Altan
Encyclopedia
Altan are an Irish folk music
group. They were formed in County Donegal
in 1987 by lead vocalist Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh
and her late husband Frankie Kennedy
. They brought Donegal's rich collection of Irish language
songs and instrumental styles to audiences around the world, and they remain as the world's foremost Irish traditional group with over a million records sold. They were the first traditional group to be signed to a major label when they signed with Virgin Records
in 1996. Altan have established a large following in Ireland, UK
, Europe
, United States
, Canada
and even in Japan
. They have worked with a wide variety of world-famous musicians including Dolly Parton
, Enya
, The Chieftains
, Bonnie Raitt
and Alison Krauss
.
, as a young musician from Belfast
, used to travel to Gaoth Dobhair in his summer holidays, learning Irish
and playing traditional Irish music. There he met native Irish-speaker and musician Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh
, the daughter of famed musician Proinsias Ó Maonaigh
from Gweedore
, County Donegal. Ní Mhaonaigh learned the Donegal-style of fiddle
-playing from her father, however, Donegal music was little known outside of the county at the time. Kennedy's repertoire included a number of obscure northern flute
tunes drawn from his travels in County Tyrone
and County Fermanagh
. The pair married in 1981.
enthusiast Albert Fry. Two years later they made their first album together, Ceol Aduaidh
. This record featured a then un-known musician from Gweedore, Eithne Ní Bhraonáin, now known as Enya
. It was a collection of Gaelic songs and Ulster
jig
s and reels.
. They included bouzouki
player Ciarán Curran and guitarist
Mark Kelly.
Inspired by the success of their debut effort, Ní Mhaonaigh and Kennedy began to work on a new group of ballads and jigs from the north. The result was 1987's Altan
, which features many of the musicians who would later join the band under that same name. In the Irish language
, altan is a word that means "stream
".
In 1989, Altan released their very first album, Horse with a Heart
, a well-received album that featured the fiddle-playing of Dublin's Paul O'Shaughnessy.
In 1989, Altan released The Red Crow
, which became the first of three Altan albums to win the prestigious “Celtic/British Isles Album of the Year” award from the National Association of Independent Record Distributors and Manufactures (NAIRD).
In 1992 Dáithí Sproule
from Derry
joined, and the band released Harvest Storm
.
In the meantime, Frankie Kennedy learned in June 1992 that he had Ewing's sarcoma, a type of cancer
that attacks bone structure. He endured surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy
in an effort to cure himself while simultaneously continuing his work with Altan. Kennedy died in September 1994. After a period of mourning, the band resumed their touring as was requested by Kennedy himself before he died.
In 1993, the band released Island Angel
. Billboard
cited Island Angel as the fourth-best-selling album of world music
in 1994. In 1994, the band performed for US President Bill Clinton
at the White House
on Saint Patrick's Day
.
. The band line-up at the time was Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh (vocals, fiddle), Ciarán Tourish (fiddle), Ciarán Curran (bouzouki), Dáithí Sproule (guitar) and Dermot Byrne (accordion).
In 1996, Altan released Blackwater
, their first album on Virgin Records.
In 1997, Altan released their next album, Runaway Sunday
.
, their first album on the Narada
label.
In 2002, The Blue Idol
featured the vocals of American singer Dolly Parton
, who became close friends with the group after she invited them to play on her 2001 album Little Sparrow
. The album garnered them the award for Best Group at the BBC
Radio 2 Folk Awards.
In 2002, Altan (along with other artists signed to Green Linnet such as Cherish the Ladies
) sued for unpaid royalties. Most artists were paid and most claims were settled in 2006 as Compass Records
(who would later sign Altan) bought the company.
In 2003, they released another greatest hits compilation CD called The Best of Altan: The Songs.
In 2005, they recorded Local Ground
, their last studio album of original material to date. Like almost every other Altan offering, it was met with positive and enthusiastic reviews.
In 2007 Dáithí Sproule released his début album The Crow in the Sun
On 28 December 2008, the band's singer and fiddle player Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh released her début album, Imeall
, at Scoil Gheimridh Frankie Kennedy in Donegal.
.
In July 2009, Ní Mhaonaigh announced that Altan would also release their first DVD as the video recording of a concert on 14 August 2009 in the National Concert Hall
(NCH), Dublin, Ireland (again with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra).
To commemorate their 25th anniversary, Altan released 25th Anniversary Celebration
, a compilation album
of studio re-recordings of previous material (plus one brand new song) with the contribution of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra
. It was made available in January 2010 in Japan
(where it had its launch in December 2009 during Altan's Winter 2009 Japanese tour), in February 2010 in Ireland
& UK and in March 2010 in North America
.
After a few European dates in January, February & April 2010 and a 18-date (March to April) US tour, Altan launched their 14-date "25th Anniversary" (April to June) Irish tour on 23 April 2010 in Dublin. A 8-date UK tour took place in September 2010.
After attending the Irish Festival of Oulu
in Finland
& visiting Paris
, France
in fall 2010, Altan gave their annual New Year Irish concert in early January 2011 at the Scoil Gheimhridh Frankie Kennedy in Gaoth Dobhair, followed by a special 25th Anniversary Concert in late january 2011 at the Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland
. Altan then embarked on a 5-date French tour in early 2011.
A 12-date US tour followed in March 2011. In spring 2011 Altan toured Europe, notably visiting France in May and, for the first time, the city of Lyon
on 13 & 14 May 2011. After a 3-location US visit in August 2011, Altan participated in early September 2011 in a special Celebration concert of Fiachra Trench
at the National Concert Hall in Dublin, Ireland with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. Just one month later, in early October 2011, Altan gave a special Irish gig in Letterkenny
, County Donegal
with the Donegal Youth Orchestra and young traditional musicians from the Donegal Gaeltacht. The same month, after a 3-date visit in Belgium and Netherlands, Altan embarked on a extensive one-month german tour called "Affairs of the Heart" during which they played (almost) every day.
, Co. Donegal, Ireland
.
In March 2012, Altan is announced to perform in the US in a 6-date tour. A one-day visit in France is scheduled on 15 May 2012 in the suburbs of Lyon
, Altan's third performance in the Gallic capital in exactly a year. Altan is also announced to take part on 2 June 2012 in the Ireby
Festival, Cumbria
, UK.
, The Frankie Kennedy Winter Music School. Ni Mhaonaigh is regarded as one of the great female singers of Ireland, standing alongside the likes of Mary Black
, Moya Brennan
and Sinéad O'Connor
.
Folk music of Ireland
The folk music of Ireland is the generic term for music that has been created in various genres in Ireland.-History:...
group. They were formed in County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
in 1987 by lead vocalist Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh
Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh
Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh is an Irish fiddler and the lead vocalist for the Irish traditional band Altan.-Biography:Ní Mhaonaigh grew up in Gweedore , County Donegal, on the northwest coast of Ireland....
and her late husband Frankie Kennedy
Frankie Kennedy
Frankie Kennedy was a flute and tin whistle player born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He was also the co-founder of the band Altan, formed with his wife Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh...
. They brought Donegal's rich collection of Irish language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
songs and instrumental styles to audiences around the world, and they remain as the world's foremost Irish traditional group with over a million records sold. They were the first traditional group to be signed to a major label when they signed with Virgin Records
Virgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
in 1996. Altan have established a large following in Ireland, UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and even in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. They have worked with a wide variety of world-famous musicians including Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
, Enya
Enya
Enya is an Irish singer, instrumentalist and songwriter. Enya is an approximate transliteration of how Eithne is pronounced in the Donegal dialect of the Irish language, her native tongue.She began her musical career in 1980, when she briefly joined her family band Clannad before leaving to...
, The Chieftains
The Chieftains
The Chieftains are a Grammy-winning Irish musical group founded in 1962, best known for being one of the first bands to make Irish traditional music popular around the world.-Name:...
, Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Raitt
Bonnie Lynn Raitt is an American blues singer-songwriter and a renowned slide guitar player. During the 1970s, Raitt released a series of acclaimed roots-influenced albums which incorporated elements of blues, rock, folk and country, but she is perhaps best known for her more commercially...
and Alison Krauss
Alison Krauss
Alison Maria Krauss is an American bluegrass-country singer, songwriter and fiddler. She entered the music industry at an early age, winning local contests by the age of ten and recording for the first time at fourteen. She signed with Rounder Records in 1985 and released her first solo album in...
.
Origin
Frankie KennedyFrankie Kennedy
Frankie Kennedy was a flute and tin whistle player born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He was also the co-founder of the band Altan, formed with his wife Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh...
, as a young musician from Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, used to travel to Gaoth Dobhair in his summer holidays, learning Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
and playing traditional Irish music. There he met native Irish-speaker and musician Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh
Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh
Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh is an Irish fiddler and the lead vocalist for the Irish traditional band Altan.-Biography:Ní Mhaonaigh grew up in Gweedore , County Donegal, on the northwest coast of Ireland....
, the daughter of famed musician Proinsias Ó Maonaigh
Proinsias Ó Maonaigh
Proinsias Ó Maonaigh or Francie Mooney was a fiddler from Gweedore , County Donegal, Ireland. He is known for his distinguished fiddle playing and his unique and vast contribution to Irish music and culture....
from Gweedore
Gweedore
Gweedore is an Irish-speaking district located on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. Gweedore stretches some 16 miles from Meenaclady in the north to Crolly in the south and around 9 miles from Dunlewey in the east to Magheraclogher in the west, and...
, County Donegal. Ní Mhaonaigh learned the Donegal-style of fiddle
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
-playing from her father, however, Donegal music was little known outside of the county at the time. Kennedy's repertoire included a number of obscure northern flute
Flute
The flute is a musical instrument of the woodwind family. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening...
tunes drawn from his travels in County Tyrone
County Tyrone
Historically Tyrone stretched as far north as Lough Foyle, and comprised part of modern day County Londonderry east of the River Foyle. The majority of County Londonderry was carved out of Tyrone between 1610-1620 when that land went to the Guilds of London to set up profit making schemes based on...
and County Fermanagh
County Fermanagh
Fermanagh District Council is the only one of the 26 district councils in Northern Ireland that contains all of the county it is named after. The district council also contains a small section of County Tyrone in the Dromore and Kilskeery road areas....
. The pair married in 1981.
Pre-Altan years
Ní Mhaonaigh and Kennedy featured on the first three albums of the well-known Belfast singer and Irish languageIrish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
enthusiast Albert Fry. Two years later they made their first album together, Ceol Aduaidh
Ceol Aduaidh
Ceol Aduaidh is the first album by Frankie Kennedy and Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh , originally released in 1983 on the Gael-Linn Records label . It was reissued in 1994 by Green Linnet Records and in 2009 by Gael-Linn...
. This record featured a then un-known musician from Gweedore, Eithne Ní Bhraonáin, now known as Enya
Enya
Enya is an Irish singer, instrumentalist and songwriter. Enya is an approximate transliteration of how Eithne is pronounced in the Donegal dialect of the Irish language, her native tongue.She began her musical career in 1980, when she briefly joined her family band Clannad before leaving to...
. It was a collection of Gaelic songs and Ulster
Ulster
Ulster is one of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the north of the island. In ancient Ireland, it was one of the fifths ruled by a "king of over-kings" . Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into a number of counties for administrative and judicial...
jig
Jig
The Jig is a form of lively folk dance, as well as the accompanying dance tune, originating in England in the 16th century and today most associated with Irish dance music and Scottish country dance music...
s and reels.
1987-1994: Green Linnet Records
In 1987, they decided to form a band, Altan, named after a lake in Gweedore, Co. Donegal which sits in the shadow of Mount ErrigalMount Errigal
Mount Errigal, or simply Errigal is a mountain near Gweedore in County Donegal, Republic of Ireland. It is the tallest peak of the Derryveagh Mountains, the tallest peak in County Donegal, and the 76th tallest peak in Ireland. Errigal is also the most southern, steepest and highest of the...
. They included bouzouki
Bouzouki
The bouzouki , is a musical instrument with Greek origin in the lute family. A mainstay of modern Greek music, the front of the body is flat and is usually heavily inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The instrument is played with a plectrum and has a sharp metallic sound, reminiscent of a mandolin but...
player Ciarán Curran and guitarist
Guitarist
A guitarist is a musician who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themselves on the guitar while singing.- Versatility :The guitarist controls an extremely...
Mark Kelly.
Inspired by the success of their debut effort, Ní Mhaonaigh and Kennedy began to work on a new group of ballads and jigs from the north. The result was 1987's Altan
Altan (album)
Altan is the second album by Frankie Kennedy and Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh , originally released in 1987 by Green Linnet Records. The musicians appearing on this album are substantially those that became the early incarnation of the band Altan...
, which features many of the musicians who would later join the band under that same name. In the Irish language
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...
, altan is a word that means "stream
Stream
A stream is a body of water with a current, confined within a bed and stream banks. Depending on its locale or certain characteristics, a stream may be referred to as a branch, brook, beck, burn, creek, "crick", gill , kill, lick, rill, river, syke, bayou, rivulet, streamage, wash, run or...
".
In 1989, Altan released their very first album, Horse with a Heart
Horse with a Heart
Horse with a Heart is the first studio album by Altan, released in 1989 on the Green Linnet Records label.-Track listing:All titles arranged by Altan.# "The Curlew/McDermott's/Three Scones of Boxty/Unnamed Reel" – 4:11# "The Lass of Glenshee" – 4:38...
, a well-received album that featured the fiddle-playing of Dublin's Paul O'Shaughnessy.
In 1989, Altan released The Red Crow
The Red Crow
The Red Crow is the second studio album by Altan, released in 1990 on the Green Linnet Records label. The title track, written by Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh also features on her 2008 début album, Imeall.-Track listing:All titles are arranged by Altan....
, which became the first of three Altan albums to win the prestigious “Celtic/British Isles Album of the Year” award from the National Association of Independent Record Distributors and Manufactures (NAIRD).
In 1992 Dáithí Sproule
Dáithí Sproule
Dáithí Sproule is a guitarist and singer of traditional Irish music from Derry, Northern Ireland. His niece is the singer songwriter Claire Sproule.-Biography:...
from Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
joined, and the band released Harvest Storm
Harvest Storm
Harvest Storm is the third studio album by Altan, released in 1992 on the Green Linnet label.-Track listing:All titles arranged by Altan.# "Pretty Peg/New Ships A-Sailing/The Bird's Nest/The Man From Bundoran" – 3:37...
.
In the meantime, Frankie Kennedy learned in June 1992 that he had Ewing's sarcoma, a type of cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
that attacks bone structure. He endured surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy
Chemotherapy
Chemotherapy is the treatment of cancer with an antineoplastic drug or with a combination of such drugs into a standardized treatment regimen....
in an effort to cure himself while simultaneously continuing his work with Altan. Kennedy died in September 1994. After a period of mourning, the band resumed their touring as was requested by Kennedy himself before he died.
In 1993, the band released Island Angel
Island Angel
Island Angel is the fourth studio album by Altan, released in 1993 on the Green Linnet label.-Track listing:All arrangements are by Altan.# "Tommy Peoples/The Windmill/Fintan McManus's" – 3:14# "Bríd Óg Ní Mháille" – 5:00...
. Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
cited Island Angel as the fourth-best-selling album of world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
in 1994. In 1994, the band performed for US President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
at the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
on Saint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day
Saint Patrick's Day is a religious holiday celebrated internationally on 17 March. It commemorates Saint Patrick , the most commonly recognised of the patron saints of :Ireland, and the arrival of Christianity in Ireland. It is observed by the Catholic Church, the Anglican Communion , the Eastern...
.
1994-2000: Virgin Records
After the release of their first greatest-hits package in 1995, entitled The First Ten Years, they were signed by Virgin RecordsVirgin Records
Virgin Records is a British record label founded by English entrepreneur Richard Branson, Simon Draper, and Nik Powell in 1972. The company grew to be a worldwide music phenomenon, with platinum performers such as Roy Orbison, Devo, Genesis, Keith Richards, Janet Jackson, Culture Club, Lenny...
. The band line-up at the time was Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh (vocals, fiddle), Ciarán Tourish (fiddle), Ciarán Curran (bouzouki), Dáithí Sproule (guitar) and Dermot Byrne (accordion).
In 1996, Altan released Blackwater
Blackwater (Altan album)
Blackwater is the fifth studio album by Altan, released in 1996 on the Virgin Records label. Three of the songs are sung in Irish. "Ar Bhruach Na Carraige Baine" is sung partly in English and in Irish. "Blackwaterside" is sung in English...
, their first album on Virgin Records.
In 1997, Altan released their next album, Runaway Sunday
Runaway Sunday
Runaway Sunday is the sixth studio album by Altan, released in 1997 on the Virgin Records label.-Track listing:All titles arranged by Altan.# "Súil Ghorm" – 2:45# "John Doherty's Reels" – 2:35# "Caidé Sin Don Té Sin?" – 3:13# "Germans" – 3:13...
.
2000-2005: Narada Productions
In 2000, the group released Another SkyAnother Sky
Another Sky is the seventh studio album by Irish traditional band Altan. It was released in 2000 on the Narada Productions label.The title derives from a line in Steve Cooney's song "Island Girl", which Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh sings on the album with Cooney himself as accompanist. This album is a...
, their first album on the Narada
Narada Productions
Narada is a record label formed 1983 as an independent New Age music label and distributed by MCA Records. Now a fully owned subsidiary of EMI, Narada evolved through an expansion of formats to include music from other styles including world music, jazz, Celtic music, new flamenco, acoustic guitar...
label.
In 2002, The Blue Idol
The Blue Idol
The Blue Idol is the eighth studio album by Irish traditional band Altan. It was released in 2002 on the Narada label and was mixed and engineered by nine-time Grammy Award-winner Gary Paczosa....
featured the vocals of American singer Dolly Parton
Dolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
, who became close friends with the group after she invited them to play on her 2001 album Little Sparrow
Little Sparrow
-Chart performance:-External links:*...
. The album garnered them the award for Best Group at the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
Radio 2 Folk Awards.
In 2002, Altan (along with other artists signed to Green Linnet such as Cherish the Ladies
Cherish the Ladies
Cherish the Ladies is an American all-female Irish-American super group. The band began as a concert series in New York in January 1985, the brainchild of Mick Moloney who wanted to showcase the brightest female musicians in America in what had been a male-dominated scene...
) sued for unpaid royalties. Most artists were paid and most claims were settled in 2006 as Compass Records
Compass Records
Compass Records is a Nashville-based independent record label founded in 1995 by musicians Garry West and Alison Brown. Currently home to nearly 100 folk, bluegrass, Celtic, jazz, and new acoustic artists, the label releases about 20 records a year...
(who would later sign Altan) bought the company.
In 2003, they released another greatest hits compilation CD called The Best of Altan: The Songs.
In 2005, they recorded Local Ground
Local Ground
Local Ground is the ninth studio album by Altan. It was released in 2005 on the Narada label.-Track listing:# "Éirigh's Cuir Ort Do Chuid Éadaigh " – 3:18...
, their last studio album of original material to date. Like almost every other Altan offering, it was met with positive and enthusiastic reviews.
2005-2009: Recording hiatus & solo projects
In 2005 Ciarán Tourish released his début album Down The LineIn 2007 Dáithí Sproule released his début album The Crow in the Sun
On 28 December 2008, the band's singer and fiddle player Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh released her début album, Imeall
Imeall
- Personnel :*Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh - vocals, Irish fiddle, Hardanger fiddle*Manus Lunny - bouzouki, programming, vocals, guitar*Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill - piano*Dónal Lunny - bodhrán*Michael McGoldrick - flute, uileann Pipes*Jim Higgins - percussion, bodhrán...
, at Scoil Gheimridh Frankie Kennedy in Donegal.
2009-2011: Celebrating the 25th anniversary
On 27 April 2009, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh announced that the band would be going into the studio at the beginning of May 2009 to record a new Altan album with the RTÉ Concert OrchestraRTÉ Concert Orchestra
The RTÉ Concert Orchestra is one of the two full time professional orchestras in Ireland that are part of RTÉ, the national broadcasting station. Since its formation as the Radio Éireann Light Orchestra in 1948, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, has grown from a small studio-based recording group to...
.
In July 2009, Ní Mhaonaigh announced that Altan would also release their first DVD as the video recording of a concert on 14 August 2009 in the National Concert Hall
National Concert Hall
The National Concert Hall is a concert hall located on Earlsfort Terrace in Dublin, Ireland, close to St. Stephen's Green, and is the principal national venue for classical music concerts in Ireland....
(NCH), Dublin, Ireland (again with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra).
To commemorate their 25th anniversary, Altan released 25th Anniversary Celebration
25th Anniversary Celebration
25th Anniversary Celebration is a studio album by Irish music group Altan recorded in RTÉ studios, Dublin, Ireland with the contribution of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra....
, a compilation album
Compilation album
A compilation album is an album featuring tracks from one or more performers, often culled from a variety of sources The tracks are usually collected according to a common characteristic, such as popularity, genre, source or subject matter...
of studio re-recordings of previous material (plus one brand new song) with the contribution of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra
RTÉ Concert Orchestra
The RTÉ Concert Orchestra is one of the two full time professional orchestras in Ireland that are part of RTÉ, the national broadcasting station. Since its formation as the Radio Éireann Light Orchestra in 1948, the RTÉ Concert Orchestra, has grown from a small studio-based recording group to...
. It was made available in January 2010 in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
(where it had its launch in December 2009 during Altan's Winter 2009 Japanese tour), in February 2010 in Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
& UK and in March 2010 in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
.
After a few European dates in January, February & April 2010 and a 18-date (March to April) US tour, Altan launched their 14-date "25th Anniversary" (April to June) Irish tour on 23 April 2010 in Dublin. A 8-date UK tour took place in September 2010.
After attending the Irish Festival of Oulu
The Irish Festival of Oulu
The City of Oulu, Finland, the northern frontier of Irish music, is the proud host of the annual Irish Festival of Oulu, which was first held in 2006. The festival brings the hooley to Oulu with world class bands and Irish culture. The event took place for the fifth time from September 30 to...
in Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
& visiting Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in fall 2010, Altan gave their annual New Year Irish concert in early January 2011 at the Scoil Gheimhridh Frankie Kennedy in Gaoth Dobhair, followed by a special 25th Anniversary Concert in late january 2011 at the Christ Church Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. Altan then embarked on a 5-date French tour in early 2011.
A 12-date US tour followed in March 2011. In spring 2011 Altan toured Europe, notably visiting France in May and, for the first time, the city of Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
on 13 & 14 May 2011. After a 3-location US visit in August 2011, Altan participated in early September 2011 in a special Celebration concert of Fiachra Trench
Fiachra Trench
Fiachra Terence Wilbrah Trench is a musician and composer from Drogheda, County Louth in Ireland....
at the National Concert Hall in Dublin, Ireland with the RTÉ Concert Orchestra. Just one month later, in early October 2011, Altan gave a special Irish gig in Letterkenny
Letterkenny
Letterkenny , with a population of 17,568, is the largest town in County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. The town is located on the River Swilly...
, County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...
with the Donegal Youth Orchestra and young traditional musicians from the Donegal Gaeltacht. The same month, after a 3-date visit in Belgium and Netherlands, Altan embarked on a extensive one-month german tour called "Affairs of the Heart" during which they played (almost) every day.
2012: Gleann Nimhe, the long-awaited new studio album
After celebrating the launch of the 18th Frankie Kennedy Winter School programme on 29 November 2011 by performing a show to take place during the Liffey Banks Sessions at The Grand Social, Dublin, Ireland, Altan will celebrate the new year as well as the release of their new studio album Gleann Nimhe on the occasion of their performance on January 1, 2012 at Scoil Gheimhridh Frankie Kennedy, Ionad Cois Locha, Dun Luiche, GweedoreGweedore
Gweedore is an Irish-speaking district located on the Atlantic coast of County Donegal, part of the Province of Ulster in Ireland. Gweedore stretches some 16 miles from Meenaclady in the north to Crolly in the south and around 9 miles from Dunlewey in the east to Magheraclogher in the west, and...
, Co. Donegal, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
.
In March 2012, Altan is announced to perform in the US in a 6-date tour. A one-day visit in France is scheduled on 15 May 2012 in the suburbs of Lyon
Lyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, Altan's third performance in the Gallic capital in exactly a year. Altan is also announced to take part on 2 June 2012 in the Ireby
Ireby, Cumbria
Ireby is a village in Cumbria, England, with a population of over 300.Ireby forms part of the civil parish of Ireby and Uldale; for local government purposes it is in the ward of Boltons, under the authority of Allerdale borough council. Historically it was in the county of Cumberland – since...
Festival, Cumbria
Cumbria
Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...
, UK.
Legacy
A winter school of music is now held in Gweedore, County Donegal each year in honour of co-founder Frankie KennedyFrankie Kennedy
Frankie Kennedy was a flute and tin whistle player born in Belfast, Northern Ireland. He was also the co-founder of the band Altan, formed with his wife Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh...
, The Frankie Kennedy Winter Music School. Ni Mhaonaigh is regarded as one of the great female singers of Ireland, standing alongside the likes of Mary Black
Mary Black
Mary Black is an Irish singer. She is well known as an interpreter of both folk and contemporary material which has made her a major recording artist in her native Ireland, and in many other parts of the world....
, Moya Brennan
Moya Brennan
Moya Brennan, born Máire Ní Bhraonáin , also known as Máire Brennan , is an Irish folk singer, songwriter, harpist, and philanthropist who began performing professionally in 1970, when her family formed the band Clannad, and is now widely considered as the "First Lady of Celtic Music"...
and Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad O'Connor
Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor is an Irish singer-songwriter. She rose to fame in the late 1980s with her debut album The Lion and the Cobra and achieved worldwide success in 1990 with a cover of the song "Nothing Compares 2 U"....
.
Frankie Kennedy and Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh albums
- Ceol AduaidhCeol AduaidhCeol Aduaidh is the first album by Frankie Kennedy and Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh , originally released in 1983 on the Gael-Linn Records label . It was reissued in 1994 by Green Linnet Records and in 2009 by Gael-Linn...
(Music of the North) (1983) - AltanAltan (album)Altan is the second album by Frankie Kennedy and Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh , originally released in 1987 by Green Linnet Records. The musicians appearing on this album are substantially those that became the early incarnation of the band Altan...
(1987)
Altan studio albums
- Horse with a HeartHorse with a HeartHorse with a Heart is the first studio album by Altan, released in 1989 on the Green Linnet Records label.-Track listing:All titles arranged by Altan.# "The Curlew/McDermott's/Three Scones of Boxty/Unnamed Reel" – 4:11# "The Lass of Glenshee" – 4:38...
(1989) - The Red CrowThe Red CrowThe Red Crow is the second studio album by Altan, released in 1990 on the Green Linnet Records label. The title track, written by Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh also features on her 2008 début album, Imeall.-Track listing:All titles are arranged by Altan....
(1990) - Harvest StormHarvest StormHarvest Storm is the third studio album by Altan, released in 1992 on the Green Linnet label.-Track listing:All titles arranged by Altan.# "Pretty Peg/New Ships A-Sailing/The Bird's Nest/The Man From Bundoran" – 3:37...
(1992) - Island AngelIsland AngelIsland Angel is the fourth studio album by Altan, released in 1993 on the Green Linnet label.-Track listing:All arrangements are by Altan.# "Tommy Peoples/The Windmill/Fintan McManus's" – 3:14# "Bríd Óg Ní Mháille" – 5:00...
(1993) - BlackwaterBlackwater (Altan album)Blackwater is the fifth studio album by Altan, released in 1996 on the Virgin Records label. Three of the songs are sung in Irish. "Ar Bhruach Na Carraige Baine" is sung partly in English and in Irish. "Blackwaterside" is sung in English...
(1996) - Runaway SundayRunaway SundayRunaway Sunday is the sixth studio album by Altan, released in 1997 on the Virgin Records label.-Track listing:All titles arranged by Altan.# "Súil Ghorm" – 2:45# "John Doherty's Reels" – 2:35# "Caidé Sin Don Té Sin?" – 3:13# "Germans" – 3:13...
(1997) - Another SkyAnother SkyAnother Sky is the seventh studio album by Irish traditional band Altan. It was released in 2000 on the Narada Productions label.The title derives from a line in Steve Cooney's song "Island Girl", which Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh sings on the album with Cooney himself as accompanist. This album is a...
(2000) - The Blue IdolThe Blue IdolThe Blue Idol is the eighth studio album by Irish traditional band Altan. It was released in 2002 on the Narada label and was mixed and engineered by nine-time Grammy Award-winner Gary Paczosa....
(2002) - Local GroundLocal GroundLocal Ground is the ninth studio album by Altan. It was released in 2005 on the Narada label.-Track listing:# "Éirigh's Cuir Ort Do Chuid Éadaigh " – 3:18...
(2005) - 25th Anniversary Celebration25th Anniversary Celebration25th Anniversary Celebration is a studio album by Irish music group Altan recorded in RTÉ studios, Dublin, Ireland with the contribution of the RTÉ Concert Orchestra....
(2010) (a compilation of studio re-recordings of previous material (plus one new song) with orchestral arrangements) - Gleann Nimhe (2012) (the long-awaited new studio album ; the recording ended in late November 2011)
Altan compilations
- The First Ten Years (1986–1995) (1995) a Green Linnet 1-CD compilation
- The Best Of Altan (1997) a Green Linnet 2-CD compilation (the 2nd CD is a 31-min Bonus CD of a live performance on January 15, 1989 at Museum Bochum, Bochum, Germany; this is the only live recording available from the band to date)
- Altan's Finest (2000) a Erin/Valley Entertainment 1-CD compilation of the Green Linnet years
- Once Again 1987-93 (2000) a Recall Records UK 2-CD compilation of the Green Linnet years
- The Best of Altan: The Songs (2003) a Virgin Records compilation of songs from the Virgin and Narada albums: five songs from Another SkyAnother SkyAnother Sky is the seventh studio album by Irish traditional band Altan. It was released in 2000 on the Narada Productions label.The title derives from a line in Steve Cooney's song "Island Girl", which Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh sings on the album with Cooney himself as accompanist. This album is a...
, four from Runaway SundayRunaway SundayRunaway Sunday is the sixth studio album by Altan, released in 1997 on the Virgin Records label.-Track listing:All titles arranged by Altan.# "Súil Ghorm" – 2:45# "John Doherty's Reels" – 2:35# "Caidé Sin Don Té Sin?" – 3:13# "Germans" – 3:13...
, three from BlackwaterBlackwater (Altan album)Blackwater is the fifth studio album by Altan, released in 1996 on the Virgin Records label. Three of the songs are sung in Irish. "Ar Bhruach Na Carraige Baine" is sung partly in English and in Irish. "Blackwaterside" is sung in English...
, and two from The Blue IdolThe Blue IdolThe Blue Idol is the eighth studio album by Irish traditional band Altan. It was released in 2002 on the Narada label and was mixed and engineered by nine-time Grammy Award-winner Gary Paczosa....
Solo albums
Although the band members record solo albums, various Altan members sometimes appear as guests.- Mairéad Ní MhaonaighMairéad Ní MhaonaighMairéad Ní Mhaonaigh is an Irish fiddler and the lead vocalist for the Irish traditional band Altan.-Biography:Ní Mhaonaigh grew up in Gweedore , County Donegal, on the northwest coast of Ireland....
- ImeallImeall- Personnel :*Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh - vocals, Irish fiddle, Hardanger fiddle*Manus Lunny - bouzouki, programming, vocals, guitar*Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill - piano*Dónal Lunny - bodhrán*Michael McGoldrick - flute, uileann Pipes*Jim Higgins - percussion, bodhrán...
(2008) - Dáithí SprouleDáithí SprouleDáithí Sproule is a guitarist and singer of traditional Irish music from Derry, Northern Ireland. His niece is the singer songwriter Claire Sproule.-Biography:...
- A Heart Made of Glass (1995) - Dáithí SprouleDáithí SprouleDáithí Sproule is a guitarist and singer of traditional Irish music from Derry, Northern Ireland. His niece is the singer songwriter Claire Sproule.-Biography:...
- The Crow in the Sun (2007) - Dáithí SprouleDáithí SprouleDáithí Sproule is a guitarist and singer of traditional Irish music from Derry, Northern Ireland. His niece is the singer songwriter Claire Sproule.-Biography:...
- Lost River, Vol. 1 (August 15, 2011) - Ciarán Tourish - Down The Line (2005)