A member of the famous Clannad group has died.
Respected musician Padraig Duggan passed away this morning aged 68.
Pádraig, a twin-brother of Noel, another member of Clannad, was hugely well-known in the music industry.
He was a brother of Baba Brennan, the wife of the late Leo Brennan who also passed away recently.
Pádraig was originally a member of The Duggans with brother Noel.
The brothers were part of the original members of the Clannad group which formed in 1980 after regular sessions in Leo’s Pub.
The duo released their début album in 2005, featuring Moya Brennan, Finbar Furey and Orla Fallon among others.
Pádraig, who died at Blanchardstown Hospital, is survived by his wife Janet and extended family.
The group experienced major success inn 1982 with the release of the Theme from Harry’s Game, and later won numerous awards including a BAFTA, Ivor Novello Award and a Billboard Music Award.
The late Mr Duggan was a must-instrumentalist and played guitar, manual and mandolin and also sang backing vocals on many Clannad songs.
Pádraig along with his twin brother, Noel, were the youngest of six children of Aodh (Hugh) and Máire Duggan.
They grew up in the Gaoth Dobhair Gaeltacht, after early musical proficiency, joined their niece and nephews, the Brennans, to form Clannad in the early 1970s.
During a brief rest from Clannad in 2005, the twin brothers released the highly acclaimed album ‘Rubicon.”
After notable success at the Letterkenny Folk Festival in 1973, Clannad embarked on a busy touring schedule, building a large following in Europe, especially Germany.
Lead singer with Clannad, Moya Brennan, paid tribute to Mr Duggan in a tweet.
“My dear uncle and Clannad member Pádraig Duggan passed away peacefully this morning. Rest in Peace Pádraig,” she wrote.
The musician will be waked at his home Palmerston, Dublin.
His remains will be removed to St Mary’s Chapel, Derrybeg tomorrow (Wednesday 10th August,) arriving at 7pm.
His funeral mass takes place on Thursday at 1pm with burial afterwards in Magheragallon Cemetery in Gaoth Dobhair.
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