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Dónal Lunny, a founding force in Irish folk ensembles, dies at 79

Dónal Lunny has died at 79 after a career as a musician, arranger and producer. A founding figure in Planxty, The Bothy Band and Moving Hearts, he helped develop their distinctive ensemble sounds, particularly through the bouzouki. His collaborations extended from Christy Moore to Kate Bush and Sinéad O’Connor, and he received a lifetime achievement honour at the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards in 2025.

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A long-necked bouzouki rests in an open case beside a studio microphone, with a frame drum behind it on a wooden floor.

A career across Irish folk ensembles

Dónal Lunny, the Irish musician whose work spanned performing, arranging and record production, has died at 79. He was a founding figure in the Irish folk groups Planxty, The Bothy Band and Moving Hearts. Tributes following his death have returned to the different roles he played in those ensembles and in recordings with other artists. His instruments included guitar, bouzouki, bodhrán, the traditional Irish frame drum, and keyboards.[1], [2]

Lunny’s long association with Irish singer Moore included the 1972 album Prosperous. Andy Irvine, another of his musical partners, gave him his first bouzouki. That instrument became a defining part of Planxty’s sound. Lunny later contributed to the closely interlocking ensemble playing of The Bothy Band and to Moving Hearts’ electric arrangements, taking part in several different settings for traditional music.[1]

Recording work reached beyond his own bands

His recording collaborators included Kate Bush, Mark Knopfler, Mary Black, Sinéad O’Connor, Elvis Costello, U2 and Clannad. The career account published by Irish broadcaster RTÉ credits him with appearances on more than 50 albums, including 13 by Moore. Those contributions accompanied his work as an arranger and producer, as well as the performances for which audiences knew him through his own groups.[1]

In 1976, Lunny and Séamus O’Neill co-founded Mulligan. Its roster included The Bothy Band, Paul Brady, Don Baker and The Boomtown Rats. His production credits included A Silk Purse, the 1975 album by Spud, and a single by Skid Row. The label provided another part of a career that combined playing with helping other musicians make recordings.[1]

Film music and a lifetime achievement honour

Lunny also contributed to music for the films Eat the Peach and This Is My Father and worked on River of Sound, a musical project. Ill health forced him to cancel appearances in The Bothy Band’s 2024 reunion concerts. In 2025, the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards recognised him with its lifetime achievement honour. He had also been developing another project, Darkhouse, alongside the work recalled in tributes after his death.[1]

References

  1. News sourceRTÉIrish folk musician Dónal Lunny dies at 79↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5
  2. News sourceThe Irish TimesTributes follow the death of Dónal Lunny↩

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