The late Dónal Lunny was 'a giant of Irish traditional music'

Tributes have been paid to the late Dónal Lunny, one of Ireland's most celebrated folk musicians and producers, who passed away at the age of 79.

He died on Friday morning, October 23, at St James's Hospital in Dublin following a battle with cancer.

Revered as a driving force behind the modern renaissance of Irish traditional music, Dónal leaves behind an immense 60-year legacy as an innovator, arranger, and co-founder of several iconic groups.

Dónal was the son of Frank Lunny, originally from Enniskillen, Co Fermanagh, and Mary Rogers, who hailed from Rann na Feirste.

Dónal played with some of the most influential Irish folk, traditional, and rock groups in history, most notably Planxty, The Bothy Band, and Moving Hearts.

Outside of his bands, he played with Christy Moore, Andy Irvine, Paul Brady, Frank Harte, Paddy Glackin, Máirtín O'Connor, Zoë Conway, Shaun Davey, Kate Bush, Elvis Costello, Mark Knopfler, Sinéad O'Connor, Mary Black, Cara Dillon, Róisín Elsafty, Baaba Maal, Eivør, Bono, and Van Morrison.

Tradfest posted: “Few people have shaped Irish music the way Dónal did. From Planxty and The Bothy Band to Moving Hearts, and through decades of producing and playing alongside the finest musicians in the country, he changed how the tradition sounded and how far it travelled.

“Dónal was part of TradFest from our earliest days. His first appearance for us was with Mozaik in the Olympia Theatre, and he returned to the festival many times over the years, always generous, always curious, always pushing the music somewhere new.”

The Irish Traditional Music Archive (ITMA) said: “As a musician, arranger and producer, Dónal opened new harmonic and rhythmic possibilities in our melody tradition. Through Planxty, The Bothy Band, Moving Hearts and a lifetime of collaboration, his imagination helped shape the sound of Irish music over more than half a century.”

Sinn Féin president Mary Lou McDonald said: “Deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Dónal Lunny. A giant of Irish traditional music, Dónal helped shape the sound of Irish music for generations, bringing our rich musical heritage to audiences at home and around the world. His contribution to Irish music and culture will never be forgotten.”

Born in Tullamore, Co Offaly, in March 1947, Dónal’s family moved to Kildare when he was five years old, and he was raised and educated in Newbridge.

He enjoyed learning music from childhood, and first met a young Christy Moore in 1959, when they quickly recognised a musical connection between them that would last for decades.

After secondary school, Dónal decided to pursue his artistic studies, so in 1965 he headed to Dublin to study at the National College of Art and Design but within a short time, his blossoming musical career started taking up more and more of his time.

He would go on to form some of the most influential musical groups in the Irish music scene.

Dónal received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards in Vicar Street, Dublin, last year.

“Dónal Lunny is one of the most significant figures in folk and traditional music ever to come out of Ireland,” RTÉ said ahead of the event. “His influence as a multi-instrumentalist, producer and composer has shaped the sound of Irish music for more than half a century.”

Head of RTÉ Radio 1 and Member of the 2025 Folk Awards Steering Committee, Peter Woods said at the time: “With the change between The Raggle Taggle Gypsy and Tabhair dom do Lámh on the Prosperous album and the opening chords of the Kesh Jig on the first Bothy Band recording, Dónal Lunny announced and was central to a shift of gear in Irish music. He defined much of the music of a generation at a time when traditional music was not mainstream and was almost subversive.

“His contribution to that music through Planxty, to Moving Hearts, Mozaik and of course the Bothies and beyond, sits alongside a career as a producer and collaborator across genres and as a true innovator. Dónal has done this without losing sight of the integrity of the music. What he has turned his hand to, he has enhanced.”