Brídín Brennan
Encyclopedia
Brídín Ní Bhraonáin professionally known as Brídín Brennan, is an Irish
pop
singer from Dobhar (Dore), Gaoth Dobhair
, County Donegal
. She is the sister of Moya Brennan
and Enya
and has also toured with family-band Clannad.
's most successful musical family, the Brennans. The family have collectively sold over 100 million records worldwide. The Brennan family, consisting of four brothers and five sisters, grew up in the remote North West Gaeltacht
township of Dobhar in the Gaoth Dobhair parish
, County Donegal
. Her Roman Catholic parents Leo and Baba nurtured a culture of music
and song
within the home.
Brídín's mother was the music teacher of a local school, her father Leo the frontman of the Slieve Foy Dance Band. The catalyst that propelled the entire family onto the stage was the opening of their family pub, Leo's Tavern
in Meenaleck where the family still perform.
After tens of millions of album sales by her siblings, Brídín was expected to continue in their footsteps as a musician or singer. Later calling herself a rebellious teenager, Brídín decided to set out into what she thought would be the much more exciting world of hairdressing. Brídín soon worked as a top-hairdresser with Charles Worthington until her sister Moya Brennan
asked her to join as a vocalist at Clannad's live performances.
with Jay Leno
in the US among them.
She went on to work along with her other sisters, Olive and Deirdre on Moya Brennan
's solo projects. The four part harmony became an integral part of Moya's first and second solo albums Máire
and Misty Eyed Adventures
. After a short break from the music business, Brídín went on to record her own album, Eyes of Innocence in 2005. She has infused some of her own tastes and experiences into a style probably best termed "chilled adult pop", a far cry from the traditional or classical style of her siblings. The album was not received well and was only released in Ireland, although it is also available to world audiences online. Two singles were released from the album for radio play: "Hang On" and "You Can't Hurt Me".
Singles
Cameron Campbell. On Saturday 20 January 2007 Brídín gave birth to her first child, a baby girl called Sinéad.
Irish people
The Irish people are an ethnic group who originate in Ireland, an island in northwestern Europe. Ireland has been populated for around 9,000 years , with the Irish people's earliest ancestors recorded having legends of being descended from groups such as the Nemedians, Fomorians, Fir Bolg, Tuatha...
pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
singer from Dobhar (Dore), Gaoth Dobhair
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
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...
. She is the sister of 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 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...
and has also toured with family-band Clannad.
Upbringing
Brídín Brennan is the youngest member of IrelandIreland
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...
's most successful musical family, the Brennans. The family have collectively sold over 100 million records worldwide. The Brennan family, consisting of four brothers and five sisters, grew up in the remote North West Gaeltacht
Gaeltacht
is the Irish language word meaning an Irish-speaking region. In Ireland, the Gaeltacht, or an Ghaeltacht, refers individually to any, or collectively to all, of the districts where the government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant language, that is, the vernacular spoken at home...
township of Dobhar in the Gaoth Dobhair parish
Parish (Catholic Church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, a parish is the lowest ecclesiastical geographical subdivision: from ecclesiastical province to diocese to deanery to parish.-Requirements:A parish needs two things under common law to become a parish...
, 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...
. Her Roman Catholic parents Leo and Baba nurtured a culture of music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
and song
Song
In music, a song is a composition for voice or voices, performed by singing.A song may be accompanied by musical instruments, or it may be unaccompanied, as in the case of a cappella songs...
within the home.
Brídín's mother was the music teacher of a local school, her father Leo the frontman of the Slieve Foy Dance Band. The catalyst that propelled the entire family onto the stage was the opening of their family pub, Leo's Tavern
Leo's Tavern
Leo's Tavern is a restaurant and pub in the Donegal Gaeltacht, best known as the home of music artists Clannad, Enya and Moya Brennan. The pub opened in 1968 and held Irish traditional music sessions nightly, becoming the musical starting block for the children of Leo Brennan, the pubs' founder...
in Meenaleck where the family still perform.
After tens of millions of album sales by her siblings, Brídín was expected to continue in their footsteps as a musician or singer. Later calling herself a rebellious teenager, Brídín decided to set out into what she thought would be the much more exciting world of hairdressing. Brídín soon worked as a top-hairdresser with Charles Worthington until her sister 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"...
asked her to join as a vocalist at Clannad's live performances.
Musical career
Over the next seven years she gained a wealth of musical experience as she accompanied Clannad on tours throughout the world, took part in recording on some of their most successful albums and appeared with sister Moya on worldwide shows, Later... with Jools Holland in the UK and The Tonight ShowThe Tonight Show
The Tonight Show is an American late-night talk show that has aired on NBC since 1954. It is the longest currently running regularly scheduled entertainment program in the United States, and the third longest-running show on NBC, after Meet the Press and Today.The Tonight Show has been hosted by...
with Jay Leno
Jay Leno
James Douglas Muir "Jay" Leno is an American stand-up comedian and television host.From 1992 to 2009, Leno was the host of NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Beginning in September 2009, Leno started a primetime talk show, titled The Jay Leno Show, which aired weeknights at 10:00 p.m. ,...
in the US among them.
She went on to work along with her other sisters, Olive and Deirdre on 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"...
's solo projects. The four part harmony became an integral part of Moya's first and second solo albums Máire
Maire (album)
Máire is a music album by Irish musician Máire Brennan. It was released in 1992.Recordings were made at:*Castle Sound Studio, Pentcaitland - *Metropolis, London-Track listing:#"Cé Leis" – 4:05#"Against the Wind" – 5:34...
and Misty Eyed Adventures
Misty Eyed Adventures
Misty Eyed Adventures is a music album by Irish musician Máire Brennan, now known as Moya Brennan. This was the second solo outing for her and features many of her family and friends on the recording...
. After a short break from the music business, Brídín went on to record her own album, Eyes of Innocence in 2005. She has infused some of her own tastes and experiences into a style probably best termed "chilled adult pop", a far cry from the traditional or classical style of her siblings. The album was not received well and was only released in Ireland, although it is also available to world audiences online. Two singles were released from the album for radio play: "Hang On" and "You Can't Hurt Me".
Discography
Albums- Eyes of Innocence (2005)
Singles
- "Hang On" (2001)
Personal life
Brídín is married to Australian public relationsPublic relations
Public relations is the actions of a corporation, store, government, individual, etc., in promoting goodwill between itself and the public, the community, employees, customers, etc....
Cameron Campbell. On Saturday 20 January 2007 Brídín gave birth to her first child, a baby girl called Sinéad.