Biography
Guitarist and bouzouki specialist Dónal Lunny helped launch the Irish folk revival. Recalling his earliest band, he noted that it “was a very close imitation of The Clancy Brothers, [who] used to go to sessions every weekend in a pub called Pat Downing's in Prosperous, where there were some traditional musicians. As there was no other accompanist, I had sort of carte blanche with my guitar. So I used to go there and play all night, play tunes, reels, and jigs, and whatever on my guitar. I'm sure I was dreadful at the beginning. It improved as time went on, and I got involved in different groups in Dublin.” Emmet Spiceland was among those Dublin ensembles, and it also featured Mick Moloney, later an advocate for Irish-American music.
When Christy Moore returned to Ireland in 1972 to cut an album, he gathered eight or nine players for the Prosperous sessions. Lunny remembered the spontaneous decision that followed: “He decided to collect musicians together. So he assembled whatever it was, eight or nine musicians, and we recorded Prosperous. And it just felt so good to everyone that we just said,'Well, jeez, of course, yeah. Of course... let's form a band.' At the time, I was making jewelry, making a living at that, if you like, and it just stopped. Planxty started, and I never had time to do anything else since.”
Lunny exited Planxty in 1975 for a short-lived project, yet quickly resurfaced with another outfit then known as 1691. After he came aboard, the group took the name The Bothy Band and toured extensively, releasing four albums before disbanding. He rejoined Planxty and soon helped form Moving Hearts, an offshoot of the final Planxty lineup. He later observed that some of his strongest experiences of the preceding decade had come with Moving Hearts, noting that he had wanted Planxty to add a rhythm section and that Christy Moore shared the desire to push ahead; the new band gave him his first sustained work with bass and drums both onstage and in the studio.
Thereafter Lunny concentrated on production, helming sessions for leading acts across Ireland and Scotland. Any recording that lists him as musician or producer is likely to deliver strong, distinctive music.
When Christy Moore returned to Ireland in 1972 to cut an album, he gathered eight or nine players for the Prosperous sessions. Lunny remembered the spontaneous decision that followed: “He decided to collect musicians together. So he assembled whatever it was, eight or nine musicians, and we recorded Prosperous. And it just felt so good to everyone that we just said,'Well, jeez, of course, yeah. Of course... let's form a band.' At the time, I was making jewelry, making a living at that, if you like, and it just stopped. Planxty started, and I never had time to do anything else since.”
Lunny exited Planxty in 1975 for a short-lived project, yet quickly resurfaced with another outfit then known as 1691. After he came aboard, the group took the name The Bothy Band and toured extensively, releasing four albums before disbanding. He rejoined Planxty and soon helped form Moving Hearts, an offshoot of the final Planxty lineup. He later observed that some of his strongest experiences of the preceding decade had come with Moving Hearts, noting that he had wanted Planxty to add a rhythm section and that Christy Moore shared the desire to push ahead; the new band gave him his first sustained work with bass and drums both onstage and in the studio.
Thereafter Lunny concentrated on production, helming sessions for leading acts across Ireland and Scotland. Any recording that lists him as musician or producer is likely to deliver strong, distinctive music.
Albums
