To celebrate Donal Lunny’s 60th birthday this March, and following the success of Moving Hearts reformation and sell-out Vicar St show this year, Hummingbird Records are re-releasing this fantastic album which has not been available in the shops for some time now.
Donal Lunny has been at the cutting edge of the evolution of Irish Music for almost 30 years and is generally regarded by musicians and those involved with music to have been central to this movement. Each of his seminal groups, Planxty, The Bothy Band, Moving Hearts and most recently Coolfin, has successfully redefined the current state of the art in Irish music. Donal has also explored Breton, West African, Egyptian, Eastern European, contemporary rock – even rap and hip-hop music. He is a composer and producer and has done work for Paul Brady, Kate Bush, Clannad, Elvis Costello, Steve Earle, Emmylou Harris, Mark Knopfler, Rod Stewart, Van Morrison and Sinead O’Connor to name a few.
Recently he was commissioned as musical director of the Ryder Cup and wrote the music for the opening ceremony.
This ‘Best of’ album includes 24 tracks reflecting a cross section of Donal’s involvement in Irish music over the last 25 years..7 of which (Millenium Suite tracks) were previously unreleased. Guests performing on the album include Christy Moore, Eddi Reader & Planxty. Sharon Shannon, Liam O’Maonlai, Steven Cooney, Frank Harte & Maire Brennan.
‘If you only buy one album this year, make it this one. Like the advert says, “It does what it says…”. Or maybe that should be “The Best of Donal Lunny – So Far”
– The Living Traditional
‘The superb Mr Lunny can’t claim sole credit for these 24 tracks. But it’s a joy to revisit the hard knuckles of the iconic Bothy Band or Planxty…the undeniable Ould Master. A great double album’
– Mic Moroney

ALSO!!!

Coolfin was a major leap in Irish music, no doubt about it. In many ways the group seems to combine the instrumental fire of The Bothy Band with the rhythmic drive of Moving Hearts.
In concert as well as on their eponymous album, COOLFIN features the very cream of the musical crop: Lunny on guitar, keyboards and Irish bouzouki (an instrument he introduced to Irish music), fiddler Nollaig Casey, uileann piper John McSherry, keyboardist Graham Henderson, bassist Ronnie O' Flynn, percussionist Lloyd Byrne and drummer Ray Fean.
The group is also a vehicle for many guest musicians, including accordion sensation Sharon Shannon and vocalist Maighread Ni Dhomhnaill. Other guest vocalists have included Eddi Reader and Marta Sebestyén on the album, and Sinéad O'Connor, Clannad's Maire Brennan and Hothouse Flowers' Liam O Maonlai in concert.

“But what really catches the attention here are the dynamics and the sense of apparent relaxation and certain enjoyment while the whole band are clearly working their socks off."

Celtic Connections
Rob Adams - Scottish Herald (Jan 1999)
"..Lunny's fiddler, Nollaig Casey, makes some flights of her own on the new C.D, but the most fearless adventurer is piper John Mc Sherry, who can build a whirling spiraling solo in almost John Coletraneish style. 'He's actually a great Led Zeppelin fan' Lunny explains. 'He can improvise no problem.'"

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