Irish musician and producer Dónal Lunny dies of cancer aged 79
Dónal Lunny, the Irish musician and producer who helped reshape traditional music through Planxty, the Bothy Band and Moving Hearts, has died of cancer aged 79. His adventurous arrangements and adaptation of the Greek bouzouki into the flat-backed Irish bouzouki influenced how the instrument was used in Irish music.
Lunny worked closely with Christy Moore and Andy Irvine, and produced albums for artists including Elvis Costello, Kate Bush, Sinéad O’Connor and Mark Knopfler. He also composed for film and television, and was musical director of the 1991 BBC and RTÉ series *Bringing It All Back Home*, which won an Emmy. His career included a 1968 Irish number one with Emmet Spiceland and a key role in Planxty’s influential blend of traditional and new songs.
In short
- Dónal Lunny has died of cancer aged 79.
- He helped shape three influential Irish folk bands.
- His arrangements popularised the Irish bouzouki.
Explained simply
Traditional Irish music draws on older songs and dance tunes, often played on instruments such as the fiddle, pipes and guitar. From the late 1960s, musicians began bringing these traditions together with newer arrangements and influences, helping the music reach wider audiences.
Dónal Lunny was a musician and producer at the centre of that change. He played with groups including Planxty, the Bothy Band and Moving Hearts, and worked closely with singers and musicians such as Christy Moore and Andy Irvine.
Lunny also helped adapt the Greek bouzouki for Irish music, where its distinctive sound became part of many arrangements. His work as a producer and on film and television projects connected traditional music with artists and audiences in Ireland and beyond.
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by The Guardian as “Dónal Lunny obituary”.