Ahead of their appearance with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, Eamon Sweeney pays tribute to one of the modern giants of Irish traditional music...
Gaoth Dobhair in north west Donegal is one of the most outstandingly beautiful areas in the world, let alone Ireland. Europe's most densely rural populated area and the country's largest Irish speaking parish is a crucial cradle for our culture, spawning the careers of both Clannad and Enya.
Altan are the third member of the district's holy trinity of musical artists who turned traditional and modern music completely on its head. They are led by Coshclady fiddler Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, who was married to the late Frankie Kennedy, a flute and tin whistle player from Belfast. Initially they founded a short-lived group called Ragairne, which featured singer Eithne Ní Bhraonáin, later selling over 80 millions records and known worldwide as Enya.
Watch: Altan perform Maggie's Pancakes on The Late Late Show
During their early years, the group released a record entitled Altan in 1987, named after a remote picturesque lake in the Derryveagh mountains nestled close to Mount Errigal, although they didn't adopt the name for the group until 1989. Between 1989 and 1992, they released three career-defining albums, Horse with a Heart, The Red Crow, and Harvest Storm. Dónal Lunny has worked as either a producer or guest musician on nearly every Altan album since 1987.
Frankie Kennedy died in 1994, aged just 38. He is buried in Maghergallon cemetary, where my own father, uncle, maternal grandparents and maternal great-grandparents are interred. Every year until 2014, the Frankie Kennedy Winter School honoured the musician with an annual musical gathering in his honour. I was lucky enough to attend one of Altan's special New Year's Day performances at Ionad Cois Locha. They truly are one of the greatest live performers of traditional Irish music of all time.
Watch: Altan play a trad medley on The Late Late Show
Altan went on to achieve tremendous success and win global acclaim as one of this country's most singular and spectacularly gifted traditional Irish bands, collaborating with international artists of the calibre of Dolly Parton, Bonnie Raitt, and Alison Krauss. They've topped the US Billboard chart and won the Celtic/British Isles Album of the Year award from the National Association of Independent Record Distributors and Manufactures for three consecutive albums.
The band have also travelled with President Mary McAleese and President Michael D. Higgins on state visits throughout the world, performing for American presidents and numerous heads of state. President Higgins invited them to Áras an Uachtaráin in 2018 to celebrate their 30th anniversary as a band.
Watch: Altan play The Curlew Set on TG4
For their forthcoming one-off show at the National Concert Hall, Altan will be joined by the RTÉ Concert Orchestra under the baton of David Brophy, hot on the heels of an appearance at Festival Interceltique Lorient in France and just before further festival dates in Denmark and Corsica.
This is golden opportunity to see one of the golden giants of Irish music perform with a full orchestra in a very intimate and special venue.
Altan & the RTÉ Concert Orchestra play the main auditorium of the National Concert Hall on Friday, August 18th - find out more here.
