Donegal set to honour Clannad with Freedom of the County award

Donegal County Council will be asked this Monday morning to award one of the highest civic honours it can bestow to a person or persons from the county.

In his motion independent councillor Micheal Choilm Mac Giolla Easbuig asks the council to give the Freedom of the County to Clannad in recognition of their enormous contribution to culture, the promotion of the Irish language and traditional Irish music both nationally and internationally.

The Honorary Freedom of the County is the highest civic honour that can be bestowed upon an individual or group by the council. The honour is reserved for those who have made exceptional or unique contributions to the common good or to persons who have made outstanding contributions to the county

Clannad, who have just finished the Australian leg of their In A Lifetime: The Farewell World Tour, hail from Gaoth Dobhair. Their music has been variously described as being folk music, new age, and Celtic.

Clannad was formed by siblings Máire Ní Bhraonáin (Moya Brennan), Ciarán Brennan, Pól Brennan, and their twin uncles Noel Duggan (died 2022) and Pádraig Duggan (died 2016). Eithne Ní Bhraonáin (Enya Brennan), Máire's sister, used to be a member of the group in the early Eighties.

The group is responsible for such timeless music as Theme From Harry’s Game, In A Lifetime, I Will Find You and the soundtrack to the Robin Of Sherwood TV series as well as countless Irish songs.

The multi-award-winning group have without doubt done more than any other group to take Irish music and the Irish language to a worldwide audience. 

It's widely accepted by their fusing elements of traditional Irish music with more contemporary folk, new age, and rock they have created a beautifully unique and ethereal sound which combines haunting melodies and mesmerising vocals to transcend the sands of time whilst appealing to a worldwide audience of all ages.

Having sold 15 million records worldwide and eight Top 10 UK albums to their name, Clannad is in the final stages as a group. They already played their Irish farewell date at the 3Arena in Dublin on February 18.

The Billboard Music Award winners’ farewell will celebrate their exceptional careers by performing in cities across the US later in the year to complete their final dates.

No doubt today's motion will receive unanimous support and will be a fitting tribute from the people of the county for the outstanding contribution the band have made over the past 50 years.