The remains of Clannad musician Pdraig Duggan are removed from St. Mary’s Church, Derrybeg by his twin brother Noel Duggan and the group’s lead vocalist Mire Brennan.
THE funeral took place yesterday, Thursday, of Pádraig Duggan, musician, songwriter and founding member of Irish Celtic music pioneers, Clannad.
Following a recurring illness Pádraig passed away in Blanchardstown Hospital on Tuesday, aged 67.
Along with twin brother, Noel, he was the youngest of six children of Aodh (Hugh) and Máire Duggan and grew up in the Gaoth Dobhair Gaeltacht.
He was predeceased by his sister Bríd last year and is survived by his wife Jan, brothers Noel, Eoin (Australia) and Columba (Dore) and his sister Máire (Baba) Brennan, whose husband Leo died just last month.
He was waked at his home 29, Turret Road, Palmerstown Dublin 20 on Tuesday and Wednesday before the remains were taken to Donegal, arriving at St Mary’s Church, Derrybeg, at 7pm on Wednesday, where the remains were met by Fr Pádraig Ó Baoghill, Parish Priest.
Music
Requiem mass was celebrated in St Mary’s Church, Derrybeg, yesterday at 1pm by Fr Brian Ó Fearraigh, CC, Gaoth Dobhair, concelebrated by Fr Frankie Herron, Pádraig’s friend from his schooldays with burial afterwards to Magheragallon cemetery.
Clannad lead vocalist Moya Brennan, together with her siblings Ciaran and Pol Brennan performed ‘Maid Marian’ from the sound track to the ‘Robin Of Sherwood’ TV series while Moya also paid tribute to her uncle through ‘Thios cois Na Tra Domh’ before the Brennan sisters Moya, Bridín and Deirdre sing ‘Ag Crois an Síol’. The organist also performed ‘Lisa’, a song written by Pádraig and Noel which appeared on Clannad’s debut album as well as on Rubicon. The song is used internationally in schools and on summer gaeltacht courses in Belfast, Donegal and further afield.
Clannad was formed in the early 1970s through regular performances in the family pub, Leo’s Tavern and, after winning the Letterkenny Folk Festival in 1973, they embarked on a busy touring schedule – finding initial success in Europe, especially Germany. Their music was a blend of Irish traditional songs from their native Donegal and contemporary influences of the day, such as the Beach Boys, The Beatles, the Mamas & Papas and Joni Mitchell.
Their breakthrough, and the beginning of worldwide acclaim, came in 1982 when their theme song for the TV mini-series, ‘Harry’s Game’ became a UK hit. Clannad became the first act to perform in the Irish language on BBC’s Top of the Pops. This success was followed by their scoring of two seasons of the highly successful Robin of Sherwood TV series and an international recording and touring career followed spawning 25 albums and many awards, notably Ivor Novello (1982), BAFTA (1984) and a Grammy (1999) along with Irish Meteor and BBC Folk Lifetime Achievement Awards.
When Clannad took a break, Pádraig and Noel released their own album, Rubicon, in 2005 (which featured, among others, their close friend, Finbar Furey) and spent much time touring Germany with traditional band, Norland Wind before Clannad’s reemergence in 2012.
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