Irish musician and producer Dónal Lunny dies at 79

Irish musician, composer, and producer Dónal Lunny passed away in Dublin on October 23, 2026, at the age of 79. A central figure in the Irish folk revival beginning in the 1970s, Lunny played a transformative role in Celtic music.

Lunny was a member of several influential groups, including Planxty, The Bothy Band, and Moving Hearts, and later formed his own group, Coolfin. He is credited with helping adapt the Greek bouzouki into a standard instrument for Irish folk music, noting that it provided a more open accompaniment than the guitar.

Beyond his work as a multi-instrumentalist, Lunny was a highly regarded producer and founded Mulligan Records. His professional reach extended to international artists; he worked with Sinead O’Connor, Kate Bush, and Mark Knopfler. His collaborations with Knopfler helped infuse the songwriter's 1990s work with Celtic influences.