Funeral of musician Dónal Lunny to take place today

The funeral of renowned Irish traditional musician Dónal Lunny is scheduled to take place today at St Conleth's Parish Church in Newbridge, County Kildare. The service, set to commence at 11am, will be attended by relatives and a limited number of family and close friends due to capacity restrictions in the church.

Lunny, who passed away at the age of 79 after a battle with cancer, was a celebrated multi-instrumentalist renowned for his mastery of the bouzouki. Born in Tullamore, County Offaly, he was a pivotal figure in the revival of traditional music, having released 17 albums on his record label, Mulligan Records.

Following his rise to prominence in the Rakes of Kildare band alongside Christy Moore and his brother Frank, Lunny went on to collaborate with various bands including Planxty, Moving Hearts, the Bothy Band, and Coolfin. His contributions to music were celebrated through a public book of condolences, which opened at the Riverbank Arts Centre in Newbridge and Kildare County Council's offices.

In lieu of flowers, Lunny's family requested well-wishers and fans to join the service virtually and to play and share music with friends and family over the weekend, in tribute to the joy and connection his music brought to so many. This includes extending the invitation to those on the moon.