Photo: Candy Schwartz from Boston, USA · CC BY 2.0 · credits
Tier 3 · vertical & regionalfull biography
De Dannan
Group · Ireland · formed 1974
band
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Listen on SpotifyYouTube Music
Also known as De Danaan · De Danan · De Danann · De Dannann · DeDanann · Maura O'Connell with De Dannan
Timeline
20 events▣ Album 13+ Member joins 3− Member leaves 2◆ Formed 1★ Debut release 1
1970s
· Debut release
Debut release: De Danann
First documented Album in the MusicBrainz discography.
source: musicbrainz
· Member leaves
Dolores Keane leaves the band
source: musicbrainz
1980s
· Member leaves
Jackie Daly leaves the band
source: musicbrainz
1990s
2000s
· Member joins
Ronan O’Flaherty joins the band
fiddle
source: musicbrainz
2010s
· Member joins
Damien Mullane joins the band
accordion
source: musicbrainz
· Member joins
Mike Galvin joins the band
guitar
source: musicbrainz
Biography
English biography740 words · 2 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1378515957
Biography
De Dannan (originally Dé Danann) are an Irish folk music group. It was formed in 1975 by Frankie Gavin (fiddle), Alec Finn (guitar, bouzouki), Johnny "Ringo" McDonagh (bodhrán) and Charlie Piggott (banjo) as a result of sessions in Hughes's Pub in Spiddal, County Galway, Ireland, with Dolores Keane (vocals) subsequently being invited to join the band. The fiddler Mickey Finn (1951–1987) is also acknowledged to have been a founding member.
The band was named after the legendary Irish tribe Tuatha Dé Danann. In 1985, the spelling of the name was changed from "Dé Danann" to "De Dannan" for reasons that have never been made clear. Since 2010, however, Finn and McDonagh have recorded and performed with a line-up named "De Danann", and, since 2012, Gavin has recorded and performed with another line-up named "De Dannan".
History
The group's debut album was Dé Danann, produced by Dónal Lunny and recorded at Eamonn Andrews Studios, Dublin, in 1975 and released on Polydor Records. In early 1976, Keane left to marry multi-instrumentalist John Faulkner, with whom she subsequently recorded three albums of folk music.
To fill the vacancy left after Keane's departure, Dé Danann brought in Andy Irvine. Irvine never recorded on any full De Danann album but he can be heard on three tracks recorded with the band on 30 April 1976, during a folk festival in Germany. Irvine left soon thereafter because of scheduling conflicts but proposed as his replacement Johnny Moynihan, who participated in the recording of the band's second album, Selected Jigs Reels & Songs. This album featured a bodhrán solo by McDonagh on "Over The Bog Road" but the album has never been released on CD, reportedly because the master tapes were lost.
Moynihan left in 1978, being replaced by singer and accordion player Tim Lyons; for a short period in 1978, the band toured as a six-piece featuring both Moynihan and Lyons.
Their third album, The Mist Covered MountainThe Mist Covered MountainSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Mac's Fancy / The Mist Covered Mountain3:092Cameronian Reel / Doon Reel3:173Séamaisín2:204Mulvihill's Reel / The Dawn4:045The Banks of the Nile3:396Johnny Leary's Polka / O'Keefe's Polka / Johnny I Do Miss You3:187Mister O'Connor4:018Henry Joy3:549The Cottage in the Grove / Seán Ryan's Reel3:4210Máire Mhór3:4711Langstrom's Pony / The Tap Room / Lord Ramsey's Reel4:38, was released in 1980 and featured various older traditional singers. That year, the group had a surprise hit single in Ireland with their instrumental cover of the Beatles' song "Hey Jude", later re-released on their fourth album, Star-Spangled Molly in 1981; on this album, they were joined by Maura O'Connell.
As an indication of their diversity, they also recorded Handel's "Arrival of the Queen of Sheba", which they jokingly retitled "The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba (in Galway)", on their 1983 album Song for Ireland
Song for IrelandSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba (In Galway)3:082Hard Times3:273Mulqueen's Reels2:404The Turkey in the Straw2:485Live Not Where I Love4:126The Hearty Boys of Ballymoate2:597Song for Ireland4:448The Bells of St. Louis3:169The Chicken Reel3:1010Charlie Harris' Reels3:0511Jenny Rocking the Cradle3:0012Barney From Killarney2:50. Later, they would also record Bohemian Rhapsody and Jewish klezmer tunes, learned from bluegrass and klezmer musician, Andy Statman.
When O'Connell left the band, they brought in Mary Black for two albums: Song for Ireland and Anthem
AnthemSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1The Wren's Nest2Let It Be3Johnston's Hornpipe4Connie From Constantinople5Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye6Ril an Spidéal7Anthem for Ireland8Jimmy Byrnes and Dinkies9Diglake Fields10Duo in G11Paddy's Lamentation. Like O'Connell and Keane before her, Black subsequently went on to explore country, blues and jazz, hopping backwards and forwards between Nashville and Dublin.
After Black's departure, Keane returned to the fold for two albums: Anthem and Ballroom
BallroomSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1The Pride of Petravore3:202Teddy O'Neill4:403John Kimmel's Jigs5:294Sweet Forget-Me-Not4:365Eleanor Neary's4:086Charlie's Jigs3:197Far Away in Australia3:508Two Jewish Reels4:349All the Fine Young Men3:4910Irish Waltz Medley6:37. Other singers with the group have included Eleanor Shanley (1988–1992), Tommy Fleming (1994–1997) and Andrew Murray (1997–2000).
On the instrumental side, Frankie Gavin and Alec Finn were the only constant members of the group. Jackie Daly (accordion) is a star in his own right and later went on to join the group Patrick Street. He was replaced on accordion in 1983 by Martin O'Connor until 1987, Aidan Coffey until 1995, and Derek Hickey until 2001. The fiddle-accordion-bouzouki combination became synonymous with the inspirational De Dannan instrumental sound. In 1988 Colm Murphy replaced Johnny McDonagh playing the bodhrán.
The band members went their separate ways in 2003, at which point the name De Dannan was copyrighted by Alec Finn. This led to a high-profile dispute with Frankie Gavin in 2009 when the latter used the name for his pre-existing Hibernian Rhapsody band.
In 2008, the original band (Johnny "Ringo" McDonagh, Charlie Piggott, Dolores Keane, Frankie Gavin and Alec Finn) were commemorated on an Irish 55c postage stamp. Attending the formal issue event, Piggott said, "Having contributed to the promotion of Traditional Irish Music and as a keen philatelist, I consider it both an honour and a privilege to be celebrated on an Irish stamp."
In 2010, De Danann [sic] recorded Wonderwaltz, an album with a line-up of Finn (guitar, bouzouki, tenor guitar, mandola, mouth organ), McDonagh (bodhrán, bones), Eleanor Shanley (vocals), Brian McGrath (banjo, piano, tenor guitar, mandola), Derek Hickey (accordion) and Mick Conneely (fiddle, viola, whistle), with guest musicians Cian Finn (backing vocals) and Trevor Hutchinson (double bass).
Discography & profile
Normalised profile
Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 12 | 64.8th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 19 | 86.7th |
| Studio albums | 15 | 94.6th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 20 | 93.9th |
| Recording span (years) | 44 | 84.8th |
| Genres | 3 | 80.4th |
Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.
Discography (19 release groups · 15 studio albums)
Albums · 15
1975 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 12 tracks · 34:13
A1Tripping Up the Stairs / A Trip to Athlone2:10A2The Sunny Banks / Farewell to Erin1:55A3The Mountain Streams4:50A4Cathleen Hehir's2:17A5Eighteen Years Old3:13A6The Green Fields of Rossbeigh / Toss the Feathers2:17B1The Duke of Leinster / Tar Bolton2:10B2The Blackbird / The Jolly Clamdiggers2:45B3Rambling Irishman3:33B4The Gold Ring3:30B5The Shores of Lough Bran2:25B6Glenbeigh Hornpipe / Mountain Lark / The Musical Priest3:081983 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 12 tracks · 39:19
1The Arrival of the Queen of Sheba (In Galway)3:082Hard Times3:273Mulqueen's Reels2:404The Turkey in the Straw2:485Live Not Where I Love4:126The Hearty Boys of Ballymoate2:597Song for Ireland4:448The Bells of St. Louis3:169The Chicken Reel3:1010Charlie Harris' Reels3:0511Jenny Rocking the Cradle3:0012Barney From Killarney2:501985 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 11 tracks
1The Wren's Nest2Let It Be3Johnston's Hornpipe4Connie From Constantinople5Johnny I Hardly Knew Ye6Ril an Spidéal7Anthem for Ireland8Jimmy Byrnes and Dinkies9Diglake Fields10Duo in G11Paddy's Lamentation1987 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 10 tracks · 44:22
1The Pride of Petravore3:202Teddy O'Neill4:403John Kimmel's Jigs5:294Sweet Forget-Me-Not4:365Eleanor Neary's4:086Charlie's Jigs3:197Far Away in Australia3:508Two Jewish Reels4:349All the Fine Young Men3:4910Irish Waltz Medley6:371988 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 13 tracks · 44:58
1A Jacket of Batteries2:442The Call and the Answer3:443The Clumsy Lover3:574Flatbush Waltz3:195Catalonia4:166Reels: Sailing In / Alice's Reel3:097Mountains of Pomeroy2:488Mandela3:439The Rambles of Bach3:0010Táim I Mo Shuí3:4111Doberman's Wallet2:2012Carrickfergus5:1113Eleanor Rigby3:061989 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 11 tracks · 40:27
1Coleraine Jig / Derrane's / John Stenson's / Moher Reel5:412Maggie4:003Kitty's Wedding / The Rambler3:224New Irish Barn Dance2:415Come Back Again to Me, Mavourneen3:146Conlon's Jig / Padraig O'Keefe's / Head O' Cabbage / Boys of Malin4:207The Cuckoo's Nest3:188My Irish Molly-O3:399Hey Jude4:1510Morrison's / The Tailor's Thimble / Wellington's3:1611I'm Leaving Tipperary2:411989 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 11 tracks · 39:49
1Mac's Fancy / The Mist Covered Mountain3:092Cameronian Reel / Doon Reel3:173Séamaisín2:204Mulvihill's Reel / The Dawn4:045The Banks of the Nile3:396Johnny Leary's Polka / O'Keefe's Polka / Johnny I Do Miss You3:187Mister O'Connor4:018Henry Joy3:549The Cottage in the Grove / Seán Ryan's Reel3:4210Máire Mhór3:4711Langstrom's Pony / The Tap Room / Lord Ramsey's Reel4:381989 · studio album
Search SpotifySearch YouTube Music
Tracklist · 11 tracks · 40:48
1Coleraine Jig / Derrane's / John Stenson's / Moher Reel5:432Maggie4:023Kitty's Wedding / The Rambler3:244New Irish Barn Dance2:445Come Back Again to Me, Mavourneen3:166Conlon's Jig / Padraig O'Keefe's / Head O' Cabbage / Boys of Malin4:227The Cuckoo's Nest3:208My Irish Molly-O3:419Hey Jude4:1710Morrison's / The Tailor's Thimble / Wellington's3:1811I'm Leaving Tipperary2:411991 · studio album
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Tracklist · 13 tracks · 51:15
1Joe Derrane's Reel / The Galway Rambler / Jerry Holland's3:312Lights Across the Bay3:203Restless Farewell5:074The Klezmer Hornpipes3:435Mulvhill's & Dublin Porter3:046If Anything Happened to You4:047Mike Flanagan's Jig3:008A Classical Reel2:059Glasgow Lullabye4:0710Maam Valley3:3111The Snowy Cordillera6:3912The Maids of Mullaghmore4:0913Operator4:551996 · studio album
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Tracklist · 15 tracks · 1:00:50
1Noel Hill's4:342Donegal Reels2:043Captain Jack5:324Humours of Lissadel / Jenny Picking Cockles3:335The Garden Valley4:516Lark on the Strand3:267Erin Ni Neosainn Ce Hi4:208Hibernian Rhapsody6:499The Rose and the Briar3:2810George Ross' Horn Pipes3:2511The Mountains of Pommeroy5:3312Sean McGuire's2:2113The Irish Girl3:2714The Girl That Broke My Heart2:2815Danny Boy4:59Welcome to the Hotel Connemara
2000 · studio album
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Tracklist · 15 tracks · 1:03:15
1River Deep Mountain High3:132Parisienne Walkways3:173The Sally Gardens / Lay Down Sally3:574Love Hurts3:195You've Lost That Loving Feeling3:006The Rocks of Bawn / Take It to the Limit7:087When a Man Loves a Woman4:148Hey Jude4:169Suspicious Minds4:4310Gasoline Alley3:2011A Whiter Shade of Pale4:4812It's Over5:3513Elanor Rigby / Fr. McKenzie's Jig3:0814Only the Lonely2:3015Bohemian Rhapsody6:472010 · studio album
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Tracklist · 15 tracks · 49:44
1Wild Irishmen3:412Heartbreak Pier3:363Gasoline Alley2:474Here Comes the Sun3:185If You Love Me3:496The Diamond Collection3:297High on a Mountain2:558G Minor reel1:489Bluesy Jigs2:3710Summer of My Dreams4:2211Polkas3:5412Coleman Meets Killoran2:4713Down the Moor2:2814Planet Ireland4:2615Damo's Waltz3:472010 · studio album
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Tracklist · 16 tracks · 1:02:33
1Master Crowley's3:082Ireland3:443Apples in Winter / Old Man Dillon / Trip to the Cottage5:054My Baby Needs a Shepherd4:375Patsy Touhey's / Fred Finn's3:296Hard Station3:467Flax in Bloom / Drunken Landlady / Devils of Dublin4:388Con Cassidy's (Con Cassidy) / Sweet Biddy Daly / Fr. O'Flynn4:219My Beloved and I3:3510The Old Claddagh Ring / Turnpike Gate / Killavil Fancy4:0211How Will I Ever Be Simple Again3:2112The Garden of Daisies / Billy Brocker2:5513Inis Oírr3:2314Monaghan Jig / Drowsy Maggie / Maid Behind the Bar4:3715Across the Borderline4:1616The Holly Bush / Sailing Into Walpole's Marsh3:362019 · studio album
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Tracklist · 14 tracks · 55:59
1Golden Eagle2:232Coleman meets Killoran3:073Alice Blue Gown3:124The Joe Diamond Collection6:565Sweet Sixteen5:086La Vie en Rose2:487The Copper Plates4:258Fare Thee Well3:539The Yellow Cow Set5:0810Slumber My Darling4:1211Jo Cooley's Jigs3:1612My Irish Molly Oh3:3813Now is the Hour3:1514Planet Ireland4:38Selected Jigs, Reels and Songs
— · studio album
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Tracklist · 13 tracks · 46:16
1Tom Billy's / Ryan's Jig / The Sandman Reel / The Clogher Reel4:422Love Will You Marry Me / Byrne's Hornpipe3:303The Broken Pledge / Jenny's Welcome to Charlie3:324The Banks of the Quay / Crucaharan Cross2:355The Flowers of Sweet Strabane2:136The Flowers of Spring / Jackie Small's Jig2:587The Log Cabin / Bean a' Ti Ar Lar3:208Carolan's Draught2:459The Banks of Red Roses3:1910Over the Bog Road4:1611The Hag's Purse / The Collier's Jig2:1412Barbara Allen4:5113Dear Irish Boy / Johnny Leary's Polka6:01
Album · 4
| Cover | Year | Title | Notes | First release |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | The Best of De DanannSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 12 tracks · 44:161Mulvihill's Reel / The Dawn4:03 2The Banks of Red Roses3:17 3Coleraine Jig / Derrane's / John Stenson's / Moher Reel5:42 4Rambling Irishman3:40 5Johnny Leary's Polka / O'Keefe's Polka / Johnny I Do Miss You3:16 6Maggie3:59 7The Flowers of Spring / Jackie Small's Jig3:04 8The Mountain Streams3:57 9Conlon's Jig / Padraig O'Keefe's / Head of Cabbage / Boys of Malin4:23 10My Irish Molly-O3:42 11The Banks of the Quay / Crucaharan Cross2:31 12Carolan's Draught2:42 | Compilation | 1987 | |
| 1996 | Celtic CollectionsSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 13 tracks · 47:071The Cuckoo's Nest Medley3:24 2Come Back Again to Me Mavourneen3:19 3New Irish Barn Dance2:47 4Conlon's Jig / Padraig O'Keefe's / Head of Cabbage / Boys of Malin4:27 5My Irish Molly-O3:45 6Hey Jude4:20 7Maggie4:03 8Coleraine Jig / Derrane's / John Stenson's5:46 9Kitty's Wedding/ The Rambler3:26 10The Teetotlar / St. Anne's3:19 11Then You'll Remember Me2:24 12Morrison's / The Tailor's Thimble / Wellington's3:21 13I'm Leaving Tipperary2:46 | Compilation | 1996 | |
| — | The Best of De DannanSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 12 tracks · 44:161Mulvihill's Reel4:03 2The Banks of Red Roses3:17 3Coleraine Jig5:42 4Rambling Irishman3:40 5Johnny Leary's Polka3:16 6Maggie3:59 7The Flowers of Spring3:04 8The Mountain Streams3:57 9Conlon's Jig4:23 10My Irish Molly-O3:42 11The Banks of the Quay2:31 12Carolan's Draught2:42 | Compilation | — | |
| — | How the West Was WonSearch SpotifySearch YouTube MusicTracklist · 25 tracks · 1:33:43Disc 1 1The Arrival of the Queen of Sheeba to Galway3:08 2My Irish Molly O3:40 3Hey Jude4:16 4Song for Ireland4:42 5Langstroms Pony4:41 6The Rose & The Briar3:28 7Seamaisin2:18 82 Jewish Reels4:34 9Do It in Jig Time2:08 10Restless Farewell5:07 11The Cameronian & The Doon3:17 12Far Away in Australia3:48 13The Rights of Man / The Pride of Petravore3:20 14Eireann Mo Ghra Mo Chroi4:02 15Mr. O'Connor3:58 Disc 21New Irish Barndance2:40 2Chicked Reel4:22 3Ramblin' Irishman4:11 4Humours of Galway3:30 5The Rights of Man / The Pride of Petravore3:22 6Anthem for Ireland3:28 7Dinkies3:18 8McLaughlin's Flings3:43 9Operator4:57 10Connie From Constantinople3:45 | Compilation | — |
Stats & PK
Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put De Dannan head-to-head →
| Metric | Value | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Wikipedia language versions | 12 | 64.8th |
| Spotify monthly listeners | — | no data |
| Release groups in DB | 19 | 86.7th |
| Studio albums | 15 | 94.6th |
| Awards recorded | 0 | 0th |
| Timeline events | 20 | 93.9th |
| Recording span (years) | 44 | 84.8th |
| Genres | 3 | 80.4th |
Awards & honours
Line-up
| Name | From | To | Role |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ronan O’Flaherty | 2009 | present | fiddle |
| Damien Mullane | 2012 | present | accordion |
| Mike Galvin | 2012 | present | guitar |
| Alec Finn | — | present | original |
| Charlie Piggott | — | present | original |
| Colm Murphy | — | present | |
| Derek Hickey | — | present | |
| Dolores Keane | — | 1977 | |
| Dolores Keane | — | 1977 | |
| Frankie Gavin | — | present | original |
| Jackie Daly | — | 1983 | |
| Johnny "Ringo" McDonagh | — | present | original |
| Johnny Moynihan | — | present | |
| Maura O’Connell | — | present | |
| Tommy Fleming | — | present |
Where this record comes from
portrait—Wikimedia Commons · CC BY 2.0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:De_Dannan_%284353948644%29.jpgaliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/50fd7a70-91e2-435a-a3f9-1d0a390cf337discography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/50fd7a70-91e2-435a-a3f9-1d0a390cf337core—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1179823genre—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1179823seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Dannanbiography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Dannan
Why this artist is in the database
- List of folk musicians
Tier rule: curated genre/region list
Image: Candy Schwartz from Boston, USA · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Wikidata: Q1179823 · MusicBrainz: 50fd7a70-91e2-435a-a3f9-1d0a390cf337
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