Clannad are an Irish band formed in 1970 in Gweedore, County Donegal, by siblings Ciarán, Pól and Moya Ui Bhraonáin and their twin uncles Noel and Pádraig Ó Dúgáin (Duggan). They have adopted various musical styles throughout their history. Beginning as an acoustic folk group mainly performing rearranged traditional Irish songs in Irish, they expanded their sound with original songs in English, vocal harmonies, electronic keyboards, and elements of rock, Celtic, new age, smooth jazz, and Gregorian chant.
Most recent line-up: Ciarán Brennan, Moya Brennan, Noel Duggan, Pól Brennan
Leo's Tavern in Meenaleck, County Donegal, the pub owned by Leo Brennan where members of Clannad first performed
At the 1982 Leeds Folk Festival
Clannad returned as a five piece in January 2007
Gweedore is a Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking) district and parish located on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal in the north-west of Ireland. Gweedore stretches some 26 kilometres (16 mi) from Glasserchoo and Bloody Foreland in the north to Crolly in the south and around 14 kilometres (9 mi) from Dunlewey in the east to Magheraclogher and Magheralosk in the west, and is sometimes described as one of Europe's most densely populated rural areas. It is the largest Irish-speaking parish in Ireland with a population of around 4,065, and is also the home of the northwest regional studios of the Irish-language radio service RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, as well as an external campus of the University of Galway. Gweedore includes the settlements of Brinlack, Bunbeg, Derrybeg, Crolly and Dunlewey, and sits in the shade of County Donegal's highest peak, Errigal.
An aerial view of Gweedore, with Errigal and Magheraclogher Beach
Gweedore natives pictured here in Magheraclogher in 1865
Men fishing with Errigal in the background
A view of Gweedore from Bloody Foreland