15/04/2026
Musician and founding member of Clannad Moya Brennan has died aged 73.
A statement from Ms Brennan’s family said she died peacefully surrounded by loved ones in her native Co Donegal.
Brennan is survived by her husband Tim and her children Aisling and Paul.
Born Máire Ní Bhraonáin in 1952 to her parents Leo and Máire Brennan, she grew up in Gaoth Dobhair, a Gaeltacht area in the northwest of Donegal.
The eldest of nine siblings, she formed Clannad in the 1970s with her brothers Pól and Ciarán, and their uncles Noel and Pádraig Ó Dúgáin.
The group started out performing at the family pub, Leo’s Tavern, before going on to huge success and international renown.
Clannad brought Irish music to a global audience with the success of the iconic theme tune to the TV series Harry’s Game. They went on to perform the song on Top of the Pops, becoming the first act to perform in Irish on the programme.
Affectionately known as the First Lady of Celtic music, Brennan also enjoyed a successful solo career in her own right.
