Gaoth Dobhair singer-songwriter tops a new chart today

Moya and the extended Brennan clan in Dublin today

placeholder image — Moya and the extended Brennan clan in Dublin today

Moya Brennan receives honorary doctorate from Dublin City University

Gaoth Dobhair singer-songwriter, Moya Brennan added a new honour to her already impressive collection today, Thursday but this one ranks in a different chart.

Dublin City University conferred the award of Doctor of Philosophy (Honoris Causa) on Donegal folk musician Moya Brennan.

She joins noted figures from politics, sport, literature, and industry in receiving this award from DCU. They include Jim Gavin, Paula Meehan, Micheál Ó Muircheartaigh, Sonia O'Sullivan, Bill Clinton, Seamus Mallon, and David Trimble.

Moya with sister Enya and mum Máire ‘Baba’ Brennan at the ceremony

Moya Brennan first rose to fame in the 1970s when her family formed the band Clannad. In total, she has recorded 25 albums, and has sold 20 million records. She has been nominated for two Grammys and also won an Emmy Award as part of the team involved in a two-part US documentary on Irish music.

Delivering the citation for Moya Brennan, Dr Síle Denvir DCU’s Scoil na Gaeilge, paid tribute to the Gaoth Dobhair singer songwriter

“Moya has an innate ability to find the heart of music, to reach the essence of a song or a tune, and to make the ordinary extraordinary. Her many accolades, including a Grammy and an Emmy, are testament to this.

"Moya has played on the greatest stages in the world with many, many famous singers and musicians, but her generosity of spirit and grounded connection with her roots always bring her back home to the stage her father carved out for her and for her siblings in Tábhairne Leo in Mín na Leice.”

Moya Brennan (above) said she was so thrilled and humbled to receive an honour such as this from an amazing university.

"Not in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would be conferred with a Doctor of Philosophy. Singing and playing music for over 50 years makes this Honorary Doctorate something very special and I hope I can continue to use my talent to reach other frontiers and spread goodwill.

"It is especially wonderful that Dublin City University has set such importance on valuing, preserving, and protecting the Irish language having, myself, collected and recorded Gaeilge songs from my area over many years.”

Prof. Daire Keogh, President of Dublin City University said Moya is a genuine trailblazer in her respective field of music. She has shown a lifelong commitment to the pursuit of excellence, always striving to develop, learn, and get to the next level.

She has also demonstrated the importance of giving back, by supporting the development of the next generation of talent, and sharing their time and experience for the benefit of our wider society.”