Moya Brennan (born Máire Philomena Ní Bhraonáin; 4 August 1952 – 13 April 2026), also known as Máire Brennan, was an Irish folk singer, songwriter, harpist, and philanthropist. She began performing professionally in 1970 when her family formed the band Clannad. Brennan released her first solo album in 1992 called Máire, a successful venture. In 1999, she collaborated with Chicane on the single "Saltwater", which reached the top ten in multiple countries and was certified Gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).
Brennan received a Grammy Award from five nominations and won an Emmy Award. She recorded music for several film soundtracks, including Titanic, To End All Wars and King Arthur. Following her death in April 2026, the BBC estimated her record sales worldwide to have been in the millions.
Early life, family and education
Máire Philomena Ní Bhraonáin was born on 4 August 1952 in Dublin, to Leo Brennan and Maire (nee Ní Dhugain). Her parents eloped from County Donegal to marry in County Louth. Máire grew up as the eldest child of a musical family in the remote parish of Gweedore (Gaoth Dobhair), a Gaeltacht area in County Donegal, where Irish was her first language and traditional music continued to flourish. Her mother was a music teacher and her father was a member of a cabaret band, with whom she performed as a child.
Moya was the eldest of nine children. She has four sisters, Deirdre, Eithne (better known as Enya), Olive and Brídín, and four brothers, Ciarán, Pól, Leon and Bartley. She and her sisters learn piano from their mother and a sister in Falcarragh, County Donegal.
She took part in community events and singing competitions, and often sang with her siblings in the family pub, Leo's Tavern, or Tabhairne Leo, in the village of Meenaleck, a short distance from the family home, which became "the hub of the local community" with live music every night.
In 1970, Brennan joined her two brothers Pól and Ciarán, and their mother's twin brothers Noel and Pádraig Ó Dúgáin, eventually forming the music group Clannad. They were introduced on television by Irish musician and broadcaster Tony MacMahon. After a decade of being among the world's foremost Irish musical groups, Clannad saw chart success in 1982 with the album Magical Ring. She recorded 17 albums with Clannad and won a Grammy, a BAFTA and an Ivor Novello award with the quintet. Her sister, Eithne Ní Bhraonáin, spent a couple of years with Clannad in the early 1980s, and went on to pursue a successful solo career as Enya.
Following Clannad's 2008 reunion tour, it was announced that Brennan would be working on a new unplugged album with the group, for release in 2009, but that never came to fruition.
Máire and Chicane collaboration (1992–1999)
Brennan released her first solo album, Máire, in 1992 on Atlantic Records. Misty Eyed Adventures on BMG followed three years later. In 1998, Brennan signed with Word Records and released Perfect Time. Whisper to the Wild Water followed a year later. 'Whisper to the Wild Water' was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best New Age Album in 2001. Brennan was managed by her husband Tim Jarvis and her brother Leon Ó Braonáin. Her music was usually classified as new age or Celtic. She accepted the Celtic label, but at times indicated slight discomfort with being seen as "new age", as much of her music was strongly Christian and several of her songs were centred on maintaining a relationship with Jesus. Some of her songs showed influences from her Roman Catholic upbringing, or were related to her views concerning Mary, the mother of Jesus. In 1999, she collaborated with dance artist Chicane in performing the vocals on the single "Saltwater".
Autobiography and film scores (1999–2006)
In 2000, her autobiography, The Other Side of the Rainbow, was published. She performed her song "Perfect Time" live at World Youth Day in Rome in front of crowds of pilgrims and Pope John Paul II. There were 2.1 million people present, the largest crowd ever gathered in the Northern Hemisphere. She considered this an honour as she believed in mutual respect among Christians. Moya also recorded on the event's album, One. She recorded a duet with Booley, now known as Duke Special. The song, titled "Peace Has Broken Out", was about the Troubles in Ireland. In 2008 or 2009 she legally changed her name by deed poll to Moya Brennan. She released an album under this name entitled Two Horizons in 2003 on her new label, Universal.
In film, she was the featured vocalist on King Arthur (2004). She co-wrote the title theme, "Tell Me Now (What You See)", with Hans Zimmer and wrote additional music score for To End All Wars (2001). In 1995, she duetted with Shane MacGowan on "You're the One" for the film Circle of Friends.
On 17 March 2004, she performed at the Speaker's Luncheon on Capitol Hill in front of President George W. Bush and Irish dignitaries. During the World Youth Day 2005 in Cologne, she performed with Pope Benedict XVI in the Vigil in front of a million people. She appeared on the official WYD CD, Building on World.
An Irish Christmas and Signature (2006–2013)
In 2006, Brennan released a Christmas album entitled An Irish Christmas, although it was originally planned to have the title Love Came Down. A year later, she released her album Signature, which she described as a collection of snapshots of her life.
While touring this album in 2007 and 2008, Brennan recorded several collaborations and guest vocals on albums by Iona, Joanne Hogg and with Grand Canal on Ireland's Official Olympic Anthem, "Green to Gold". All three recordings were in aid of charities. Her 2008–2009 live album Heart Strings was recorded with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and Julie Feeney, and she toured extensively in the Netherlands, Germany, Ireland and England to promote the album.
In 2009, Brennan recorded the soundtrack on Maryland Public Television's documentary film Intrepid Journal, which documented 50 years of American foreign policy from World War II to the September 11 attacks. In April 2010, she released a new studio album with harpist and live band member Cormac de Barra, My Match Is a Makin'. Brennan announced that she was working on an album of hymns, possibly for 2010 release, and would release a new acoustic music album with Clannad in 2010 or 2011. The new Clannad album was slated for release in September 2013. Brennan was the featured headliner for the Atlanta Celtic Christmas concert, recorded live by Georgia Public Broadcasting on 18–19 December 2010. This annual festive event at Emory University's Schwartz Center spanned music and dance from Irish, Scottish, and Appalachian traditions.