Biography

This group, from Gweedore in Co Donegal, Eire have successfully crossed the bridge between Folk and Rock.  The line up at the time of forming was Maire Brennan, Pol Brennan, Ciaran Brennan, Padraig Duggan and Noel Duggan. They formed in 1970, playing at Loe's Tavern, run by Leo Brennan , a former showband musician and father of the Brennan group members of Clannad. 
The word Clannad means "family" in gealic, and the group formed initially to play folf festivals in Ireland.. At the time the lineup consisted of three of the Brennan children plus two of their uncles.
The groups first success came in Germany where they toured in 1975.

Clannad initially caught the attention of the wider public in the UK when they recorded the theme tune for televisions Harry's Game in 1982, the single reached num,ber 5 in the UK charts, and received an Ivor Novello Award.  In 1984 they recorded the soundtrack to televisions Robin of Sherwood and reached the top 50 in May of the same year.  The following year the song recieved a British Acedemy Award for best soundtrack.   Further chart success followed with the 1986 UK top twenty hit, "In a Lifetime" on which Maire sand duet with Bono from U2.

From their early days, despite establishing themselves as part of the rock mainstream, Clannad have always retained the celtic quality in their music.  Maire's sister Enya left the group in 1982, having joined in 1979, and pursued a successful solo career. Clannad meanwhile, have not lost contact with thier folk audience and continued to record their distinctive music thru the 90's

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