Editing Clannad (section)

{{short description|Irish folk band}}
{{about|the Irish band|the Japanese visual novel franchise|Clannad (video game)|the 2007 anime film|Clannad (film)}}
{{Use Irish English|date=May 2025}}
{{Use dmy dates|cs1-dates=ll|date=May 2025}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name            = Clannad
| image           = Clannad_collage.jpg
| caption         = Most recent line-up: {{lang|ga|italic=unset|Ciarán}} Brennan, Moya Brennan, Noel Duggan, {{lang|ga|italic=unset|Pól}} Brennan
| landscape       = yes
| years_active    = 1970–2024
| website         = [https://www.clannad.ie/ Official website]
| origin          = [[Gweedore]], County Donegal, Ireland
| genre           = {{hlist
 | [[Irish traditional music|Irish traditional]]
 | [[Folk music|folk]]
 | [[folk rock]]
 | [[Celtic music|Celtic]]
 | [[New-age music|new age]]
 | [[Pop music|pop]]
 }}
| label           = {{hlist
 | [[Philips Records|Philips]]
 | [[Gael-Linn Records|Gael-Linn]]
 | [[Tara Records|Tara]]
 | [[RCA Records|RCA]] ([[Bertelsmann Music Group|BMG]])
 | [[BBC Records|BBC]]
 | [[Atlantic Records|Atlantic]]
 | [[ARC Music]]
 }}
| current_members = {{hlist
 | {{lang|ga|italic=unset|Ciarán}} Brennan
 | [[Moya Brennan|Moya ({{lang|ga|italic=unset|nocat=y|Máire}}) Brennan]]
 | [[Pól Brennan|{{lang|ga|italic=unset|nocat=y|Pól}} Brennan]]
 }}
| past_members    = {{hlist
 | [[The Duggans|{{lang|ga|italic=unset|nocat=y|Pádraig}} Duggan]] (deceased)
 | [[The Duggans|Noel Duggan]] (deceased)
 | [[Enya|Enya ({{lang|ga|italic=unset|nocat=y||Eithne}} Brennan)]]
 | [[Brídín Brennan|{{lang|ga|italic=unset|nocat=y|Brídín}} Brennan]] (live-band & guest musician only)
 | Deirdre (Dee) Brennan (live & guest only)
 }}
| spinoffs        = {{hlist
 | [[Moya Brennan]] (solo)
 | [[Pól Brennan|{{lang|ga|italic=unset|nocat=y|Pól}} Brennan]] (solo)
 | [[The Duggans]] (duo)
 | [[Enya]] (solo)
 | [[Brídín Brennan|{{lang|ga|italic=unset|nocat=y|Brídín}} Brennan]] (solo)
 }}
}}

'''Clannad''' ({{IPA|ga|ˈklˠan̪ˠəd̪ˠ}}) were<!-- ("They were") Please note that for collective nouns (like bands), British English uses the plural "were" instead of the American singular "was". See WP:ENGVAR. --> an Irish band formed in 1970 in [[Gweedore]], County Donegal, by siblings {{lang|ga|italic=unset|Ciarán}}, [[Pól Brennan|{{lang|ga|italic=unset|nocat=y|Pól}}]] and [[Moya Brennan|{{lang|ga|italic=unset|nocat=y|Máire}} (Moya)]] {{lang|ga|italic=unset|Uí Bhraonáin}}{{efn|{{lang|ga|Uí}} is plural and induces [[lenition]] on the following consonant. The masculine singular (without lenition) is {{lang|ga|Ó}}, and feminine (with lenition) is {{lang|ga|Ní}}, e.g. {{lang|ga|italic=unset|Ciarán Ó Braonáin}} and {{lang|ga|italic=unset|Máire Ní Bhraonáin}}, respectively.}} (in English, Brennan) and their twin uncles [[The Duggans|Noel and {{lang|ga|italic=unset|nocat=y|Pádraig Ó Dúgáin}}]] (Duggan).<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.journalofmusic.com/news/ |title=Clannad Bursary of E30K Announced to Support Gaeltacht Artists |work=[[The Journal of Music]] |access-date=13 November 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.lyricsfreak.com/c/clannad/ |title=Clannad Lyrics |work=LyricsFreak.com |access-date=15 October 2019}}</ref> They have adopted various musical styles throughout their history. Beginning as an acoustic folk group mainly performing rearranged [[Traditional Irish music|traditional Irish]] songs in [[Irish language|Irish]], they expanded their sound with original songs in English, vocal harmonies, electronic keyboards, and elements of rock, [[Celtic music|Celtic]], [[New-age music|new age]], [[smooth jazz]], and [[Gregorian chant]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |url= http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/clannad/albums/album/131987/review/5943745/macalla |archive-url= https://archive.today/20070518205122/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/clannad/albums/album/131987/review/5943745/macalla |url-status=dead |work=[[Rolling Stone]] |title=Clannad: ''Macalla'' Music Reviews |via=Archive.today |archive-date=18 May 2007}}</ref>

Initially known as {{lang|ga|italic=unset|Clann as Dobhar}} ('Family from Dore'),<ref name="Grdn">{{cite news |last1=Simpson |first1=Dave |title=How Clannad made 'Theme from ''Harry's Game''<nowiki />' |url= https://www.theguardian.com/music/2020/apr/13/clannad-theme-from-harrys-game |access-date=1 April 2022 |work=[[The Guardian]] |date=13 April 2020}}</ref> they shortened their name to Clannad in 1973.<ref>{{Cite news |url= http://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/aug/16/padraig-duggan-obituary |title=Pádraig Duggan obituary |date=16 August 2016 |work=[[The Guardian]] |access-date=19 August 2021}}</ref> By 1979 they had released three albums and toured Europe and the US. From 1980 to 1982 they operated as a six-piece with their sister and niece {{lang|ga|italic=unset|Eithne}} ([[Enya]]). In 1982, they gained international attention with their single "[[Theme from Harry's Game|Theme from ''Harry's Game'']]".<ref name="Grdn" /><ref>{{cite web |url= http://news.ulster.ac.uk/releases/2007/2966.html |title=UU to Honour Peacemaker Tutu |work=News.Ulster.ac.uk |publisher=[[University of Ulster]] |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20111016092331/http://news.ulster.ac.uk/releases/2007/2966.html |archive-date=16 October 2011}}</ref> They experimented with new age and pop-influenced sounds in the 1980s and 1990s<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.mp3.com/artist/clannad/summary/ |title=Clannad - News, Photos, Videos, Bio |work=MP3.com |access-date=8 November 2007 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071121063019/http://www.mp3.com/artist/clannad/summary/ |archive-date=21 November 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Clannadachiev">{{cite magazine |url= http://billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/searchResult.jsp?configType=BBCOM_SIMPLEDEFAULT&pubList=Billboard&an=bbcom&action=Submit&kw=&exposeNavigation=true&keyword=Clannad&searchType=ARTICLE_SEARCH&submit.x=32&submit.y=13 |title=Usually, their results were an entrancing, enchanting form of pop that managed to fuse the disparate elements together rather seamlessly |work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=9 June 2017 |url-status=deviated |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071011110111/http://billboard.com/bbcom/esearch/searchResult.jsp?configType=BBCOM_SIMPLEDEFAULT&pubList=Billboard&an=bbcom&action=Submit&kw=&exposeNavigation=true&keyword=Clannad&searchType=ARTICLE_SEARCH&submit.x=32&submit.y=13 |archive-date=11 October 2007}}</ref> and their music came to be defined as almost purely [[Celtic music|Celtic]], making them innovators of that genre.<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://tonedeaf.thebrag.com/feature-clannad/ |title=How Clannad changed the world's view of Celtic music |work=TheToneDeaf.TheBrag.com |publisher=[[Vinyl Group]] |date=17 June 2021 |access-date=19 August 2021}}</ref> In 1997, after 15 albums, they took a break and pursued solo projects.<ref>{{Cite news |url= https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1993-02-19-9303182785-story.html |title=Clannad Gets Higher Profile, Thanks in Part to Volkswagen |first=Chris |last=Heim |work=[[Chicago Tribune]] |date=19 February 1993 |access-date=19 August 2021}}</ref> The band regrouped in 2007 as a four piece with Moya (who adopted that spelling instead of {{lang|ga|italic=unset|Máire}} in 2002), {{lang|ga|italic=unset|Ciarán}}, {{lang|ga|italic=unset|Noel}}, and {{lang|ga|italic=unset|Pádraig}} and completed a world tour in 2008.<ref name="NewAlbum09">{{Cite web |url= http://www.clannad.org.uk/2009/02/new-clannad-album/ |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090228201534/http://www.clannad.org.uk/2009/02/new-clannad-album/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=28 February 2009 |title=Clannad & Moya Brennan News: New Clannad album |date=28 February 2009 |work=Clannad.org.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url= http://www.noblepr.co.uk/Press_Releases/kennedy_street/clannad.htm |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20080607021148/http://www.noblepr.co.uk/Press_Releases/kennedy_street/clannad.htm |url-status=dead |title=Kennedy Street – Clannad |archive-date=7 June 2008}}</ref> In 2013, {{lang|ga|italic=unset|Pól}} rejoined and they released their first studio album in fifteen years.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.huffingtonpost.com/stephen-d-winick/donegal-galicia-and-the-w_b_3810593.html |title=Clannad's ''Nádúr'' and Other New Celtic Recordings |date=26 August 2013 |work=[[Huffington Post]] |access-date=22 September 2014}}</ref> {{lang|ga|italic=unset|Pádraig}} Duggan died in 2016. The remaining group embarked on their farewell tour in 2020 as a quartet.<ref>{{Cite web |url= https://www.loudersound.com/news/clannad-announce-in-a-lifetime-farewell-uk-tour |title=Clannad announce ''In a Lifetime'' farewell UK tour |first=Scott |last=Munro |date=9 September 2019 |work=[[Louder (website)|Louder]] |access-date=19 August 2021}}</ref>

Clannad have won numerous awards throughout their career, including a [[Grammy Award]], a [[BAFTA]], an [[Ivor Novello Award]], and a [[Billboard Music Award]].<ref name="auto">{{Cite web |url= http://www.mdm.ie/artists/clannad.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071118195903/http://www.mdm.ie/artists/clannad.html |url-status=dead |title=MDM.ie |archive-date=18 November 2007 |work=MDM.ie}}</ref> They have recorded in six different languages and scored eight UK top 10 albums. They were often more popular abroad than in their native Ireland, and are considered to have brought Irish music and the Irish language to a wider audience.<ref>{{cite news |url= http://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2002-06-21/95426/ |title=Chieftains, Clannad |first=Margaret |last=Moser |date=21 June 2002 |work=[[Austin Chronicle]] |access-date=15 October 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-06-02-ca-42471-story.html |title=Pop Music: Clannad Finds Road to U.S. Exposure: The use of '<nowiki />''Harry's Game''<nowiki />' in TV car commercials has given the Irish folk-pop group another shot at the American market |date=2 June 1993 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |access-date=19 August 2021}}</ref>