'We are heartbroken' - Clannad remembers Noel Duggan after his death aged 73

Tributes have been paid to a founding member of Irish folk band Clannad.

Noel Duggan died suddenly in Donegal on Saturday evening aged 73, the group announced on social media.

The remaining members of the band said he would be “forever remembered”.

In a post online, they said: “We are heartbroken to share the news that Noel Duggan, our beloved Uncle, trusted friend, and founding member of Clannad, died suddenly in Donegal yesterday evening.

“He was 73 years old. Noel will be forever remembered for his outstanding guitar solos, his love of music and his dedication to the band.”

The Grammy award-winning Celtic band was founded in Gweedore, County Donegal in 1970 by siblings Maire (also known as Moya), Ciaran and Pol Brennan, and their uncles – twins Noel and Padraig Duggan.

The five-piece “decided to fuse folklore with an intrinsic passion for singing”, according to the band’s website.

The group went on to achieve huge international success over the decades.

Padraig Duggan died in August 2016 in a Dublin hospital after a recurring illness.

Another of the Brennan siblings, Enya, left the group in 1981 to embark on a successful solo career.

Clannad’s unique take on traditional Irish songs, coupled with influences from The Beatles to the Beach Boys, won them a folk festival competition and a record deal. 

Their breakthrough hit Harry’s Game, theme track to the TV series of the same name, came in 1982.

Worldwide acclaim and a global touring schedule followed, with a string of albums and well-known hits including In A Lifetime, with Bono.