Early life
Lunny was born on 10 March 1947 in Tullamore. His father Frank was from Enniskillen in County Fermanagh and his mother, Mary Rogers, came from Ranafast in The Rosses inPerforming career
Emmet Spiceland
Later he formed the group Emmet Folk, which also included Mick Moloney and Brian Bolger, and they started a club at 95 Harcourt Street called The 95 Club. "At that time, we'd reached the stage where we had our own repertoire and ... developing urown identity rather than just singing everybody's songs. We were taken quite seriously." Eventually, Lunny and Bolger joined forces with brothers Brian and Mick Byrne from Spiceland Folk to form Emmet Spiceland, which continued as a trio after Bolger resigned. Their debut album, ''The First'', was released in 1968. As a vocal harmony group, they had a number 1 hit in Ireland with the single Mary from Dungloe, which had earlier been popularised in Dublin's folk clubs by Lunny and his Emmet Folk group partner Mick Moloney.Duo with Andy Irvine
In 1970, Lunny formed a musical partnership with Andy Irvine—who had returned from his travels in Eastern Europe—after an initial gig at a party for the Irish-Soviet Union Friendship conference organised by Seán Mac Réamoinn. They created their own club night downstairs at Slattery's pub in Capel Street, Dublin, which they called 'The Mug's Gig'. This featured Irvine and Lunny, and guest performers such as Ronnie Drew, Mellow Candle and the group Supply, Demand & Curve. Clodagh Simonds, who co-founded Mellow Candle with Alison O'Donnell in 1963, recalls:Planxty
In 1971, Lunny and Irvine, plus Liam O'Flynn, played on Moore's second album, '' Prosperous'', which led them to form Planxty. Their first professional performance took place in Slattery's in early 1972. The band became a leading proponent of Irish traditional instrumental music.Celtic Folkweave
In 1974, Lunny produced and performed on the album '' Celtic Folkweave'' by Mick Hanly and Mícheál Ó Domhnaill, who had been supporting Planxty on tour. Hanly, Ó'Domhnaill, and Lunny were supported in the studio by O'Flynn on uilleann pipes and whistle, Matt Molloy on flute, Tommy Peoples on fiddle, and Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill on harpsichord. These were players who would join Lunny in forming The Bothy Band.The Bothy Band
Lunny left Planxty to form The Bothy Band in 1974, playing guitar and bouzouki. The Bothy Band quickly became one of the prominent bands performing Irish traditional music. Their enthusiasm and musical virtuosity had a significant influence on the Irish traditional music movement that continued well after they disbanded in 1979.Moving Hearts
After the Bothy Band disbanded, Lunny became a session musician on various projects, including ''Davey and Morris'', the first album to feature Shaun Davey. In 1981, Lunny reunited with Moore to form Moving Hearts, along with a young uilleann piper, Davy Spillane. Following the example of the group Horslips, Moving Hearts combined Irish traditional music with rock and roll, and also added elements of jazz to their sound. The group disbanded in 1985. In February 2007, Moving Hearts reunited for a concert in Dublin. In 2008 and 2009, the group performed again in several concerts in Ireland and the United States.Coolfin
In 1987, Lunny recorded a solo album titled ''Dónal Lunny'' (Gael-Linn 1987), which included many guest musicians playing his music and arrangements. In 1998, he produced a similar group project album titled ''Coolfin''.Mozaik
From 2002 onwards, Lunny and Andy Irvine founded a multicultural band called Mozaik, with Bruce Molsky, Nikola Parov and Rens van der Zalm. Mozaik have performed worldwide and recorded two albums to date.LAPD
On 20 January 2012, Lunny appeared on stage with LAPD, the latest grouping of players from Planxty; the moniker 'LAPD' is made up from the first name initials of Liam O'Flynn, Andy Irvine, Paddy Glackin and Dónal Lunny. After a series of occasional concerts, LAPD disbanded, their last gig taking place on Saturday 26 October 2013."Andy Irvine is still going strong in his seventies"Usher's Island
On 27 January 2015, Lunny's latest musical association performed at Celtic Connections 2015 inTrio with Zoë Conway & Máirtín O'Connor
Lunny continues to contribute to contemporary music in Ireland: as well as touring with many musicians (including Andy Irvine, Paddy Glackin, Michael McGoldrick, Paul Brady and Kevin Burke). In September 2016 he formed a trio with Zoë Conway and Máirtín O'Connor.Production career
Influence
Dónal Lunny can claim popularising the bouzouki in the Irish music sphere after being given an instrument by Andy Irvine, who was himself introduced to the instrument by Johnny Moynihan in the early days of Sweeney's Men. Lunny ordered a custom-built bouzouki from English luthier Peter Abnett, with a flat back instead of a traditional Greek rounded back. He also invented an acoustic drum kit designed to fill the need for a bass/percussion instrument in Irish traditional music. The process of building and developing the instrument was featured on his 2010–2011 RTÉ series ''Lorg Lunny''.Discography
;Solo albums * ''Dónal Lunny'' (1987), Gael-Linn, CEFCD133 * ''Coolfin'' (1998) * ''Journey: The Best of Dónal Lunny'' (2001) ;With Christy Moore * '' Prosperous'' (1972) * '' Christy Moore'' (1976) * '' Whatever Tickles Your Fancy'' (1976) * '' Live in Dublin'' (1978) * ''AntiNuclear'' (1979), on "People Will Die" and "Trip to Carnsore" * ''H-Block'' (1980) * ''Christy Moore and Friends'' (1981) * ''The Time Has Come'' (1983) * '' Ride On'' (1984) * ''The Spirit of Freedom'' (1985) * '' Ordinary Man'' (1985) * ''Unfinished Revolution'' (1987) * ''Voyage'' (1989) ;With Planxty * '' Planxty (album)'' (1973) * '' The Well Below the Valley'' (1973) * '' Cold Blow and the Rainy Night'' (1974) * '' After The Break'' (1979, 1992) * '' The Woman I Loved So Well'' (1980, 1992) * "Timedance" (1981), 12" single * '' Words & Music'' (1983) * ''Arís!'' (1984) * '' Live 2004'' CD/DVD (2004) * '' Between the Jigs and the Reels: A Retrospective'' CD/DVD (2016) ;With Andy Irvine and Paul Brady * '' Andy Irvine/Paul Brady'' (1976) * '' Welcome Here Kind Stranger'' (1978) * '' Andy Irvine/70th Birthday Concert at Vicar St 2012'' (2014) ;With Mozaik * '' Live from the Powerhouse'' (2004) * '' Changing Trains'' (2007) * ''The Long And The Short Of It'' (2019) ;With Usher's Island * ''Usher's Island'' (2017) ;With the Bothy Band * ''1975'' (1975) * ''Old Hag You Have Killed Me'' (1976) * ''Out of the Wind, Into the Sun'' (1977, 1985) * ''Afterhours (Live in Paris)'' (1978, 1984) * ''Live in Concert'' (1994) ;With Moving Hearts * '' Moving Hearts'' (1982) * '' Dark End of the Street'' (1982) * '' Live Hearts'' (1984) * '' The Storm'' (1985) * '' Live in Dublin'' (2008) ;With other artists * '' Celtic Folkweave'' by Mick Hanly and Mícheál Ó Domhnaill (1974) * '' Patrick Street'' by Patrick Street (1986) (Green Linnet, GLCD1071) * '' Altan'' by Frankie Kennedy and Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh (1987), Green Linnet, GLCD 1078 * '' The Rough Guide to Irish Music'' (1996) * '' Idir an Dá Sholas by Maighread & Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill (1999) * ''Marginal Moon'' by Soul Flower Union (1999) (Japanese release) * '' Hey-Ho Believe'' by Jimmy MacCarthy ;Guest appearances * ''Midnight Well'' by Midnight Well (1976), Mulligan * " Night of the Swallow" byFilmography
* ''Planxty Live 2004'' (2004), DVD * ''The Transatlantic Sessions Series 3'' (2007), DVD * ''Moving Hearts Live in Dublin'' (2008), DVD * ''Andy Irvine 70th Birthday Concert at Vicar St 2012'' (2014), DVD *References
External links