Celebrated Irish musician dies aged 79
Renowned Irish musician and multi-instrumentalist Dónal Lunny has passed away at the age of 79. A pioneer of the Irish traditional music revival, he was a founding member of influential groups like Planxty and The Bothy Band.
Why it matters
Lunny's death marks the loss of a central figure in Irish cultural history who significantly influenced both traditional and contemporary music.
Share Save Add as preferred on Google Eve Hughes BBC News NI BBC Lunny formed some of the most influential musical groups in the Irish music scene One of Ireland's most-celebrated traditional musicians and multi-instrumentalists, Dónal Lunny, has died aged 79.
A founding member of three renowned bands - The Bothy Band, Planxty and Moving Hearts - he was widely credited for the revival and growth of Irish traditional music.
He also composed and wrote scores for a wide range of projects including TV dramas, documentaries and films.
In recent years he worked with contemporary artists such as Kate Bush, Rod Stewart, Elvis Costello, Clannad and Dire Straits frontman Mark Knopfler.
He is noted for having left a lasting impact on the music scene in Ireland and was once described by U2's Bono as the island's "answer to Quincy Jones".
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