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community weblog
Donal Lunny RIP
Donal Lunny, one of the driving forces behind the revival of Irish traditional music, has died aged 79. A multi-instrumentalist and composer, known for his bouzouki playing, I first came across him when he was with Planxty in the early 70s, then followed him to The Bothy Band, and then to Moving Hearts in the mid 1980s. Oh, and here's a clip from a recent documentary on a Planxty reunion gig. I will raise a glass and play some Planxty this evening.
posted by 43rdAnd9th on Oct 23, 2026 at 11:01 AM
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Obit on RTE for some text context with plenty 1970s hair. I also will raise a glass here. Slán!
posted by BobTheScientist at 11:31 AM
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posted by clew at 12:02 PM
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posted by AlSweigart at 12:17 PM
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posted by jewel-jerk-dazzle at 12:20 PM
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The revival of trad Celtic music opened up avenues to so many great performers and songs in the 1980s and 1990s -- and it's been exciting to see where others took the sound in combination with other elements.
The (American) band Solas has a pile of albums incorporating bluegrass and other styles, and The Waterboys' album "Fisherman's Blues" is soaked in trad sounds -- and they're all the better for reaching both back to older sounds and forward to new things.
Here's to himself.
posted by wenestvedt at 12:20 PM
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My father loved traditional Irish music and Planxty's was the last I played for him.
posted by brujita at 1:19 PM
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posted by Silvery Fish at 2:37 PM
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posted by MrBadExample at 2:58 PM
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It's been a tough year for trad, so many great musicians have passed including former bandmate Paddy Keenan. Lunny inspired so many players.
posted by misterpatrick at 5:02 PM
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posted by JoeXIII007 at 8:00 PM
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posted by GenjiandProust at 2:07 AM
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ahh i was just thinking yesterday how sad it would be when he passed, and how influential he's been. i knew he had been sick recently and unable to play some concerts scheduled. crushing. i began playing Irish trad about 10 years ago and he is such an important person to the music.
posted by gorbichov at 3:13 AM
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posted by hydropsyche at 3:17 AM
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I met him twice. Once after a concert and once while he was just having a drink in the pub. A pure gentleman.
Along with The Chieftains, Planxty played a major role in the revival of Irish traditional music. When I was young, trad music was mostly considered an old persons thing. Suddenly it became cool, sometimes to the outrage of the older generation who thought that their traditions were being polluted by long haired weirdos.
posted by night_train at 3:44 AM
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�☘️
posted by Smedly, Butlerian jihadi at 10:13 AM
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[One deleted at user's request.]
posted by mod_adrienneleigh at 11:01 AM
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bouzouki
like a lute
posted by okayturnip at 12:38 AM
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