Remembering Dónal Lunny

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

The Hard Shoulder, with Ciara Kelly and Shane Colman, on Newstalk, with Ciara.

Shane Coleman (0:19)

And that, of course, is music by Dónal Lunny, the pioneering Irish traditional musician who has died today at the age of 79 He's been a central figure in folk and traditional music since the 1960s in Ireland, founding member of a number of bands, including Planxty, Moving Hearts, LAPD, Usher's Island, the Báthí band, the legendary Báthí band. He also worked with Who's Who of the music industry in traditional music and in other forms of music. We're joined now by Breanndán Begley. Breanndán, thank you indeed for talking to us today.

The Irish Traditional Music Archive announcing the passing of Dónal described him as one of the most creative and influential figures in Irish traditional music. He has left behind an extraordinary legacy.

Breanndán Begley (1:11)

Yes, I would agree with that totally. But above all, he was such an easy person to work with. And if you came up with any new idea, he was willing to fit it in.

He never dismissed any new ideas. He worked with it. He was always innovative and a very kind person and humorous. I actually really liked meeting him.

It's just, I suppose, the stage that we were at is like the Passage of the Guards. There's another great pillar just has said goodbye to us. I'm 70 myself and it's one of the things that I simply have to get used to, that these great musicians are passing. But in Dónal's case, I never actually worked with him officially. I never recorded with him on any CDs or albums or anything, but I always admired what he did.

Shane Coleman (2:14)

It's worth remembering where Irish traditional music was before he started teaming up with the likes of Andy Irvine. That was an extraordinary catalyst for, I think, is it fair to say a revival of Irish traditional music in the 1970s and up to the present day?

Breanndán Begley (2:31)

Well, I suppose that the great revival started with Sean O'Riordan and then other bands that came along, that they made their own of it. And he definitely made his own of any of the bands that he played with and you can hear his influence on any of them.

So yeah, he definitely had a huge role to play in bringing it to the respect with which it lies right now. And I can't praise the band enough, to be honest with you.

Shane Coleman (3:02)

The Botti Band hold a kind of a legendary place in Irish traditional music. What was it about them that was so special?

Breanndán Begley (3:12)

Oh, they had a power, they had a rhythm, they had a naturalness, they had a wildness, they had a kind of an earthiness. And while they were a bunch of different musicians from all over the country, but they amalgamated and united in their music. To this day, of those bands that are out there, it's the one to emulate, I think, if you want a kind of maybe a new innovation, but also true to the core and the heart of what traditional music, of what the purists liked to hear in music, the purists from the 70s and the 60s.

The Batty band, for me, are the ones to the copter.

Shane Coleman (4:03)

He was obviously a brilliant musician in his own right, a multi-instrumentalist, but he was also renowned for his production work, his arrangement work, and he worked with some huge figures, the likes of Kate Bush, the Water Boys and many others beyond.

Breanndán Begley (4:21)

Yeah, all of those, but the band that I knew in Dublin, Frank Hart, Frank Hart really loved him and he loved Frank Hart. I remember when Frank passed away, I think 2007, he was saying, who will I rig now? Frank was, he was such a knowledge of traditional singing and Frank felt so much at ease when Dónal was there, backing him. So not only was he on the big stage, but he could adapt to the pure tradition of which Frank Hart was. And he just had that ability. He had a gráavaracht about him and a willingness to work with you and find a solution and add to whatever new idea that you may have had.

Yeah, he was, there was a time there and he was nearly part of every new album that came out. And people just sought after him and his accompaniment.

Shane Coleman (5:31)

Breanndán Begley, thank you indeed for talking to The Hard Shoulder this evening.

Ciara Kelly (5:39)

And if you have just joined us on The Hard Shoulder, we are discussing the sad passing today of musician Dónal Lunny. And we're joined now by Zoe Conway, fiddle player and violinist who, of course, was in a musical trio with Dónal and Martín O'Connor, Zodo Mo. Good evening to you, Zoe. A very sad day.