra comes from a family of traditional musicians and singers from Dublin with roots in County Cork. He studied Irish harp with his ...
. '' My Match Is a Makin''' was recorded for her Spring 2010 tour of the Netherlands, and is available only during her tours. The album is expected to become more widely available in 2010.
Moya Brennan announced that she was working on a hymns album, possibly for 2010 release and would release a new acoustic music album with Clannad in 2010 or 2011. The new Clannad album is slated for a 2013 release in September.
Brennan was the featured headliner for the Atlanta Celtic Christmas concert, recorded live by Georgia Public Broadcasting on 18–19 December 2010. This annual festive event at Emory University's Schwartz Center spans music and dance from Irish, Scottish, and Appalachian traditions.
Moya Brennan appeared as well on the album "Excalibur III – The Origins" written by Alan Simon, a musician who comes from Brittany (France). She sang, indeed, on the following tracks : "The Origins Part I and II", "Incantations" and "Sacred Lands".
Moreover, she went in July 2012 to Brocéliande, in Brittany, where she performed as soloist before performing at the concert "Excalibur III – The Origins".
Brennan was scheduled to perform at the National Geographic Society in Washington, DC on 17 March 2012.
In 2013, Moya Brennan released a new studio album called Voices & Harps – Affinity in collaboration with harpist Cormac de Barra as a follow up to the album Voices & Harps, which was released in 2011. It contains brand new tunes composed by Brennan and de Barra, several traditional tunes in Irish and a cover after Christopher Cross' song "Sailing" which also serves as the album's lead single.
2017 saw Brennan release ''Canvas'', her first solo album in almost a decade. Co-written by her two children, Aisling and Paul, the album was released on 24 February 2017 and was supported by a UK, Irish and European tour through 2018.
In 2020, Brennan was part of an Irish collective of female singers and musicians called "
Irish Women in Harmony
"Dreams" is the debut single of Irish rock band the Cranberries. It was originally released in September 1992 and later appeared on the band's debut album, ''Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?'' (1993). The song reached the top 50 of th ...
", that recorded a version of the song "
Dreams
A dream is a succession of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that usually occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. Humans spend about two hours dreaming per night, and each dream lasts around 5 to 20 minutes, alth ...
" in aid of the charity Safe Ireland, which deals with
domestic abuse
Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for ''intimate partner v ...
which had reportedly risen significantly during the
COVID-19 lockdown
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of non-pharmaceutical interventions colloquially known as lockdowns (encompassing stay-at-home orders, curfews, quarantines, and similar societal restrictions) have been implemented in numerous countrie ...
.
Moya Brennan Band
Moya Brennan tours with a large band of musicians who have each recorded solo projects in the past or have recorded with their own bands. The band includes harpist and television presenter
Cormac de Barra
Cormac de Barra is a harpist, singer and television presenter and is part of the Moya Brennan Band.
Biography
De Barra comes from a family of traditional musicians and singers from Dublin with roots in County Cork. He studied Irish harp with his ...
. Between August 2008 and February 2009, two new members joined Moya's band, the first changes since her ''Two Horizons Tour'', including Irish singer Daithí Rua.
In 2012, Moya's daughter, Aisling Jarvis, became a permanent member of her band. Aisling joins Brennan on all solo tours, as well as Moya's project with Cormac DeBarra, "Voices & Harps".
Band members
*
Cormac de Barra
Cormac de Barra is a harpist, singer and television presenter and is part of the Moya Brennan Band.
Biography
De Barra comes from a family of traditional musicians and singers from Dublin with roots in County Cork. He studied Irish harp with his ...
*
Sinéad Madden
Sinéad Madden (born in County Galway, Galway, Ireland) is an Irish singer-songwriter and Fiddle, fiddle player, best known as a member of the Moya Brennan band. She also teaches at Waltons New School of Music in Dublin.Máire Breatnach
Máire Breatnach is an Irish fiddle, violin and viola player. She also sings in Irish on some of her albums. Since the early 1990s, she has recorded five solo albums, participated in many collaborations, and developed didactic material for child ...
* Rob Jones
* Ewan Cowley
* Feargal Murray
* Deirdre Brennan
* Tim Jarvis
* Éamonn de Barra
Legacy and recognition
Brennan and
Clannad
Clannad () is an Irish band formed in 1970 in Gweedore, County Donegal by siblings Ciarán, Pól, and Moya Brennan and their twin uncles Noel and Pádraig Duggan. They have adopted various musical styles throughout their history, including f ...
are credited with the creation of contemporary Celtic music and are held in high esteem for their vast contribution to bringing new life to old Irish songs. They have been compared to
Seán Ó Riada
Seán Ó Riada (; born John Reidy; 1 August 1931 – 3 October 1971), was an Irish composer and arranger of Irish traditional music. Through his incorporation of modern and traditional techniques he became the single most influential figur ...
, in that they brought the Irish language into popular culture through their music. One critic said: "Clannad's music offers a terrific fusion between traditional and modern influences."U2 singer
Bono
Paul David Hewson (born 10 May 1960), known by his stage name Bono (), is an Irish singer-songwriter, activist, and philanthropist. He is the lead vocalist and primary lyricist of the rock band U2.
Born and raised in Dublin, he attended M ...
(who duetted with Brennan on the Clannad song " In a Lifetime") said of her voice: "I think Máire has one of the greatest voices the human ear has ever experienced."Outside it's Donegal ''Hot Press'' Brennan also plays harp, which she has featured on many Clannad records, with her album ''
Two Horizons
''Two Horizons'' is the fifth solo album by Irish singer Moya Brennan. It is her first full-length release under the name ''Moya Brennan'', as opposed to ''Máire Brennan''. The album was predominantly recorded in her home studio in Dublin and wa ...
'' being based on the discovery of the
harp
The harp is a stringed musical instrument that has a number of individual strings running at an angle to its soundboard; the strings are plucked with the fingers. Harps can be made and played in various ways, standing or sitting, and in orche ...
. Brennan's vocal range has once been described as a "breathy
soprano
A soprano () is a type of classical female singing voice and has the highest vocal range of all voice types. The soprano's vocal range (using scientific pitch notation) is from approximately middle C (C4) = 261 Hz to "high A" (A5) = 880&n ...
".
In May 2022, Brennan's contributions were recognised by the awarding of an honorary doctorate by
Dublin City University
Dublin City University (abbreviated as DCU) ( ga, Ollscoil Chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath) is a university based on the Northside of Dublin, Ireland. Created as the ''National Institute for Higher Education, Dublin'' in 1975, it enrolled its f ...
, alongside aircraft leasing leader Domhnal Slattery, at a ceremony attended by Brennan's immediate family, as well as her mother and her sister
Enya
Enya Patricia Brennan (; ga, Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin; born 17 May 1961), known professionally by the mononym Enya, is an Irish singer, songwriter, and musician known for modern Celtic music. She is the best-selling Irish solo arti ...
.
Personal life
Brennan wrote an autobiography called '' The Other Side of the Rainbow'' in 2000, in which she recalls her upbringing as the eldest of nine siblings in rural Donegal. Along with the highs of success in the music business, she also recounts low periods where alcohol, drugs and an abortion made her re-evaluate her life. She emerged from her "dark years" as a committed Christian, with rekindled faith. She remarried in 1991, having previously been married to a Dublin musician.
Philanthropy
Moya Brennan is also a philanthropist.
Christian Blind Mission
In 2003, Moya Brennan became Goodwill Ambassador to
Christian Blind Mission
CBM (formerly Christian Blind Mission) is an international Christian development organization, committed to improving the quality of life of people with disabilities in the poorest communities of the world. It is considered one of the world's olde ...
Ireland (CBM). Brennan's first trip was to
Congo-Kinshasa
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...
, with a group of five others. Due to violence, Moya and her team fled civil unrest and were evacuated to
Kenya
)
, national_anthem = "Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"()
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, capital = Nairobi
, coordinates =
, largest_city = Nairobi
, ...
. She later promised to return to the Congo, which she did in 2005 to airlift three children from isolated jungle villages to
Kinshasa
Kinshasa (; ; ln, Kinsásá), formerly Léopoldville ( nl, Leopoldstad), is the capital and largest city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Once a site of fishing and trading villages situated along the Congo River, Kinshasa is now one o ...
.RTÉ journeys to the Congo with Moya Brennan . Bannonandbannon.com. Christian Today (6 October 2006).
In that same year, she travelled to Rwanda,Moya Brennan CBM.ie where she kept a diary of her experiences. In 2005, she made an Irish-language documentary for
TG4
TG4 ( ga, TG Ceathair, ) is an Irish free-to-air public service television network. The channel launched on 31 October 1996 and is available online and through its on demand service TG4 Player in Ireland and beyond.
TG4 was formerly known ...
during her visit to Congo, which was broadcast in 2007, and again in 2008 on both TG4 and
RTÉ
(RTÉ) (; Irish language, Irish for "Radio & Television of Ireland") is the Public broadcaster, national broadcaster of Republic of Ireland, Ireland headquartered in Dublin. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on RTÉ Television, telev ...
.
Moya also travelled to shanty-towns in Brazil and performed a fund-raising event in the country with Assiria Nascemento in 2007. From there Moya travelled to
Belize
Belize (; bzj, Bileez) is a Caribbean and Central American country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a wate ...
for the opening of a school for abused children, run by the Liberty Foundation and backed by CBM. At the opening, Brennan brought together the Belizean Prime Minister
Said Musa
Said Wilbert Musa (, born 19 March 1944) is a Belizean lawyer and politician. He was the Prime Minister of Belize from 28 August 1998 to 8 February 2008.
Early life and education
Said Wilbert Musa was born in 1944 in San Ignacio in the Cayo ...
, Minister of Finance, Leader of the Opposition and UK
Conservative Party
The Conservative Party is a name used by many political parties around the world. These political parties are generally right-wing though their exact ideologies can range from center-right to far-right.
Political parties called The Conservative P ...
member and businessman with extensive business interest in Belize,
Michael Ashcroft, Baron Ashcroft
Michael Anthony Ashcroft, Baron Ashcroft, (born 4 March 1946) is a British-Belizean businessman, pollster and politician. He is a former deputy chairman of the Conservative Party. Ashcroft founded Michael A. Ashcroft Associates in 1972 and is ...
.
The following year, Brennan travelled to
Tanzania
Tanzania (; ), officially the United Republic of Tanzania ( sw, Jamhuri ya Muungano wa Tanzania), is a country in East Africa within the African Great Lakes region. It borders Uganda to the north; Kenya to the northeast; Comoro Islands and ...
and has played a major role in bringing the missions of the charity to the forefront. She has also performed concerts worldwide with other Christian Blind Mission Goodwill Ambassadors from Europe.Tour Date Archive Brennan family
Helping those with addiction
Brennan performs various concerts in aid of charities and groups that work to rehabilitate those affected by drug addiction and alcohol dependency. She also practices religion with her family in
Dún Laoghaire
Dún Laoghaire ( , ) is a suburban coastal town in Dublin in Ireland. It is the administrative centre of Dún Laoghaire–Rathdown.
The town was built following the 1816 legislation that allowed the building of a major port to serve Dubli ...
, at a church which also reaches out to young people affected by drug and alcohol misuse.
Nature preservation
With family band Clannad, Brennan has recorded numerous songs about the needed protection of the landscapes in Ireland and the devastation of pollution around the world. The first song about the matter was recorded for their debut album and was called "An Pháirc". Throughout Moya's solo career, she has recorded various songs on the issue including "
Big Yellow Taxi
"Big Yellow Taxi" is a song written, composed, and originally recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell in 1970, and originally released on her album '' Ladies of the Canyon''. It was a hit in her native Canada (No. 14) as well as Aust ...
".
In July 2005, Brennan took part in a protest alongside poet
Cathal Ó Searcaigh
Cathal Ó Searcaigh (born 12 July 1956), is a modern Irish language poet. His work has been widely translated, anthologised and studied. "His confident internationalism", according to Theo Dorgan, has channeled "new modes, new possibilities, in ...
and locals of
County Donegal
County Donegal ( ; ga, Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county of Ireland in the province of Ulster and in the Northern and Western Region. It is named after the town of Donegal in the south of the county. It has also been known as County Tyrconne ...
to protest against the installation of electric cables across various areas of the county due to the harm it could cause to both people and the landscape.
Other appointments and music
In 1985, Brennan along with her band members in Clannad donated their song "
Almost Seems (Too Late To Turn)
"Almost Seems (Too Late to Turn)" is a 1985 single by Irish group Clannad. It is the second single from their album ''Macalla''.
The song was used as the official Children in Need charity single for 1985. The song stalled at number 80 in the U ...
" to Children in Need, becoming the British charity appeal's first official single.
In 1986, Brennan performed alongside Bono,
Bob Geldof
Robert Frederick Zenon Geldof (; born 5 October 1951) is an Irish singer-songwriter, and political activist. He rose to prominence in the late 1970s as lead singer of the Rock music in Ireland, Irish rock band the Boomtown Rats, who achieved ...
and Chris de Burgh for Self Aid. She also performed with Clannad at the concert. Moya and Clannad have long been supporters of
Amnesty International
Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says it has more than ten million members and sup ...
and contributed their single " Rí na Cruinne" to the organisation. Brennan has also attended various benefits in both Ireland and England, most notably alongside
Van Morrison
Sir George Ivan Morrison (born 31 August 1945), known professionally as Van Morrison, is a Northern Irish singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose recording career spans seven decades. He has won two Grammy Awards.
As a teenager in t ...
in 1996.
Brennan has recorded dozens charitable singles and on many more albums with various artists, including "Raphael's Journey" by
Joanne Hogg
Joanne Hogg is a Northern Irish musician, best known for her work as the lead singer and songwriter with the Celtic Christian progressive rock and pop band Iona (named after the island Iona).
Early life and education
Hogg's father is a Presb ...
in 2008, "Songs for Luca" and "Songs for Luca 2" by
Iona
Iona (; gd, Ì Chaluim Chille (IPA: iːˈxaɫ̪ɯimˈçiʎə, sometimes simply ''Ì''; sco, Iona) is a small island in the Inner Hebrides, off the Ross of Mull on the western coast of Scotland. It is mainly known for Iona Abbey, though there ...
, and the official song for Ireland's 2008 Olympic Team, " Green to Gold". Moya also donated her b-side "Ceolfaidh Mé" to the ''Field of Hope'' album, which also features Bono and
The Corrs
The Corrs are an Irish family band that combine pop rock with traditional Irish themes within their music. The group consists of the Corr siblings, Andrea (lead vocals, tin whistle, mandolin, ukulele), Sharon (violin, keyboards, vocals), Car ...
. In October 2008, Brennan was appointed director for Ireland's first Christian satellite radio station, UCB Ireland, which operates from
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
. Moya also recorded a song under her birth name "Máire Ní Bhraonáin" on the 2009 ''
Ceol Cheann Dubhrann
''Ceol Cheann Dubhrann'' is an album supporting Scoil Naisiúnta Rann na Feirste, a National school and Áislann Rann na Feirste, a community centre in Ranafast in the Gaeltacht of County Donegal, Ireland. The album was recorded, mixed, produced ...
'' album with
Manus Lunny
Manus Lunny (born 1962) is an Irish producer and multi-instrumentalist from County Donegal, Ireland, best known as a member of Celtic supergroup Capercaillie. He is the brother of multi-instrumentalist and producer Dónal Lunny.Moya Brennan directs new Christian radio station Clannad.org.uk.Moya Brennan on the songs of Rann na Feirste . Clannad.org.uk.
In 2020, Brennan was part of an Irish collective of female singers and musicians called Irish Women in Harmony, that recorded a version of "
Dreams
A dream is a succession of images, ideas, emotions, and sensations that usually occur involuntarily in the mind during certain stages of sleep. Humans spend about two hours dreaming per night, and each dream lasts around 5 to 20 minutes, alth ...
" in aid of the SafeIreland charity that deals with
domestic abuse
Domestic violence (also known as domestic abuse or family violence) is violence or other abuse that occurs in a domestic setting, such as in a marriage or cohabitation. ''Domestic violence'' is often used as a synonym for ''intimate partner v ...
, which had reportedly risen significantly during the
COVID-19 lockdown
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, a number of non-pharmaceutical interventions colloquially known as lockdowns (encompassing stay-at-home orders, curfews, quarantines, and similar societal restrictions) have been implemented in numerous countrie ...
.
Discography
Studio albums
*1992 – ''
Máire
Máire is the Irish language form of the Latin Maria, which was in turn a Latin form of the Greek names Μαριαμ, or Mariam, and Μαρια, or Maria, found in the New Testament. Both New Testament names were forms of the Hebrew name or Mir ...
Two Horizons
''Two Horizons'' is the fifth solo album by Irish singer Moya Brennan. It is her first full-length release under the name ''Moya Brennan'', as opposed to ''Máire Brennan''. The album was predominantly recorded in her home studio in Dublin and wa ...
''
*2005 – ''
An Irish Christmas
''An Irish Christmas'' is a music album by Irish musician Moya Brennan. According to Moya, the idea for the album first came to her some time ago: "I've been involved in number of other people's Christmas projects in recent years," explains Moya ...
''
*2006 – ''
Signature
A signature (; from la, signare, "to sign") is a handwritten (and often stylized) depiction of someone's name, nickname, or even a simple "X" or other mark that a person writes on documents as a proof of identity and intent. The writer of a ...
Cormac de Barra
Cormac de Barra is a harpist, singer and television presenter and is part of the Moya Brennan Band.
Biography
De Barra comes from a family of traditional musicians and singers from Dublin with roots in County Cork. He studied Irish harp with his ...
)
*2010 – ''
T with the Maggies
T with the Maggies are an Irish traditional supergroup from County Donegal, Ireland. The group first performed together in 2007 at a tribute concert to folk singer and guitarist Mícheál Ó Domhnaill, older brother of Triona and Maighread, and ...
'' (with
T with the Maggies
T with the Maggies are an Irish traditional supergroup from County Donegal, Ireland. The group first performed together in 2007 at a tribute concert to folk singer and guitarist Mícheál Ó Domhnaill, older brother of Triona and Maighread, and ...
Cormac de Barra
Cormac de Barra is a harpist, singer and television presenter and is part of the Moya Brennan Band.
Biography
De Barra comes from a family of traditional musicians and singers from Dublin with roots in County Cork. He studied Irish harp with his ...
)
*2013 – ''Affinity'' (with
Cormac de Barra
Cormac de Barra is a harpist, singer and television presenter and is part of the Moya Brennan Band.
Biography
De Barra comes from a family of traditional musicians and singers from Dublin with roots in County Cork. He studied Irish harp with his ...
)
*2017 – ''
Canvas
Canvas is an extremely durable plain-woven fabric used for making sails, tents, marquees, backpacks, shelters, as a support for oil painting and for other items for which sturdiness is required, as well as in such fashion objects as handbags ...
''
*2019 – ''Timeless'' (with
Cormac de Barra
Cormac de Barra is a harpist, singer and television presenter and is part of the Moya Brennan Band.
Biography
De Barra comes from a family of traditional musicians and singers from Dublin with roots in County Cork. He studied Irish harp with his ...
Jealous Heart
"Jealous Heart" is a classic C&W song written by American country music singer-songwriter Jenny Lou Carson. In the mid 1940s it spent nearly six months on the Country & Western charts. It was subsequently recorded by several pop singers.
E ...
"
*1993 – "
Big Yellow Taxi
"Big Yellow Taxi" is a song written, composed, and originally recorded by Canadian singer-songwriter Joni Mitchell in 1970, and originally released on her album '' Ladies of the Canyon''. It was a hit in her native Canada (No. 14) as well as Aust ...
Shane MacGowan
Shane Patrick Lysaght MacGowan (born 25 December 1957) is an Irish singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known as the lead singer and songwriter of Celtic punk band the Pogues. He was also a member of the Nipple Erectors and Shane MacGo ...
Saltwater
Saline water (more commonly known as salt water) is water that contains a high concentration of dissolved salts (mainly sodium chloride). On the United States Geological Survey (USGS) salinity scale, saline water is saltier than brackish water, ...
" (with
Chicane
A chicane () is a serpentine curve in a road, added by design rather than dictated by geography. Chicanes add extra turns and are used both in motor racing and on roads and streets to slow traffic for safety. For example, one form of chicane is ...
Saltwater
Saline water (more commonly known as salt water) is water that contains a high concentration of dissolved salts (mainly sodium chloride). On the United States Geological Survey (USGS) salinity scale, saline water is saltier than brackish water, ...
" (with
Chicane
A chicane () is a serpentine curve in a road, added by design rather than dictated by geography. Chicanes add extra turns and are used both in motor racing and on roads and streets to slow traffic for safety. For example, one form of chicane is ...
– re-issue)
*2005 – "I'll See You Again/Hidden" (with
Hazel O'Connor
Hazel Thereasa O'Connor (born 16 May 1954) is a British singer-songwriter and actress. She became famous in the early 1980s with hit singles " Eighth Day", " D-Days" and " Will You?" She also starred in the 1980 film '' Breaking Glass''.
Caree ...
Merry-Go-Round
A carousel or carrousel (mainly North American English), merry-go-round (List of sovereign states, international), roundabout (British English), or hurdy-gurdy (an old term in Australian English, in South Australia, SA) is a type of amusement ...
Sailing
Sailing employs the wind—acting on sails, wingsails or kites—to propel a craft on the surface of the ''water'' (sailing ship, sailboat, raft, windsurfer, or kitesurfer), on ''ice'' (iceboat) or on ''land'' (land yacht) over a chosen cour ...
" (with Cormac de Barra)
*2021 – "Strong In Numbers (Moya Brennan single)" (with Liam O'Connor)
Schiller
Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (, short: ; 10 November 17599 May 1805) was a German playwright, poet, and philosopher. During the last seventeen years of his life (1788–1805), Schiller developed a productive, if complicated, friendsh ...
)
*2008 – ''
Sanctuary
A sanctuary, in its original meaning, is a sacred place, such as a shrine. By the use of such places as a haven, by extension the term has come to be used for any place of safety. This secondary use can be categorized into human sanctuary, a saf ...
'' (Various artists)
*2009 – ''
Ceol Cheann Dubhrann
''Ceol Cheann Dubhrann'' is an album supporting Scoil Naisiúnta Rann na Feirste, a National school and Áislann Rann na Feirste, a community centre in Ranafast in the Gaeltacht of County Donegal, Ireland. The album was recorded, mixed, produced ...
'' (Various artists)
Compilations and collaborations
*1987 – "The Awakening" – with
Paul Brady
Paul Joseph Brady (born 19 May 1947) is an Irish singer-songwriter and musician from Strabane, Northern Ireland. His work straddles folk and pop. He was interested in a wide variety of music from an early age.
Initially popular for playing ...
(from ''
Primitive Dance
''Primitive Dance'' is a 1987 album by Irish singer/songwriter Paul Brady, his fifth solo album. The song "The Awakening" features the vocals of Irish singer Moya Brennan. Mark Knopfler guests on guitar on The Game Of Love track.
Track listing
# ...
'')
*1990 – "Put 'em Under Pressure" (single)
*1991 – "Bring It All Back Home" – with
An Emotional Fish
An Emotional Fish are an alternative rock band from Dublin, Ireland. An Emotional Fish were formed in 1988, and consisted of Gerard Whelan (founding member, lead vocals, percussion), Enda Wyatt (founding member, songwriter, bass, vocals, keyb ...
(from ''Blue'')
*1993 – "Come into My Life" – with
Robert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant (born 20 August 1948) is an English singer and songwriter, best known as the lead singer and lyricist of the English rock band Led Zeppelin for all of its existence from 1968 until 1980, when the band broke up following the ...
(from ''
Fate of Nations
''Fate of Nations'' is the sixth studio album by English singer Robert Plant, released 25 May 1993 on Es Paranza Records in North America and Fontana Records internationally. It features former Cutting Crew guitarist Kevin MacMichael on all son ...
'')
*1993 – "Dream Fields" – with
Runrig
Runrig were a Scottish Celtic rock band formed on the Isle of Skye in 1973. From its inception, the band's line-up included songwriters Rory Macdonald and Calum Macdonald. The line-up during most of the 1980s and 1990s (the band's most succe ...
London Symphony Orchestra
The London Symphony Orchestra (LSO) is a British symphony orchestra based in London. Founded in 1904, the LSO is the oldest of London's orchestras, symphony orchestras. The LSO was created by a group of players who left Henry Wood's Queen's ...
(from ''Symphonic Music of the Rolling Stones'')
*1995 – "You're The One" – with
Shane MacGowan
Shane Patrick Lysaght MacGowan (born 25 December 1957) is an Irish singer, songwriter, and musician. He is best known as the lead singer and songwriter of Celtic punk band the Pogues. He was also a member of the Nipple Erectors and Shane MacGo ...
(from '' Circle of Friends soundtrack'')
*1995 – "Luman Michael O'Suilleabhain" – with Brian Kennedy (from ''Between Worlds'')
*1996 – "Ó Bhean a' Tí" – with
Dónal Lunny
Dónal Lunny (born 10 March 1947) is an Irish folk musician and producer. He plays left-handed guitar and bouzouki, as well as keyboards and bodhrán. As a founding member of popular bands Planxty, The Bothy Band, Moving Hearts, Coolfin, Mozai ...
,
Brídín Brennan
Brídín Ní Bhraonáin, professionally known as Brídín Brennan, is an Irish pop singer from Dobhar (Dore), Gweedore, County Donegal. She is the sister of Enya, Moya and Pól Brennan, and has also toured with family-band Clannad.
Her precise ...
& Deirdre Brennan (from ''Common Ground: The Voices Of Modern Irish Music'')
*1996 – "Everything Changes" (and various tracks) – with
Iona
Iona (; gd, Ì Chaluim Chille (IPA: iːˈxaɫ̪ɯimˈçiʎə, sometimes simply ''Ì''; sco, Iona) is a small island in the Inner Hebrides, off the Ross of Mull on the western coast of Scotland. It is mainly known for Iona Abbey, though there ...
Amazing Grace
"Amazing Grace" is a Christian hymn published in 1779 with words written in 1772 by English Anglican clergyman and poet John Newton (1725–1807). It is an immensely popular hymn, particularly in the United States, where it is used for both ...
" – with
Michael Crawford
Michael Patrick Smith, (born 19 January 1942), known professionally as Michael Crawford, is an English tenor, actor and comedian.
Crawford is best known for playing both the hapless Frank Spencer in the sitcom ''Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em'' an ...
(from ''On Eagles Wings'')
*1998 – "
Come Josephine in My Flying Machine
"Come Josephine In My Flying Machine" is a popular song with music by Fred Fisher and lyrics by Alfred Bryan.
History
First published in 1910, the composition was originally recorded by Blanche Ring and was, for a time, her signature song. Ada Jo ...
" (from ''
Back to Titanic
''Back to Titanic'' is the second soundtrack album released for the film, which contains a mixture of previously unreleased recordings and newly recorded performances of some of the songs heard in the film.
After the success of the first sound ...
soundtrack'')
*1999 – "
Saltwater
Saline water (more commonly known as salt water) is water that contains a high concentration of dissolved salts (mainly sodium chloride). On the United States Geological Survey (USGS) salinity scale, saline water is saltier than brackish water, ...
" – with
Chicane
A chicane () is a serpentine curve in a road, added by design rather than dictated by geography. Chicanes add extra turns and are used both in motor racing and on roads and streets to slow traffic for safety. For example, one form of chicane is ...
Alan Parsons
Alan Parsons (born 20 December 1948) is an English audio engineer, songwriter, musician and record producer.
Parsons was involved with the production of several notable albums, including the Beatles' ''Abbey Road'' (1969) and ''Let It Be'' ( ...
(from ''
The Time Machine
''The Time Machine'' is a science fiction novella by H. G. Wells, published in 1895. The work is generally credited with the popularization of the concept of time travel by using a vehicle or device to travel purposely and selectively for ...
'')
*1999 – "Lullabies" (on ''Silent Night'') – with
The Chieftains
The Chieftains are a traditional Irish folk band formed in Dublin in 1962, by Paddy Moloney, Seán Potts and Michael Tubridy. Their sound, which is almost entirely instrumental and largely built around uilleann pipes, has become synonymous wi ...
& Paola Cecchi (from ''Silent Night: A Christmas in Rome'')
*2000 – "Saylon Dola" – with
Russell Watson
Russell Watson is an English tenor who has released singles and albums of both operatic-style and pop songs. He began singing as a child, and became known after performing at a working men's club. He came to attention in 1999 when he sang "God ...
(from ''
The Voice
The Voice may refer to:
Fictional entities
* The Voice or Presence, a fictional representation of God in DC Comics
* The Voice (''Dune''), a fictional ability in the ''Dune'' universe
* The Voice, a character in the American TV series ''Cleo ...
'')
*2000 – "No Scenes of Stately Majesty" (from ''The Greatest Story Ever Sung'')
*2000 – "
Fairytale of New York
"Fairytale of New York" is a song written by Jem Finer and Shane MacGowan and recorded by their London-based band the Pogues, featuring singer-songwriter Kirsty MacColl on vocals. The song is an Irish folk-style ballad and was written as a due ...
" – with
Ronan Keating
Ronan Patrick John Keating (born 3 March 1977) is an Irish singer. He debuted in 1993 alongside Keith Duffy, Michael Graham, Shane Lynch, and Stephen Gately, as the co-lead singer (with Gately) of Irish pop group Boyzone. His solo career start ...
(from ''
The Way You Make Me Feel
"The Way You Make Me Feel" is a song by American recording artist Michael Jackson. It was released by Epic Records on November 9, 1987, as the third single from his seventh studio album, '' Bad''. It was written and composed by Jackson, and pro ...
'')
*2000 – "Peace Has Broken Out" – with Booley (from ''One'')
*2000 – "Ceolfaidh Mé" (from ''Fields of Hope: Fight Against Famine'')
*2000 – "The Light on the Hill" (from ''St. Patrick: The Irish Legend soundtrack'')
*2000 – "Over Blue City" – with Skypark (from ''Over Blue City'')
*2000 – "Rose of Bethlehem" (from ''One Silent Night'')
*2001 – ''
New Irish Hymns
''New Irish Hymns'' (released as ''In Christ Alone: New Hymns for Prayer and Worship'', or for short ''In Christ Alone'' in the US) is the first in a series of themed albums created and produced by Keith Getty.
This album features vocalists Mái ...
'' album – with
Margaret Becker
Margaret Becker (born July 17, 1959) is an American Christian rock singer, guitarist, and songwriter. She has had twenty-one No. 1 Christian radio hits, won four Dove Awards, and been nominated for four Grammy Awards.
Biography
Becker was born ...
&
Joanne Hogg
Joanne Hogg is a Northern Irish musician, best known for her work as the lead singer and songwriter with the Celtic Christian progressive rock and pop band Iona (named after the island Iona).
Early life and education
Hogg's father is a Presb ...
*2001 – "O Jesus Friend Unfailing" (from ''The Sound of Grace: Focusfest 2001'')
*2001 – ''
To End All Wars
''To End All Wars'' is a 2001 war film starring Robert Carlyle, Kiefer Sutherland and Sakae Kimura and was directed by David L. Cunningham. The film is based on '' Through the Valley of the Kwai'', an autobiography of Scottish captain Ernest G ...
'' soundtrack
*2001 – "Band of Brothers Requiem" – with
Michael Kamen
Michael Arnold Kamen (April 15, 1948 – November 18, 2003) was an American composer (especially of film scores), orchestral arranger, orchestral conductor, songwriter, and session musician.
Biography Early life
Michael Arnold Kamen was born in ...
(from '' Band of Brothers soundtrack'')
*2003 – "Ave Maria" – with
Dominic Miller
Dominic James Miller (born 21 March 1960) is an Argentine-born guitarist. With much of his career as a sideman and guitarist for singer Sting (musician), Sting, he has also released several solo albums.
Career
Miller was born in Hurlingham, Bue ...
(from ''Shapes'')
*2003 – "Codail A Linbh (Sleep O Child)" – with
Phil Coulter
Philip Coulter (born 19 February 1942) is an Irish musician, songwriter and record producer from Derry, Northern Ireland. He was awarded the Gold Badge from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors in October 2009.
Coulter has ...
(from ''An Irish Holiday'')
*2004 – ''Tell Me Now (What You See), All of Them & Woad to Ruin'' tracks – with
Hans Zimmer
Hans Florian Zimmer (; born 12 September 1957) is a German film score composer and music producer. He has won two Academy Awards, Oscars and four Grammy Awards, Grammys, and has been nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards, Emmys and a Tony Awar ...
(from ''
King Arthur
King Arthur ( cy, Brenin Arthur, kw, Arthur Gernow, br, Roue Arzhur) is a legendary king of Britain, and a central figure in the medieval literary tradition known as the Matter of Britain.
In the earliest traditions, Arthur appears as a ...
'')
*2004 – "Labyrinth Prelude", "Labyrinth" – with
Liam Lawton
Liam Lawton is a multi platinum,Liam Lawton Biography at www.kandle.ie (a ...
(from ''Another World'')
*2005 – "Hidden" – with
Hazel O'Connor
Hazel Thereasa O'Connor (born 16 May 1954) is a British singer-songwriter and actress. She became famous in the early 1980s with hit singles " Eighth Day", " D-Days" and " Will You?" She also starred in the 1980 film '' Breaking Glass''.
Caree ...
(from ''Hidden Heart'')
*2005 – "Beautiful Dreamer" – with Brian Kennedy (from ''On Song 2: Red Sails in the Sunset'')
*2005 – "Miles And Miles", "Falling" – with
Schiller
Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller (, short: ; 10 November 17599 May 1805) was a German playwright, poet, and philosopher. During the last seventeen years of his life (1788–1805), Schiller developed a productive, if complicated, friendsh ...
(from ''Day and Night (Tag Und Nacht)'')
*2005 – "Away", "The Rubicon" – with
The Duggans
The Duggans ( ga, Na Dúgáiní) were an Irish musical duo from Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland.
The twin brothers Noel Duggan and Pádraig Duggan ( ga, Ó Dúgáin) came to prominence in the 1970s with the folk group Clannad, and took a ten ...
(from ''
Rubicon
The Rubicon ( la, Rubico; it, Rubicone ; rgn, Rubicôn ) is a shallow river in northeastern Italy, just north of Rimini.
It was known as Fiumicino until 1933, when it was identified with the ancient river Rubicon, famously crossed by Julius Ca ...
'')
*2005 – "I'll See You" – with
Delirious?
Delirious? (formerly known as The Cutting Edge Band) were an English contemporary Christian music, contemporary Christian band. For the majority of their career, the lineup featured Martin Smith (English musician), Martin Smith on vocals and gu ...
(from '' The Mission Bell'')
*2005 – "Kiss The Book", "Like the Baseless Fabric" & "Set Me Free" (from the ''Book of Watermarks'' video game)
*2008 – "I Will Never Love Again" – duet with
Christie Hennessy
Christie Hennessy (born Edward Christopher Ross; 19 November 1945 – 11 December 2007) was an Irish folk singer-songwriter. Although Hennessy was unable to read or write due to severe dyslexia, he still wrote his own songs such as "Roll Back ...
(from ''The Two of Us'')
*2008 – "You Are Beautiful" – ''The Worship Lounge'' (various artists)
*2008 – ''Rafael's Journey'' – with Joanne Hogg (Moya sings back up on a couple tracks on this album)
*2008 – "Green to Gold" – with Grand Canal (from ''Green To Gold'')
*2008 – ''Sanctuary'' (various artists) – Moya performs on many of the tracks
*2008 – Down by the Sea-Ashley Davis-This I Do (background vocals)
*2009 – Ceol Cheann Dubhrann-Various Artists-Ceol Cheann Dubhrann
*2009 – Love Will Bring You Home-Sharon Kips Welcome Home (duet with Sharon Kips)
*2009 – Honey Promises Sinead Madden (Moya sings back up on "Shadows" & "Take Me")
*2010 – Welcome Home: The Music Of Ireland-Various Artists-(Moya performs on several tracks and hosts the DVD special)
*2010 – San Patricio-Various Artists-Lullaby for the Dead
*2010 – Nowhere to Now Here (from the Nowhere to Now Here Soundtrack)
*2010 – Welcome To America: The Music of Ireland (Moya sings "Down by the Sally Gardens with Ronan Tynan)
*2010 – Re-Joyce The Hazel O'Connor Collective (Moya sings a brief along with a number of other artists)
*2011 – "Morning Star" with Producer DJ
Roger Shah
Roger Shah (; born 29 November 1972), also known as DJ Shah and Sunlounger, is a German electronic music composer and producer.
Biography
History
Roger Shah was born in Esslingen in West Germany to a German mother and a Pakistani father ...
*2011 – "The Dream" with Secret Garden (from "Winter Poem")
*2011 – "An t-Eibhlín Marie" on the charity album "Le Cuidiú Dé" – Moya also sings backing vocals for the title track called "Le Cuidiú Dé".
*2012 – Celtic Skies Various Artists (Down by the Sally Gardens)
*2012 – "Excalibur III – The Origins" from Alan Simon – Moya sings on "The Origins Part I & II", on "Incantations" and on "Sacred Lands"
*2012 – A Mother's Prayer-
Keith & Kristyn Getty
Keith & Kristyn Getty are a Northern Irish Christian duo, best known for writing many popular modern hymns with veteran English songwriter and worship leader Stuart Townend. Due to the success of "In Christ Alone", the duo has spearheaded the m ...
's album Hymns for the Christian Life
*2012 – Celtic Wings-Pat O'May (Moya sings background on the song "Homeland").
*2016 - "Reasons To Live" with Roger Shah
*2021 - “Rivers” with Trance Wax
Bibliography
* 1989 – '' Past Present''
Sheet music book for 'Past Present'
* 1991 – ''A Woman's Voice''
Eddie Rowley in conversation with Máire Brennan
* 2000 – '' Ireland: Landscapes of God's Peace'', Máire Brennan
sometimes called ''God of Peace''
* 2001 – '' The Other Side of the Rainbow'', Máire Brennan with Angela Little
Later subtitled: The Autobiography of the Voice of Clannad
* 2008 – '' Moments in a Lifetime'', Noel Duggan
Detailing Clannad's journey as a band