Explore UCD

UCD Home >

Musician in Residence Dónal Lunny honoured with lifetime achievement award at Irish Folk Awards

27 February 2025

UCD Musician in Residence Dónal Lunny has been honoured with the prestigious lifetime achievement award at the annual RTE Irish Folk Awards.

A hugely influential figure for decades in Irish folk and traditional music, the renowned musician and composer said he was privileged to receive the recognition for “a lifetime making music”.

"It's only when I look back at my career that I see the road I have travelled and the wonderful friends I have made through this community and getting this award means so much to me - the recognition of a lifetime making music,” (opens in a new window)he told RTÉ News.

Lunny joins a distinguished list of Lifetime Achievement recipients that includes Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill (2024), Mary Black (2022), Christy Moore (2021), Steve Cooney (2020), Moya Brennan (2019) and Andy Irvine (2018).

The Offaly native was one of three Artists-in-Residences announced to be joining the Creative Futures Academy at University College Dublin in 2021.

Based in the UCD School of Irish, Folklore and Celtic Studies, the 77-year-old provides workshops to students and advises on module and programme development.

On the announcement of his residency, he said: “The last time I was in Belfield was many years ago, performing in the legendary Theatre L. I feel honoured to have been asked to be Artist-In-Residence in UCD.”

A €10m collaborative HEA project between UCD, IADT and NCAD and a range of industry partners, including RTÉ and the Arts Council, the CFA is dedicated to developing Ireland’s next generation of writers, artists, filmmakers, producers, musicians, and designers. 

Among the Artists-in-Residence that will teach alongside Lunny are Jenny Jennings (Artistic Director in Residence), Mark O'Halloran (Screenwriter in Residence), and Dr Peter Moran (Composer in Residence).

A founder member of seminal bands Planxty, the Bothy Band, Moving Hearts, Emmet Spiceland and Coolfin, Lunny has long been a driving force behind the popularity of Irish folk and traditional music, collaborating with several generations of musicians.

in Irish music. he co-founded Mulligan Records and produced 17 albums for the label, among them all the Bothy Band albums, the early Frank Harte albums, and albums by Andy Irvine and Paul Brady.

He produced the internationally-acclaimed “Common Ground” album for EMI, featuring such artists as Elvis Costello, Bono, and Neil and Tim Finn, and has also collaborated on albums with Clannad, Kate Bush, Mark Knopfler, and Baaba Maal, among others.

He continues his work in studio production, while also composing music for theatre, television and film.

The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented annually by the Executive Steering Committee of the RTÉ Radio 1 Folk Awards to a living artist who has made a significant contribution to Irish folk music over many years.

"With the change between The Raggle Taggle Gypsy and Tabhair dom do Lámh on the Prosperous album and the opening chords of the Kesh Jig on the first Bothy Band recording, Dónal Lunny announced and was central to a shift of gear in Irish music. He defined much of the music of a generation at a time when traditional music was not mainstream and was almost subversive,” said Peter Woods, Head of RTÉ Radio 1 and Member of the 2025 Folk Awards Steering Committee.

"His contribution to that music through Planxty, to Moving Hearts, Mozaik and of course the Bothies and beyond, sits alongside a career as a producer and collaborator across genres and as a true innovator. Dónal has done this without losing sight of the integrity of the music. What he has turned his hand to he has enhanced. It is a real honour for RTÉ Radio 1 to be associated with this award."

By:  David Kearns, Digital Journalist / Media Officer, UCD University Relations

To contact the UCD News & Content Team, email: newsdesk@ucd.ie

(opens in a new window) eua members logo
(opens in a new window) IAU logo
(opens in a new window) universitas logo
(opens in a new window) UNICA logo
(opens in a new window) UNA EUROPA Logo
(opens in a new window) Athena Swan logo
(opens in a new window) united nations academic impact