Tony Cummings writes about the singer/harpist who moved from fronting Clannad to recording Christian music classics, MOYA BRENNAN

Moya Brennan

Moya Brennan's death at age 73 on 13th April at Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal brings a close to the creative life of a singer and harpist who has been called "the First Lady of Celtic music". In the mainstream her work as lead singer with the family band Clannad produced some of the most haunting music ever to make the British pop charts and hits like "Theme From Harry's Game" and "Robin" (theme to TV drama Robin Of Sherwood) will be enjoyed by a mass audience for decades to come. But more important creatively and spiritually were her classic solo albums 'Perfect Time' (1998) and 'Whisper To The Wild Water' (1999) which impacted the worldwide Christian community reminding them that occasionally Roman Catholic believers like Franciscan Friar John Michael Talbert and worship leader Matt Maher could make music that would feed Christians whatever their denominational allegiance.

Maire Philomena Ni Braonain (later known as Maire Brennan and still later Moya Brennan) was born on 4th August 1952 in Dublin, the eldest of nine children. It was a musical family: the siblings would sing to packed crowds in the family's pub and Brennan pursued her musical education at the Royal Irish Academy of Music in Dublin. Clannad was formed by Brennan, her brothers Pol and Ciaran along with their mother's twin brothers Noel and Padraig O Dugain. Having been raised on a combination of traditional folk melody and the pop harmonies of acts such as the Beach Boys, they made their live debut at the Slogadh Youth Festival in 1970 and won the festival's prize, which included a record contract with Polydor Records that the band members were too young to sign.

Clannad's following grew steadily and their seventh album 'Magical Ring', with its strong new age influences in its lyrics it produced a major hit single - used in a popular TV drama about The Troubles - "Theme From Harry's Game" made number five in the UK pop charts. It remains the only hit single in the UK ever to be sung entirely in the Irish language. Its success led to them soundtracking the 1984 TV series Robin of Sherwood which earned them a BAFTA.

Clannad's lineup would shift over the decades: Moya's sister Eithne Ni Braonain sang with the group in the early '80s before leaving to pursue a monumentally successful solo career as Enya. Moya's and Enya's combined careers made them Ireland's most commercially popular musical family. The later years with TV, film, concert and recording success began to have a detrimental effect on Moya. She started abusing alcohol, cannabis and cocaine. Years later she said on America's Tommy Tiernan Show, "everything was out there and you weren't warned of everything that was out there as far as drugs and rock 'n roll, whatever. " Then in 1985 she had an 18-month marriage to fellow musician Pat Farrell. In 1987 she experienced a miscarriage and had a brief relationship with Adam Clayton of U2. But later that year she "found God", as her obituary in The Guardian newspaper put it.

Moya met British photographer Tim Jarvis, also a believer, whom she married in 1990, an event that she said curtailed her drug use for good. She had begun her solo recording career with the acclaimed album 'Maire' in 1992 and then her second album 'Misty Eyed Adventures' in 1994. But it was only after her spiritual rebirth that she reached her creative zenith. 'Perfect Time', released by Word Records in 1998, is a milestone album. Cross Rhythms reviewer Mike Rimmer wrote about the album, "Sung in Gaelic and English, 'Perfect Time' explores issues of faith and pays tribute to the richness of the Celtic Christian tradition, a unifying Irish history that both Catholics and Protestants share. This thought is explored in 'Heal This Land' where Moya's not afraid to tackle hard issues and point to the one who can bring healing. 'Song Of David' is a Celtic version of Psalm 67 and 'Doon Well' is a brilliant instrumental demonstrating Moya's fine Celtic harp playing. 'The Light On The Hill' is a tribute to St Patrick.. Overall this is a delightful album, the sound washes over you like healing water and the lyrics lift the spirit."

The follow up release 'Whisper To The Wild Water' is equally fine. Cross Rhythms wrote, "The opening track 'Follow The Word', with its deft interjections of Irish reel, still retains all that ethereal cushion of introspection that has become Maire's (and indeed sister Enya's) trademark, is to my ears the finest thing either Maire or Clannad have ever recorded. After such a dazzling opener, one might have wondered if such delights could be sustained throughout. They are. 'Where I Stand' is an exquisite ballad, 'Hard To Break The Seal' has an infectious undulating rhythm while her . version of 'Be Thou My Vision' using the Gaelic words of her late grandfather Hugh Duggan is breathtakingly lovely, and shows that, despite the seeming dozens of versions of the hymn since the Celtic revival took hold, there is still room for Maire's rendition. Even the questionable tactic of getting her son to speak some Gaelic words (based on Francis Of Assisi's "Make Me An Instrument" prayer) works. In an age of urban bustle and technological overkill, this most gifted singer/songwriter continues to give us material shining with a peace-filled spirit."

Moya also became known for her philanthropy, working with Christian Blind Mission Ireland in countries including the DRC, Rwanda, Brazil and Tanzania. She also worked to benefit those affected by drug and alcohol dependency. In 2002 she started officially using the name Moya Brennan and in 2009 changed her name by deed poll. Over the years she had the opportunity to collaborate with many music luminaries including Bono, Michael McDonald, Shane MacGowan, Robert Plant, Bruce Hornsby, the Doobie Brothers and Ronan Keating.

In her later years Brennan contracted pulmonary fibrosis and faced the possibility of a double lung transplant. A statement from her family said she died peacefully in the company of loved ones in her native County Donegal. The world will remember the haunting music Moya contributed to the feature film Titanic or Clannad's hit songs or her collaboration with Bono. But Christians around the world will remember Maire/Moya Brennan for some of the most beautiful and inspiring Christian music ever recorded.