The funeral of influential Irish folk musician Dónal Lunny will take place this Saturday, October 31, at St Conleth’s Parish Church in Newbridge, Co Kildare, starting at 11am, according to rte.ie. Lunny died on October 23 at the age of 79.
Because church capacity is strictly limited to family and close friends, Lunny’s family has urged well-wishers and fans across the world to participate via livestream. In a public statement, the family requested that fans everywhere play and share music this weekend in Dónal’s memory, celebrating the joy his work brought to listeners worldwide.
The Bottom Line
- Dónal Lunny’s funeral service is set for 11am at St Conleth’s Parish Church in Newbridge, with a global livestream provided due to restricted seating.
- Public books of condolence have been opened at the Riverbank Arts Centre in Newbridge and at Kildare County Council offices.
- Family and collaborators remember the multi-instrumentalist—renowned for popularising the bouzouki—as a defining architect of traditional Irish music revival.
Public Condolences and Global Musical Tributes
Public books of condolence have been made available for mourners at the Riverbank Arts Centre in Newbridge and at the offices of Kildare County Council, as reported by rte.ie. Beyond the formal services, the family asked that supporters throughout the world mark the weekend by making music together.
A Book of Condolence for Dónal Lunny is now open at Kildare County Council offices and the Riverbank Arts Centre, until 6th November 2026.. Messages of sympathy may also be submitted online @ https://t.co/RUoRcgXN30 pic.twitter.com/1nk9NF15yA
The Guardian reported that Lunny passed away following an illness involving cancer. Born in Tullamore, Co Offaly, and raised in Kildare, he became a central figure across generations of traditional and contemporary folk music.
Shaping Decades of Irish Folk History
Lunny left an indelible mark on the global music landscape through his work with seminal groups. As noted by The Guardian, he played in bands such as Planxty, the Bothy Band, and Moving Hearts, and achieved an early number-one hit in 1968 with Emmet Spiceland on the track Mary from Dungloe.
Reflecting on his creative impact, fellow musician Christy Moore stated in a documentary excerpt cited by The Irish Times that “every harmony I sang on Planxty was taught to me by Dónal.” Moore also recalled that Planxty could not have succeeded without Lunny’s unique genius and creativity.
Beyond his native Ireland, Lunny maintained deep artistic ties elsewhere, including Co Leitrim. The Leitrim Observer reported that he collaborated extensively with local artists such as Eleanor Shanley, Fionnuala Maxwell, and Charlie McGettigan, and served as a driving force behind cultural initiatives like the Leitrim Equation residency programme.
| Band / Project | Key Years / Milestones | Primary Instrumentation |
|---|---|---|
| Emmet Spiceland | 1968 (No. 1 hit “Mary from Dungloe”) | Guitar, Keyboards, Bodhrán |
| Planxty | Formed early 1970s; reunions later | Bouzouki, Guitar, Keyboards |
| The Bothy Band | Joined in 1975 | Bouzouki, Guitar |
Honours and Lasting Legacy
Throughout his decades-long career, Lunny received numerous accolades for expanding the vocabulary of Irish traditional music. He was elected to Aosdána in 2006, received a lifetime achievement award at the BBC Radio 2 folk awards in 2018, and was honoured with a similar lifetime achievement award at the RTÉ Radio 1 folk awards in 2025, where Moore presented the citation.
Paying tribute on social media, singer Eleanor Shanley wrote, as quoted by the Leitrim Observer, “The world is an emptier place now. We’ve lost a true genius and an absolute gentleman.”
