Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh

Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh was born on 26 July 1959 and grew up in Gweedore / Gaoth Dobhair on the northwest coast of Donegal. An acclaimed Irish fiddler, Mairéad is the lead vocalist for the Irish traditional band Altan, which she co-founded with her late husband Frankie Kennedy in 1985. Today, Mairéad is recognised as the leading exponent in the Donegal fiddle style, and she is often considered as one of the foremost singers in the Irish language, her native tongue. After 24 years with Altan, Mairéad released her first solo album Imeall, in 2009, and she was part of the Irish supergroup T with the Maggies, who released an album in 2010. 

Her father, Francie Mooney taught her to play the fiddle. She received tuition from fiddler Dinny McLaughlin, who was a frequent visitor to the home when she was young. Ciarán Tourish, who would later join Altan, was also a frequent visitor to the family home and also received tuition from McLaughlin. Ní Mhaonaigh has two siblings. Her brother Gearóid played guitar for Ragairne (a short-lived band formed by Ní Mhaonaigh and Frankie Kennedy, of which singer Enya was a member), appeared on the album Ceol Aduaidh, and organises the Frankie Kennedy Winter School. Her younger sister Anna has contributed backing vocals to several albums and was a member of the group Macalla.

She met Frankie Kennedy at a session at age 15. Kennedy was inspired to learn to play and soon became a talented flute player. They married in 1981.

Mairead on Donegal. 

We, as Donegal people, have a lot to be proud of. Not alone is it one of the most beautiful places on this earth, not alone are its people welcoming, decent and friendly, but our biggest asset is our rich culture... the language, the stories, the music and songs.

I am extremely proud to be from Co.Donegal. With the band Altan, I play traditional Irish music on stages from New York to Tokyo and it is on those occassions that I am aware of the rich heritage from which I was fortunate enough to be born into. The audience for traditional Irish music is out there on a world scale! We, as Donegal people, have a lot to be proud of. Not alone is it one of the most beautiful places on this earth, not alone are its people welcoming, decent and friendly, but our biggest asset is our rich culture... the language, the stories, the music and songs.

Now in times of economic challenges, we as Donegal people, have to reassess what we can bring to the world that is unique and different. The answer, I personally feel, lies in promoting the natural resources, the beautiful landscape and our rich culture worldwide in order to attract more visitors to our county to experience it first hand.

Let’s celebrate our County!

Sé bhur mbeatha… Tá mise lonnaithe arais I nDún na nGall anois le breis agus ceithre bliana. Leis an fhírinne a rá, is é an bogadh is fearr a rinne mé ariamh! Bhí cupla cúis agam pilleadh… bhí girseach bheag agam agus bhí mé ag iarraidh í a thógailt i lár na Gaeltachta i measc mó mhuintir féin. Is ea an cúis eile nó go raibh sláinte m’athair, Francie Mooney ag dul i léig agus bhí mé ag iarraidh níos mó ama a chaitheamh leis gur chaill muid é tri bliana ó shin. Tá me sásta go dtearn mé an bogadh sin anois agus am a chaitheamh ina chuideachta!

Bheireann mo chuid oibre, ag seinim ceoil le Altan, ar fud na Cruinne mé agus is mór an bród atá orm as mó chúlra nuair a sheasaim ar stáitsí ó Nua Eabhrach go Tokyo ag seinim ceoil mo chondae dúchais. Tá cuid mhór againn le bheith mórtasach as i nDún na nGall anseo. Chan amháin gur seo ceann dena áiteanna is deise ar an domhan, agus chan amháin go bhfuil na daoine fiúntach, lách, cairdiúil, ach tá cultúr laidir anseo a bhfuil suim mhór ag daoine ann ar fud na Cruinne.

Anois in aimsear an dímhaoin agus an ghéarchéim ecnamaíochta, bá chóir dúinn díriú ar caide a thig linne tabhairt chuig an tsaol, a easpórtál chuig daoine nach bhfuil le fáil acu áit ar bith eile, agus sílim gur ár gcultúr an freagair… cultúr shaibhir Dhún na nGall….an teanga, na scéalta, an cheol, an taobh tíre... ár ndúchas. Ár n’achmháiní nadúrtha Thiocfadh linn níos mó beime a chuir ar an tsaibhreas spéisíalta seo atá againn nuair a bhíonn muid ag iarraidh Dún na nGall chuir ós comhair an Domhan mór mar áit  le theacht chun laetha saoire a chaitheamh ann. Ta a fhios againn uilig nach dtig linn bráth ar an aimsear le daoine a mhealladh chun na condae, mar sin bá chóir dúinn díriu ar caide nach dtig leo ach fáil in nDún na nGall... ár ndúchas, ár gcultúr!!! Sílim go bhfuil deireadh le ré na monarcáin mhóra agus agus na holltáirgíochta thart.

Ta daoine ag díriú ar chaighdéan mhaireachtála fiúntach a thabhairt dona gcuid teaghlaigh. Fiúintas…sin an dóigh le margaíocht a dheanamh ar Dhún na nGall agus cuairteoirí a mhealladh chugainn! Tá ónair orm gur as an chondae seo mé , ta ónair orm go bhfuil oiread againne le tabhairt don saol mór ó thaobh ar gcultúr fiúintach seo de! Ceiléiróidh muid ár gcondae, ceiléiróidh muid ár ndaoine Ceileiróidh muid ár bhfiúntas!!!