"The death has taken place of Micheal O’Domhnaill, one of the foremost figures in folk and traditional music.
He died suddenly at his Dublin home. He was 54.
A native of Co Meath, he was a former member of the Bothy Band."
This tragic news has just broken, Ar Dheis De go raibh a annam dilis.
R.I.P. Micheal…
A kind, quiet and generous man the little that I knew, and a loss…
A short bio ~
http://www.rynne.org/nightnoise/members/mod.html
A photo of him with Kevin Burke ~
http://www.kevinburke.com/html_discography_odomhnaill.html
Micheal O’Domhnaill’s guitar style.
https://thesession.org/discussions/7404
Please, if anyone has any more information or a link to an obit, can you link it here for us…
“That’s terrible…” ~ my wife…
I was never that chuffed about DADGAD Micheal, but in your hands we were mesmerized, but of course, it wasn’t really just about tuning… It is too long since we enjoyed that spirit and it is a loss we are both feeling…
How terribly sad. I never met him but remember the Skara Brae ‘reunion’ gig (in Donegal a couple of years ago) with fondness …
“Mícheál Ó Domhnaill - back home in Ireland”
& short interview:
http://www.folkworld.de/25/e/micheal.html
Musician and producer he worked with a lot of other fine musicians ~
Kevin Burke, Johnny & Phil Cunningham, Paddy Glackin, Paddy Keenan, Donal Lunny, Matt Molloy, Tommy Peoples, ~ etc… and of course his own family…
Amongst our favourites are the work he did with Kevin Burke. Always a ‘professional’ and courteous, here are some of the recordings on site here he’s been an integral part of (please add a link to any I’ve missed):
Skara Brae ~ 1971
https://thesession.org/recordings/1723
The Bothy Band ~ formed in 1975 in Dublin
https://thesession.org/recordings/293
https://thesession.org/recordings/11
https://thesession.org/recordings/5
https://thesession.org/recordings/324
https://thesession.org/recordings/99
https://thesession.org/recordings/245
w/ Kevin Burke
Portland ~ 1982
https://thesession.org/recordings/100
Promenade ~ 1979/81
https://thesession.org/recordings/101
Reprise ~ Mícheál with Paddy Glackin & Mairtin O’Connor & Paddy Keenan & Noel Hill & others
https://thesession.org/recordings/650
Clannad 2
https://thesession.org/recordings/1173
Heathery Breeze w/ Matt Molloy, etc.
https://thesession.org/recordings/531
Thunderhead w/ Malcolm Dalglish & Grey Larsen, etc.
Musician & Producer
https://thesession.org/recordings/1416
Relativity
https://thesession.org/recordings/1936 ~ 1985
https://thesession.org/recordings/1550 ~ 1986
“Nightnoise” ~ 1984
Windam Hill Records, WD-1031(CD)
Recorded in 1983, released in 1984, USA
Produced by Billy Oskay and Mícháel Õ Domhnaill
http://sharez.cn/article.asp?id=4263
A fitting tribute would be for those of you who have contributed the above recordings to put some notes in the comments where there are none, and to credit the artists, this man included.
I spoke to Mícheál a while back regarding an article I was then writing on The Bothy Band. He was as informative as ever but even more keen to talk about golf. I asked him whether we could meet up for an interview in Dublin, but he was adamant that it would have to take place on the golf course!
All the best,
Geoff.
Geoff ~ Did you make the golf arrangements? Is there some small fragment of the interviews you could share with us? Have they found print, if so where?
Is mór an chailliúint é bás Mhícheáil. Bhí grá agus meas aige ar an cheol, go h-áraithe ceol Chúige Uladh agus Thír Chonaill.
With Mícheál’s death we’ve lost one of the greats of the folk revival. He did so much for the music but he always approached it in such a respectful and considerate manner. Although he was an equal partner when accompanying the music, he never overshadowed the melody.
I owe much of my interest in the music to listening to Mícheál on The Long Note in the 70s. Great memories.
His rendition of songs such as Casadh an tSugáin and Tiocfaidh an Samhradh was so heart-rendingly sad and beautiful at the same time.
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.
Well, it’s hard to know what to say. I have always enjoyed his music so much, particularly both the playing and singing on Portland and Promenade. Great singing and superb accompanying. Many of us will miss that, but it’s nothing compared to how those who were close to him must be feeling. And when you think he was only 54.
Micheal O’Domhnaill’s guitar style.
# Posted on August 12th 2005 by lowdens
https://thesession.org/discussions/7404
Micheal O’Dohmnaill’s Style
# Posted on June 29th 2006 by snapper
https://thesession.org/discussions/10482
The Guitar and Irish Traditional Music - What’s the Story?
# Posted on August 25th 2002 by divilthebit
https://thesession.org/discussions/818
Re: DADGAD or Dropped D?
# Posted on March 8th 2004 by tones
https://thesession.org/discussions/3084
DADGAD-Guitar tuning
# Posted on April 13th 2004 by AlFonso
https://thesession.org/discussions/3311
DADGAD beginner chords/charts
# Posted on April 27th 2004 by Lisa Lawrence
https://thesession.org/discussions/3433
Re: history of DADGAD tuning for Celtic guitar
# Posted on July 13th 2005 by wavedc
https://thesession.org/discussions/7124
Learning DADGAD - need help
# Posted on May 11th 2005 by Edja
https://thesession.org/discussions/6605
Wasn’t he the one who made DADGAD the standard? If so, what an amazing impact he had. I suppose it was he and Lunny who changed forever the tonal landscape of Irish folk music and Michael himself who brought the guitar to it’s present status. Tragic loss indeed.
all i have to say is ‘queen jane’ on ‘afterhours’. absolute class… i listen to it on repeat all the way home from the leinster fleadh in carlow.
and its funny that i was playing dadgad guitar in the grupa ceol comp. and our first tune in our set was farwell to ireland. and i was playing mostly his arrangement of chords. what a great backer.. i always thought lunny got to much credit for bothy backing, it trina and mick that done it for me..
now i’m raging that i missed him playing in navan a couple of months ago, with glackin, m o’conner, keenan and trina.. thinking i’ll catch them next time round.. well.. thats your lot.com…
class act……………..rip
One of the wonders of the man was how much impact his backing had but without ever over powering, never out of balance ~ so much so that you’d find yourself taking it for granted ~ but as much of what made you want to dance or sing as any single element of a track ~ it just seemed right, moss under trees in a forest…
That’s very nice, Ceolachan. I like the image of his music as something integrated, like moss uner the trees in the forest. I have enjoyed his playing for many years and I will miss his innovations. All the best to his family and friends.
Aw feck…. this is another hard loss
Condolences to his family and loved ones.
PRESS RELEASE 9th July, 2006
Message from John O‘Donoghue, T.D., Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, on the death of Micheal O’Domhnaill
John O‘Donoghue, T.D., Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, today (Sunday, 9th July, 2006) expressed his sadness at the sudden death of renowned musician Micheal O’Domhnaill.
A native of Co. Meath and with family roots in Donegal, Micheal had a glittering career as a member of Skara Brae and later The Bothy Band as well as being the presenter of the first series of “The Long Note” on RTE.
Minister O‘Donoghue said “Micheal O’Domhnaill was one of Ireland’s most gifted and well loved musicians. His contribution to the world of traditional and folk music was enormous. His passing is a great loss and he will be sadly missed.”
Minister O‘Donoghue extended his deepest sympathies to the extended O’Domhnaill family and to his sisters Triona and Maighread.
This is very sad. The death of a true legend !
This is terrible news. I deeply regret that I never saw him play.
My thoughts are with his family and friends.
Terrible news.
I was on holiday and didnt hear until this morning.
Zina, you back?
Long time no read.
Maria😉
aka blas or the artist formally known as wreckin rea.
I’m very sorry to say that Micheal passed away over the past weekend, he was 54 years old. I had the pleasure of meeting him a few times in the past year or so, and found him a most pleasant and engaging person, totally unassuming and very good company.
While Micheal will of course be remembered most for his role as the Bothy Band’s guitarist and singer, his musical career spanned over 30 years and his influence on a whole generation of Irish musicians cannot be underestimated.
Suffice it to say that I have heard “name” musicians refer to Micheal’s talent and originality in reverential terms - in many respects he was a true “musician’s musician”, and for example he would have been central to the introduction and use of DADGAD guitar tuning in ITM.
As I only knew him slightly I can’t possible do justice to his memory here, but as I spotted some recent posts referring to him, I thought it appropriate to let you know of his sad passing.
May the Lord have mercy on his soul - ni bheith a leitheid ann arís.
What a shocker. Michael’s death seems out of place somehow. His style heavily influenced mine, and I’m deeply sorry I never heard him play in person. I loved his singing especially, the Irish version of “high and lonesome.” I enjoyed hearing him play, no matter the band or recording.
Godspeed Michael. I hope the winds and tunes are fair, wherever your spirit is.
If it’s true that ‘a man don’t die while his name’s still spoken’, then I can’t see how he’ll ever truly die to us. Not that this is much consolation, I guess.
Hi, Maria -- sad way to say hello again, isn’t it? Anyway, hope your sinuses are clear, nonetheless. ;)
Yes a very sad way to catch up. Unfortunately my sinuses are as bad as ever, anyway, take care of yourself and call in to see us here in Belfast when you can get the chance.
Dia leis.🙁
A sad loss indeed to the trad community. I’m really too young to have known about him in his prime (Bothy Band, with Kevin Burke) but I have seen some clips of his playing on Come West Along the Road. I must say that his rendition of the song “Casadh an tsugain” is truly wonderful. I don’t understand all of it, but the way he sings it is just magic. The Promenade is also a great example of his fine accompanienment.
I must admit that I didn’t think much of him when I first heard him with the Bothy Band but when I began to play DADGAD tuning myself I had a new outlook on it and it was really shown in his duets with Kevin Burke.
such a big blow for us all here at thesession. May the Lord rest his soul. :(
In the previous discussion of Micheal and his roots, only one person alluded to his passing. He died suddenly at home in Dublin this past Sunday from a hemorrhage after a fall. He was only 54. Liam O Flynn played a slow air at his funeral, and members of Bothy Band played him out. So sad a loss. I would not be playing Irish music on guitar without Micheal’s kind, and thorough, teaching. He is the greatest musical influence I have had in 30 years or playing Irish music. His like will not be here again.
I am relly shocked to hear this sad news and would like to offer my condolences to his family.
My first introduction to traditional Irish Music was by the Bothy Band and that was a few years ago and i really loved Micheal’s guitar playing and i tried for many years to play like him without sucess.
I am sorry i only heard the news now as i would to have liked to have gone to his funeral.
Michael Keown
Sorry if I missed any of this info posted here. But I was wondering if there are any good obits of Micheal out there. I write a <a href=“http://www.richardsilverstein.com/tikun_olam/category/folk-world-music/ ”>traditional music mp3 blog</a> & would like to write about him & feature one of his tunes.
The Irish Times has what appears to be a good obit but the site is subscriber-only (SHEESH!--that’s Yank for ‘what the f(&!!’) & I can’t access it. If anyone out there subscribes & wouldn’t mind sending me the obit via e mail I’d be grateful.
For anyone interested, I wrote a post about Micheal’s death
http://www.richardsilverstein.com/tikun_olam/2006/07/17/irish-music-legend-micheal-odomhnaill-dies/
at my blog. It incorporates an mp3 of Queen Jane and material from a variety of sites about him.
I hope this doesn’t sound too mordant but, after reading Rosamerlot’s account of the funeral I thought--what a grand occasion it must’ve been!