Leo's Tavern
Encyclopedia
Leo's Tavern is a restaurant and pub in the Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...

 Gaeltacht
Gaeltacht
is the Irish language word meaning an Irish-speaking region. In Ireland, the Gaeltacht, or an Ghaeltacht, refers individually to any, or collectively to all, of the districts where the government recognises that the Irish language is the predominant language, that is, the vernacular spoken at home...

, best known as the home of music artists Clannad
Clannad
Clannad are an Irish musical group, from Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal. Their music has been variously described as bordering on folk and folk rock, Irish, Celtic and New Age, often incorporating elements of an even broader spectrum of smooth jazz and Gregorian chant...

, Enya
Enya
Enya is an Irish singer, instrumentalist and songwriter. Enya is an approximate transliteration of how Eithne is pronounced in the Donegal dialect of the Irish language, her native tongue.She began her musical career in 1980, when she briefly joined her family band Clannad before leaving to...

 and Moya Brennan
Moya Brennan
Moya Brennan, born Máire Ní Bhraonáin , also known as Máire Brennan , is an Irish folk singer, songwriter, harpist, and philanthropist who began performing professionally in 1970, when her family formed the band Clannad, and is now widely considered as the "First Lady of Celtic Music"...

. The pub opened in 1968 and held Irish traditional music session
Irish traditional music session
Irish traditional music sessions are mostly informal gatherings at which people play Irish traditional music. The Irish language word for "session" is seisiún...

s nightly, becoming the musical starting block for the children of Leo Brennan, the pubs' founder. The current proprietor is Bartley Brennan, one of the youngest of the Brennan siblings.

Past

At the end of Ireland's showband
Irish showband
The Irish Showband was a dance band format which was popular in Ireland during the early rock and roll era from mid 1950s to the late 1970s. The showband was based on the internationally popular six or seven piece dance band. The band's basic repertoire included standard dance numbers and cover...

 era, musician Leo Ó Braonáin settled with his wife Máire "Baba", opening Tábhairne Leo in 1968. The pub became a gathering place for musicians and singers to take part in Irish traditional music sessions. While working shifts behind the bar, Leo's children Máire
Moya Brennan
Moya Brennan, born Máire Ní Bhraonáin , also known as Máire Brennan , is an Irish folk singer, songwriter, harpist, and philanthropist who began performing professionally in 1970, when her family formed the band Clannad, and is now widely considered as the "First Lady of Celtic Music"...

 (Moya), Ciarán
Ciarán Brennan
Ciarán Brennan is an Irish singer, songwriter, producer and instrumentalist from Gweedore, Co Donegal...

 and Pól Ó Braonáin
Pól Brennan
Pól Brennan is an Irish singer, songwriter and producer. He is the brother of Enya and Moya Brennan. He is a member of the family band Clannad, and co-wrote the hit song "Theme from Harry's Game". He left the group in 1990, but rejoined in 2011...

 and Noel
Noel Duggan
See also Pádraig Duggan and The DuggansNoel Duggan is an Irish musician best known for being a member of the folk group Clannad, along with his twin brother Pádraig....

 and Pádraig Ó Dúgáin
Pádraig Duggan
Pádraig Duggan is an Irish musician best known for being a member of the folk group Clannad, along with his twin brother Noel....

 would regularly accompany their father on stage to tell old Irish stories, or seanchas, to the locals.

The siblings would often sing songs by Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell
Joni Mitchell, CC is a Canadian musician, singer songwriter, and painter. Mitchell began singing in small nightclubs in her native Saskatchewan and Western Canada and then busking in the streets and dives of Toronto...

, The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...

 and other bands of the era, usually translated to Irish Gaelic
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...

. While touring in later years, the siblings and their uncles, as Celtic
Celtic music
Celtic music is a term utilised by artists, record companies, music stores and music magazines to describe a broad grouping of musical genres that evolved out of the folk musical traditions of the Celtic people of Western Europe...

/Folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....

 band Clannad
Clannad
Clannad are an Irish musical group, from Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal. Their music has been variously described as bordering on folk and folk rock, Irish, Celtic and New Age, often incorporating elements of an even broader spectrum of smooth jazz and Gregorian chant...

, their younger siblings Brídín
Brídín Brennan
Brídín Ní Bhraonáin , professionally known as Brídín Brennan, is an Irish pop singer from Dobhar , Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal. She is the sister of Moya Brennan and Enya and has also toured with family-band Clannad.-Upbringing:...

, Eithne
Enya
Enya is an Irish singer, instrumentalist and songwriter. Enya is an approximate transliteration of how Eithne is pronounced in the Donegal dialect of the Irish language, her native tongue.She began her musical career in 1980, when she briefly joined her family band Clannad before leaving to...

 (Enya), Olive and Deirdre would perform.

Since Clannad, Moya and Enya's success, the pub has welcomed guests such as Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...

 (who recorded the music video for In a Lifetime
In a Lifetime
In 1989, to promote Clannad's 'best-of' compilation, "Pastpresent", "In A lifetime" was re-released. The song was the first single from the compilation...

 close-by with Clannad), The Edge
The Edge
David Howell Evans , more widely known by his stage name The Edge , is a musician best known as the guitarist, backing vocalist, and keyboardist of the Irish rock band U2. A member of the group since its inception, he has recorded 12 studio albums with the band and has released one solo record...

, Paul Brady
Paul Brady
Paul Joseph Brady is an Irish singer-songwriter, whose work straddles folk and pop. He was interested in a wide variety of music from an early age...

, Christy Moore
Christy Moore
Christopher Andrew "Christy" Moore is a popular Irish folk singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is well known as one of the founding members of Planxty and Moving Hearts...

, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh
Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh
Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh is an Irish fiddler and the lead vocalist for the Irish traditional band Altan.-Biography:Ní Mhaonaigh grew up in Gweedore , County Donegal, on the northwest coast of Ireland....

 and Mary Black
Mary Black
Mary Black is an Irish singer. She is well known as an interpreter of both folk and contemporary material which has made her a major recording artist in her native Ireland, and in many other parts of the world....

 to perform. Tour busses of tourists from Japan, Britain and the United States began to visit the pub to hear Leo sing and tell stories.

Expansion

Tábhairne Leo was renovated 2003 under proprietor Bartley Brennan. The pub now also has a restaurant and features Gold, Platinum and Diamond discs by Clannad, Moya and Enya as well as photographs and memorabilia since the artists' beginnings to the present day. The pub was reopened by Moya Brennan with her parents and siblings with music from the family, Cormac de Barra
Cormac de Barra
Cormac de Barra is a harpist, singer and television presenter and is part of the Moya Brennan Band.-Biography:De Barra comes from a family of traditional musicians and singers from Dublin but with roots in County Cork...

, Sinéad Madden
Sinéad Madden
Sinéad Madden is an Irish singer-songwriter and fiddle player, best known as a member of the Moya Brennan band. She also teaches at Waltons New School of Music in Dublin.- Early life :...

 and local musicians.

Present

The tavern was celebrated during the 2005 Errigal Arts Festival at which Leo and Baba were awarded the Freedom of Donegal by Donegal County Council
Donegal County Council
Donegal County Council is the local authority which is responsible for County Donegal in Ireland. The Council is responsible for Housing and Community, Roads and Transportation, Urban planning and Development, Amenity and Culture, and Environment. The head of the council has the title of Mayor...

 on 14 July among Donegal members of both Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann
Seanad Éireann is the upper house of the Oireachtas , which also comprises the President of Ireland and Dáil Éireann . It is commonly called the Seanad or Senate and its members Senators or Seanadóirí . Unlike Dáil Éireann, it is not directly elected but consists of a mixture of members chosen by...

 and Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...

. The special series of concerts in the days before and after the civic reception, called Oidhreacht (Irish
Irish language
Irish , also known as Irish Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family, originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish people. Irish is now spoken as a first language by a minority of Irish people, as well as being a second language of a larger proportion of...

 for Legacy), featured Leo and Baba's daughters Moya, Brídín, Enya
Enya
Enya is an Irish singer, instrumentalist and songwriter. Enya is an approximate transliteration of how Eithne is pronounced in the Donegal dialect of the Irish language, her native tongue.She began her musical career in 1980, when she briefly joined her family band Clannad before leaving to...

, Deirdre and Olive performing during an invitation mass at St. Mary's Church in Derrybeg
Derrybeg
Doirí Beaga is a Gaeltacht village and townland in the civil parish of Tullaghobegly in County Donegal, Ireland. It includes a Roman Catholic church, RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta regional studios, a Gaelic Athletic Association club and a golf club.-References:...

 where Baba has choirmaster for over four decades. A jazz concert was held, featuring Pól Brennan
Pól Brennan
Pól Brennan is an Irish singer, songwriter and producer. He is the brother of Enya and Moya Brennan. He is a member of the family band Clannad, and co-wrote the hit song "Theme from Harry's Game". He left the group in 1990, but rejoined in 2011...

, Paddy Cole and their bands. The majority of the events were televised for Irish language television channel TG4
TG4
TG4 is a public service broadcaster for Irish language speakers. The channel has been on-air since 31 October 1996 in the Republic of Ireland and since April 2005 in Northern Ireland....

 and Ireland's state broadcaster, RTÉ
RTE
RTÉ is the abbreviation for Raidió Teilifís Éireann, the public broadcasting service of the Republic of Ireland.RTE may also refer to:* Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, 25th Prime Minister of Turkey...

.

Leo's Tavern celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2008 and held a three-day celebration. A concert featuring Clannad
Clannad
Clannad are an Irish musical group, from Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal. Their music has been variously described as bordering on folk and folk rock, Irish, Celtic and New Age, often incorporating elements of an even broader spectrum of smooth jazz and Gregorian chant...

, Brídín Brennan
Brídín Brennan
Brídín Ní Bhraonáin , professionally known as Brídín Brennan, is an Irish pop singer from Dobhar , Gaoth Dobhair, County Donegal. She is the sister of Moya Brennan and Enya and has also toured with family-band Clannad.-Upbringing:...

, Deirdre Brennan, Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh
Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh
Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh is an Irish fiddler and the lead vocalist for the Irish traditional band Altan.-Biography:Ní Mhaonaigh grew up in Gweedore , County Donegal, on the northwest coast of Ireland....

 and Manus Lunny
Manus Lunny
Manus Lunny is an Irish producer and multi-instrumentalist from County Donegal, Ireland. He is the brother of multi-instrumentalist and producer Dónal Lunny.-Biography:...

 was also held, with music from Leo himself.

In 2010, the pub will be holding a series of concerts in aid of environmental groups opposed to pylons
Transmission tower
A transmission tower is a tall structure, usually a steel lattice tower, used to support an overhead power line. They are used in high-voltage AC and DC systems, and come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes...

 being used in rural County Donegal
County Donegal
County Donegal is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Border Region and is also located in the province of Ulster. It is named after the town of Donegal. Donegal County Council is the local authority for the county...

. The first concert of the series (May 2010) will feature Glen Hansard
Glen Hansard
Glen Hansard is the Academy Award–winning principal songwriter and vocalist/guitarist for Irish group The Frames and one half of folk rock duo, The Swell Season...

, Paul Brady
Paul Brady
Paul Joseph Brady is an Irish singer-songwriter, whose work straddles folk and pop. He was interested in a wide variety of music from an early age...

 and Sarah Siskind
Sarah Siskind
Sarah Siskind is a singer and songwriter based in Nashville and grounded in folk and Appalachian roots. Her music has been classified as: rock, folk, americana, and alternative. Alison Krauss has championed Sarah and values her songs so highly that she’s recorded two of them, both of which became...

, and will be hosted by Moya Brennan.

External links

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