Lúnasa

Biography

Lúnasa is a traditional Irish music group, named after Lughnasadh, an ancient harvest festival. They tour and perform internationally, and have recorded a number of albums of both traditional and contemporary Irish instrumental music.

History

Lúnasa was founded in 1997 when Sean Smyth, John McSherry and Steve Cooney teamed up to tour Smyth's solo album, The Blue Fiddle. They called in Mike McGoldrick, a friend of McSherry's, and toured as a four-piece. As the band was taking off, Cooney bowed out.
In the meantime, Smyth was touring in Scandinavia with the rhythmical duo Donogh Hennessy and Trevor Hutchinson, and recruited them to join the band. Calling themselves Lúnasa, they began performing and touring; the first album, Lúnasa, was recorded while the group was on tour in 1998 and released to critical acclaim.
McGoldrick and McSherry were becoming increasingly busy with other projects and left the band. Kevin Crawford then joined the band and various other pipers stepped in for McSherry. McSherry and McGoldrick were again called upon to record the second album, Otherworld×Otherworld12 October 1999 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Goodbye Miss Goodavich / Rosie’s Reel2:362The Floating Crowbar / McGlinchey’s / The Almost Reel4:443The Butlers of Glen Avenue / Sliabh Russell / Cathal McConnell’s4:074January Snows / Laura Lynn Cunningham4:325The Miller of Drohan3:046Dr. Gilbert / Devils of Dublin / Black Pat’s4:097Autumn Child / Heaton Chapel4:518Stolen Apples2:379Taylor Bar, 4am / Ceol na Mara3:0710Lafferty’s / Crock of Gold / Lady Birr / Abbey Reel4:5411O’Carolan’s Welcome / Rolling in the Barrel3:49. It was after this album that piper Cillian Vallely joined the band.
In 1999, the group signed a three-year contract with Green Linnet Records, and that October released their second album, Otherworld. In December 2000, they appeared on A Thistle and Shamrock Christmas Ceilidh. In 2002, their highly acclaimed album The Merry Sisters of Fate×The Merry Sisters of Fate5 June 2001 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Aoibhneas4:232Donogh and mike’s3:523Killarney boys of pleasure4:074The merry sisters of fate2:565Iníon ní scannláin2:476Casu4:187Páistín fionn3:528The minor bee4:479Scully’s4:1310Return from fingal3:1711Morning nightcap4:56 was released; this was followed by 2003's Redwood, which was released late due to a feud with the label. Ultimately the band terminated their contract.
In 2004, Lúnasa signed up with Compass Records and recorded The Kinnitty Sessions before a live audience in Kinnitty Castle, County Offaly. That same year, Donogh Hennessy left the group, being replaced by Tim Edey and Paul Meehan who each played half the tracks on the album Sé. Tim Edey left shortly after, and Paul Meehan became the band's guitarist.
In 2008, the band released a compilation album, Lúnasa: The Story So Far, with representative recordings from the band's first eleven years.
Released in April 2010, the band's following album, Lá Nua×Lá Nua2010 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Ryestraw: The New Day March / Ryestraw / An Old Woman Would5:272The Raven's Rock: The Raven's Rock / Ruby's Reel / The Beehive5:543Tro Breizh: Tadin-Tinaketa / March des Charbonniers / Ridées Six Temps4:104Fruitmarket Reels: Joe Tom's / Supernose / Buntata's Sgadán4:205Doc Holliday's: East Village Days / Timmy's Place / Doc Holliday's4:446Unapproved Road: Brady's / Connacht Heifers4:207Island Lake: Tune for Dad / The Island Lake4:568Snowball: Ciara's Dance / Burning Snowball / Road to Reel4:549Pontevedra to Carcarosa: Marcha Processional du corpus de Pontevedra / Pasacorredoires 'de Mustad a Millares' / Muńiera Carcarosa5:5110The Shore House: Inverness Country Reel / The Beauty Spot / The Shore House Reel3:19, was the first release on the band's own record label, Lúnasa Records. That same month, the band also performed on the Natalie Merchant album Leave Your Sleep. Meehan left the group in late 2011 and was replaced by Ed Boyd.
In 2018, the band released the album CAS which features guest vocalists Natalie Merchant, Daoirí Farrell, Tim O'Brien, Eric Bibb, and Mary Chapin Carpenter.
The group has toured and performed in the Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia.

Current members

Seán Smyth – Fiddle, whistles
Kevin Crawford – Flutes, whistles
Trevor Hutchinson – Double bass
Cillian Vallely – Uilleann pipes, whistles
Ed Boyd – Guitar
Colin Farrell – Fiddle, whistles
Patrick Doocey – Guitar

Former members

Tim Edey – guitar
Donogh Hennessy – guitar
Michael McGoldrick – Uilleann pipes, flute, whistle
John McSherry – Uilleann pipes
Paul Meehan – Guitar, bouzouki, mandolin

Studio albums

Lúnasa (1998)
Otherworld (1999)
The Merry Sisters of Fate (2001)
Redwood (2003)
The Kinnitty Sessions (2004)
Sé (2006)
Lá Nua (2010)
CAS (2018)

Live albums

Lúnasa with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra (2013)
Live in Kyoto (2024)

Compilation albums

The Rough Guide to Irish Music (1996)
The Story So Far... (2008)
The Leitrim Equation featuring Lúnasa (2009) (features Lúnasa and other Irish musicians)