Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh
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Mairéad performing with Altan at Mardis de Plouescat in 2013
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| Background information | |
| Born | 26 July 1959 Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland |
| Genres | |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, singer |
| Instruments | Vocals, fiddle |
| Years active | 1981–present |
| Labels |
Gael Linn
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| Associated acts |
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Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh (born 26 July 1959) is a famous Irish fiddle player and singer. She is the lead singer for the Irish folk music band Altan. She started this band in 1987 with her husband, Frankie Kennedy.
Mairéad is known as one of the best players of the Donegal fiddle tradition. This is a special style of fiddle playing from County Donegal in Ireland. She is also considered one of the top singers in the Irish language, which is her first language. She was part of a group called T with the Maggies. They performed their first concerts in 2009 and released an album in 2010. In 2008, Mairéad released her first solo album, Imeall. In 2016, she released an album with her other band, Na Mooneys.
Early Life and Family
Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh grew up in Gweedore, County Donegal, on the northwest coast of Ireland. Her father, Proinsias Ó Maonaigh, taught her how to play the fiddle. She also learned from another fiddler, Dinny McLaughlin, who often visited their home. Ciarán Tourish, who later joined Altan, also learned from McLaughlin at Mairéad's home.
Mairéad has two siblings:
- Her brother, Gearóid Ó Maonaigh, played guitar for a band called Ragairne. He also helped organize the Frankie Kennedy Winter School, a music event.
- Her younger sister, Anna Ní Mhaonaigh, has sung backing vocals on several albums. She was also a member of an all-female music group called Macalla.
Mairéad met Frankie Kennedy when she was 15 years old at a music session. Frankie was inspired to learn music and became a talented flute player. They got married in 1981.
Music Journey
Starting Out: Duo and Ragairne
Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh met Frankie Kennedy during his summer visit to Gaeltacht (an Irish-speaking area). They were both interested in music. Frankie decided to learn an instrument to impress Mairéad. He started with the tin whistle and then learned the flute. His dedication made him a respected flute player.
After they married in 1981, Mairéad and Frankie continued to play music together. They first recorded music in 1979. Later, they formed a band called Ragairne. Mairéad's brother, Gearóid Ó Maonaigh, and singer Enya were also part of this band for a time.
In 1983, Frankie Kennedy and Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh released an album called Ceol Aduaidh. They were joined by bouzouki player Ciarán Curran and Enya, who played synthesizer.
At first, Mairéad and Frankie were teachers. But they realized that people loved their traditional music. They decided to stop teaching and focus on their music full-time. In 1987, they released an album called Altan. The band was named after a lake in Donegal. Dónal Lunny produced this album and continued to work with Altan on many future albums.
Altan: A Famous Band
Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh and Frankie Kennedy officially formed the band Altan in the late 1980s. Sadly, Frankie passed away from cancer in 1994. Mairéad decided to continue the band, as Frankie had wanted her to.
Besides her work with Altan, Mairéad has also hosted traditional music shows on radio and TV. These include the radio show The Long Note and the TV series The Pure Drop.
String Sisters: Fiddle Power
Since 2005, Mairéad has been a member of String Sisters. This is a group of talented fiddle players from different countries.
T with the Maggies: Friends Making Music
In 2007, Mairéad joined her friends Moya Brennan, Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill, and Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill to form T with the Maggies. They released their first album in 2010.
Solo Work and Performances
In 2007 and 2008, Mairéad recorded her first solo album, Imeall. She recorded it at the home studio of her friend and co-producer, Manus Lunny. She first shared songs from the album in December 2008 at a music school in Gweedore. The album was officially released worldwide in February 2009. The title Imeall means 'Edge' or 'Threshold' in Irish. The album features traditional songs and new music written by Mairéad.
Since 2009, Mairéad has performed solo and with a trio. She often plays with Manus Lunny on bouzouki and James Higgins on percussion. She has also performed with other musicians, like French flutist Sylvain Barou.
In 2020, Mairéad performed live with her daughter, Nia Byrne, and Manus Lunny at the Cork Folk Festival. In 2021, she composed new music for the An Grianán Theatre in Letterkenny. This music was part of the Letterkenny Trad Week. Her new song, "Ré an tSolais" (meaning "The Time of Light"), was also shown on TG4 for St Patrick's Day 2021.
Na Mooneys: Family Band
In 2016, Mairéad announced a new family band called Na Mooneys. The band includes her nephew Ciarán Ó Maonaigh and her siblings Anna Ní Mhaonaigh and Gearóid Ó Maonaigh. They describe themselves as a family of musicians and singers from the Donegal Gaeltacht.
In October 2016, Na Mooneys released their first album, also called Na Mooneys. It features traditional Irish music and songs.
The SíFiddlers: All-Female Fiddle Group
The SíFiddlers are a group of 13 female fiddle players from Donegal. The name "SíFiddlers" means "The She Fiddlers" in Irish. They first came together in 2018 at the Earagail Arts Festival. Their performance was a big success, showing how many talented female fiddlers there are in Donegal. Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh is one of the 13 members.
In 2019, The SíFiddlers announced they were recording their first album. In July 2020, they released their debut album, simply called Donegal Fiddle.
Concert Tour with Cormac De Barra & Mark Redmond
In the fall of 2022, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh went on a concert tour in Ireland and the UK. She performed with harpist Cormac De Barra and piper Mark Redmond.
Personal Life
Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh has a daughter named Nia Byrne, who was born in 2003. Nia's father is Dermot Byrne, who was also a musician in Altan. Mairéad and Dermot married in 1999 but later separated.
Awards and Recognition
Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh has received several honors for her music:
- In 2009, she was named "Donegal Person of the Year."
- In 2016, she received the 2017 "Gradam Ceoil TG4" award for "Traditional Musician of the Year." This is a very important award in Irish traditional music.
Discography
Solo albums
- 2009 Imeall
As Frankie Kennedy & Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh
- 1983 Ceol Aduaidh
- 1987 Altan
With Altan
- 1989 Horse with a Heart
- 1990 The Red Crow
- 1991 Harvest Storm
- 1993 Island Angel
- 1996 Blackwater
- 1997 Runaway Sunday
- 2000 Another Sky
- 2002 The Blue Idol
- 2005 Local Ground
- 2010 25th Anniversary Celebration (a collection of studio re-recordings of previous material (plus one new song) with orchestral arrangements)
- 2012 Gleann Nimhe - The Poison Glen
- 2015 The Widening Gyre
- 2018 The Gap of Dreams
- 2024 Donegal
With String Sisters
- 2007 Live (CD/DVD)
With T with the Maggies
- 2010 T with the Maggies
With Na Mooneys
- 2016 Na Mooneys
- 2017 "Soilse na Nollag" (4:26), single released on 17 December 2017 by Na Mooneys and Manus Lunny (A Christmas Song or Carol, composed by Francie Mooney and Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh (his daughter)
With The SíFiddlers
- 2020 Donegal Fiddle
Guest roles
- 1991 Albert Fry (Albert Fry)
- 1991 Fiddle Sticks (various artists)
- 1993 The Holy Ground (Mary Black)
- 1994 Lullaby: A Collection (various artists - Ní Mhaonaigh sings The Cradle Song, wrongly attributed to Karan Casey)
- 2001 Little Sparrow (Dolly Parton)
- 2001 Volume 3: Further in Time (Afro Celt Sound System)
- 2008 Tráthnóna Beag Aréir (Albert Fry)
- 2008 The Original Transatlantic Sessions DVD (various artists)
