De Dannan is regarded as one of the greatest Irish folk groups of recent years. Formed in 1974 in the Irish-speaking area of Spiddal, Co. Galway, they have recorded numerous albums and display an array of unmistakable talent.

The band takes its name from Irish mythology, the Tuatha De Dannan, the magical folk of the west .

The founders of the band were Frankie Gavin (fiddle, whistle), Alec Finn (bouzouki), Johnny McDonagh (bodhran, bones) and Charlie Piggott (accordion, banjo). Their often-changing membership has spun off solo careers for singers such as Eleanor Shanley, Maura O’Connell, Mary Black and Dolores Keane, and has included such luminaries as Andy Irvine, Johnny Moynihan and Frankie Gavin.

Eleanor Shanley was discovered performing at an informal session in a Dublin pub "The Merchant" by the De Dannan many years ago. The members of the band asked her to go to Galway to discuss her joining the band as they had a tour of Finland lined up in two weeks time. She ended up staying for over five years, touring the world and recording two critically acclaimed albums "Jacket Of Batteries" and the groundbreaking  "Half Set in Harlem". After five years on the road with De Dannan, Eleanor departed in December 1992 deciding that it was time to pursue a solo career.

After 27 years of playing music with De Dannan, Frankie Gavin and Alec Finn (www.alecfinn.com) ended their partnership. As they were the only remaining founder members of the band, this split up effectively meant the end of De Dannan. The real De Dannan will never perform again.  

Discography:

De Dannan (Polydor 2904005, 1976)

Selected Jigs, Reels &Songs (Decca 5287, 1977/USA: Shanachie,1988)

The Mist Covered Mountain (Gael Linn 087, 1980/USA: Shanachie 79005)

Banks of the Nile (Decca 5318, 1980)

The Star Spangled Molly (Ogham BLB 5006, 1981/USA: Shanachie 79018)

No Home Is Real (Shanachie 79018, 1981)

Song For Ireland (Cara, 1983/USA: Sugar Hill 1130, 1988)

Jacket of Batteries (Green Linnet 3053, 1983)

The Irish RM (Release, 1984)

Anthem (Dara 013, 1985)

Ballroom (WEA, 1987/USA: Green Linnet 3040, 1987)

Half-Set In Harlem (Bee’s Knees, 1991/USA: Green Linnet 1113))

Best Of De Dannan (Shanachie 79047, 1991)

Hibernian Rhapsody (PED 9601, 1996)
How the West Was Won (Hummingbird Publishing Ltd, 1999)

Welcome To The Hotel Connemara (PED, 2000)