For many Americans, March 17 is the day to cut loose and LARP Flogging Molly’s sloppy anthem “Drunken Lullabies” while chugging green beer and pretending to jig. If you’d rather protect your liver and dignity from the wrath of St. Patrick, I’d like to suggest pouring yourself a quiet pint and listening to Clannad.
Formed in County Donegal in the early ’70s, Clannad is Moya, Ciarán, and Pól Brennan and their uncles Noel Duggan and the late Pádraig Duggan. You’re probably familiar with the Brennans’ younger sister, Enya, who left the family band in her 20s to pursue a wildly successful solo career (she’s sold an estimated 80 million records worldwide). Clannad’s members grew up in one of Ireland’s Gaeltacht regions, where the predominant language is still Irish. This bilingual upbringing is reflected in the group’s traditional folk music, which weaves together English and Irish lyrics.