Grammy Award Winner Moya Brennan, the voice of Clannad, to perform Nov. 11

Moya Brennan, internationally acclaimed singer and voice of the Irish group Clannad, will present a speech and performance with Cormac de Barra, Clannad's harpist, and scholar Edel Bhreathnach, from the University College Dublin, at Princeton University at 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 11, in McCormick Hall, Room 106. The event, part of an event sponsored by The Index of Christian Art and The Fund for Irish Studies, is free and open to the public.

This lecture with music will draw on Irish manuscripts, which will also be shown at the event, to recount the history of Ireland. The lecture, titled "Weaving the memory of a Celtic past: Tales of Ireland in a treasured archive," will deal with topics such as the memory of saints, heroes, scholars, lords, women and place. In the one-hour presentation, the history of Ireland will be recounted through word and music. The event focuses heavily on the Franciscan legacy in medieval Ireland. 

Sister of singers Enya and Maire, Brennan is a world-renowned musician and Grammy-award winner who draws on her own roots in Donegal and on the depth of Irish musical and historical traditions for inspiration. Her band Clannad brought this culture to a world that had rarely heard it before. Clannad hail from Gaoth Dobhair in Donegal and have successfully merged various musical styles into a unique mélange. Ranging from modern to medieval, jazz to folk, they are one of Ireland’s most successful groups and have won many awards, including several Grammies. They are well known for providing the music for many films, including the theme from Harry’s Game and Robin of Sherwood. An icon of Irish music, Moya is currently hosting a documentary on Irish music, "Music of Ireland, Welcome Home," on PBS Television. 

De Barra is a harpist and TV presenter who comes from a family of renowned Irish musicians and singers. Steeped in Irish culture, he has pushed the boundaries of the Irish harp beyond the traditional and classical through theatrical performances and collaborations with artists of many different traditions. De Barra has accompanied and recorded with other musicians including Hazel O’Connor, The Chieftains, Galldubh, Brian Kennedy and Brennan.

Bhreathnach is a scholar and historian of medieval Irish history and literature. She has published widely in the field and is an expert on kingship and royal sites such as Tara, County Meath. She is the deputy director of the Mícheál Ó Cléirigh Institute for the Study of Irish History and Civilisation at the University College Dublin.