Irish folk legend Dónal Lunny dies at 79, hailed as a musical genius

Dónal Lunny, a pivotal figure in Irish folk music, died of cancer at St James’s Hospital at the age of 79. Musicians and producers remembered him as a genius whose contributions spanned performance, arrangement, and production over sixty years. He began his career with the Rakes of Kildare, later forming influential groups including Planxty, The Bothy Band and Moving Hearts, and pioneered the use of a custom-designed bouzouki in Irish music.

In his later years he ran Mulligan Records, produced the soundtrack for one outlet's series Bringing It All Back Home, and worked with artists such as Kate Bush and Mark Knopfler. Last year he received the lifetime-achievement award at the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards, where Christy Moore recalled their friendship dating back to school. The Irish Traditional Music Archive and broadcaster Philip King called his impact on Irish music “immense” and likened him to the Quincy Jones of Irish production.