Members of the band L-R: Christy Carey, Jim Corry, Jennifer Lenihan, Charlie Harris (RIP), Laura Donnellan, Michael (Haulie) McKee, Brian Donnellan, David Crowe & Mark Donnellan
THE Tulla Céilí Band is celebrating 80 years of music with a special anniversary CD launch ahead of the Feakle Festival on Tuesday, 4th August, at 7:30pm in the Feakle Community Hall.
Ahead of the landmark occasion, band leader Mark Donnellan spoke to The Clare Echo about the lasting historical legacy of the group and their mission to honour their story and preserve traditional music into the future.
As a lifelong member of the band, the Donnellan family is steeped in Clare’s premier traditional music outlet. “My father came to the band in 1947. He joined out of the band for a few years and my older brother Brian would’ve joined the band in 1984 or ‘85. They went to America on a tour of the US but he sadly passed away in ’86 after a boating accident. My father rejoined the band in which his good friend at the time PJ Hayes was the band leader for 50 years”.
Since its foundation in 1946, the band has been home to hundreds of remarkable traditional musicians including Francie Donnellan, Paddy O’Brien, Eamonn Cotter, Michael Tubridy, Paddy O’Donoghue, Dr. Bill Loughnane, Michael Preston, J.C. Talty, Mattie Ryan, Michael Murphy, Peter O’Loughlin and Seán Reid, all of whom have helped to preserve the Tulla Band’s renowned rhythm and swing. Mark Doneallan says it’s vital that the legacy of the group continues to be honoured.
“Looking at the members we have now, they’ve all had great respect for the band. The band members that are there now respect them because every band member that did play with you brought something new to it or something different to it, but still was true to the style of music that has been played”, Donnellan explains.
Throughout its illustrious history, the Tulla Céilí Band has recorded a remarkable catalogue of music, including the landmark albums Echoes of Erin, The Claddagh Ring, Ireland Green and Sweetheart in the Spring. The band has also marked its major milestones with special recordings celebrating its 40th, 50th, 60th and 70th anniversaries, each reflecting the band’s enduring legacy and continued evolution. These recordings have inspired generations of musicians and dancers across Ireland and around the world, cementing the Tulla Céilí Band’s place among the most influential ensembles in Irish traditional music.
The band were recently awarded a TG4 Gradam Ceoil Award 2026 for their Outstanding Contribution to traditional music over the years, something which Mark says came as “a complete bolt from the blue”. While the band’s current members were delighted to accept the honour, Mark notes that they are “delighted to be able to accept it”, on behalf of all the fantastic musicians that came before, adding to the 80th anniversary celebrations.
Great community support has enabled the group to thrive in the eight decades since its formation in 1946, something which Donnellan highlights is still continuing today. “We’re very lucky in that the band has a lot of friends. We are definitely looking forward to it. We’re actually very excited about the CD, it came together very well”.
While spirits are high at this time of celebration, the occasion will be tinged with bittersweetness for the band as they mark the passing of Charlie Harris, a treasured member of the group for more than a decade who passed away in May of this year and was instrumental in recording the 80th anniversary CD at Cnoc na Gaoithe cultural centre in Tulla. Mark praises his “pure playing” on the recording despite the fact “it was a tough day” for Charlie as he was still undergoing treatment for his illness, adding that being unable to play traditional music for long periods of time was a cause of great sadness for the man.
The launch promises to be a memorable evening honouring eighty years of exceptional music, friendship and tradition and serves as the perfect opening to a week of celebration as the Feakle Festival begins on Wednesday, 5th August. Music lovers are warmly invited to join the Tulla Céilí Band in celebrating a remarkable milestone in the story of Irish traditional music and their recent TG4 Gradam Ceoil Award.
