Danú - Biography
Artist: Danú
Writer: Jeff Hunt
Date: May 30, 2010
The arts, music, and (often precarious) languages of the so-called Six Celtic Nations are an endless source of fascination to ethnomusicologists, scholars, historians, and just about anyone who traces ancestry to any of these heartily romanticized — and romantic — places including Scotland, Cornwall, Isle of Mann, Brittany, and Wales. But the Irish diaspora was a vast undertaking of considerable woe, and around the world, nothing quite plucks a Gaelic heartstring like music from Ireland. Irish band Danú (named after a goddess from Irish mythology) is the real deal, and they’re one critically acclaimed and popular purveyors of the genre. They’re originally from Dungarvan, Co., Waterford, and since their founding in 1994, the various members of Danú have served as supremely talent emissaries of Irish music. The prominent members have included Éamon Doorley on bouzouki and fiddle, and Dónal Clancy on brilliantly executed guitar. Tom Doonley plays flute. (Remember the flautist with 80s MTV sensation Men at Work? That’s him.) While the lineup does tend to undulate, the music is delightfully consistent.
Having already won numerous awards performing at various regional festivals, Danú splashed on the international scene with the release of Think Before You Think (Shanachie, 2000). You would never know this was a group of twentysomethings; in the course of jigs and reels like “The Old Ruined Cottage In The Glen / The Morning Dew / Think Before You Think” and keening tracks like “An Paistmn Fionn,” the group performs with deep, heartfelt intensity, while Cairan O Gealbhain’s passionate vocals switch from Irish to English. The musicians are wonderfully proficient, performing on accordion, guitar, fiddle, flute, bouzouki, and bodhrán. They soon followed with All Things Considered (2002 Shanachie), which confirmed the group’s strident acoustic rhythms are compelling, and Ciaran O' Gealbhain’s plaintive, multilingual vocals are a joy.
The Road Less Traveled (2003 Shanachie) marked a significant change for Danú, as Ciaran O' Gealbhain departed the group. However, his replacement was a singular, exceptional find: the extraordinary singer and flautist, Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh. Gaelic is her first language, and her vocals resonate and sparkle on The Road Less Traveled. It was the most versatile work from the group to date; there are delicate tinges of American country and folk, and touch of (dare we say) English folk, with a cover of Richard Thompson’s “Farewell, Farewell.”
Up In the Air (2004 Shanachie) is yet another departure for Danú, as the various group members pair off for (mostly) instrument duets. There are some tremendous tracks, including “The Jiggedy Jiggedy Highland / Francie Dearg's Highland / Miss Ramsey's,” and the delightful “Seán Sa Cheo / John Dohertys / The Highland Man Kissed His Granny.” Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh does take a Gaelic vocal turn on “Raghadsa's Mo Cheaiti.” It’s haunting, and reason enough to seek out Up In the Air. When All Is Said and Done (2006 Shanachie) returns to more traditional songs, and Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh is simply luminous on the title track, "Cailín Deas Crúite Na Mbó" and the Bob Dylan classic, "Farewell, Angelina.” Her recent solo albums also merit mention, starting with her debut, Fainne An Lae: Daybreak (2006 Compass Records). She and Danú continue to serve as ambassadors to the exquisite sounds of Irish music, traveling as far as Jordan, Bulgaria, and India to exemplify its woes, joys and vibrant, unbreakable spirit.