Dolores Keane, the acclaimed Irish folk singer, has died at the age of 72. She passed away in her sleep at her home in Galway on Monday morning. Described as 'an extraordinary singer' and 'the kindest individual you could ever meet', she has been hailed as 'one of the greats' of Irish music.
Keane was a founding member of the influential group De Dannan in the 1970s, which achieved success in Ireland, the US and worldwide. After two years, she launched a solo career with her debut album There Was A Maid in 1978. She later moved to London with her then-husband John Faulkner, collaborating on film scores, BBC documentaries, and forming two bands, The Reel Union and Kinvara. By the mid-1980s she had returned to Ireland and rejoined De Dannan for two more albums.
In 1991 she released another solo album, followed by a record featuring the song 'A Lion in a Cage', a protest against Nelson Mandela’s imprisonment in South Africa. The single became her first Irish No 1, and she performed it upon Mandela’s release in 1990. In 1995 she received the Fiddler’s Green Hall of Fame award for her contribution to Irish music and culture. In 2022 she was honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the TG4 Gradam Ceoil awards.
Padraic Flaherty of Clare FM paid tribute, saying: 'Dolores Keane was one of the greats, an Irish music pioneer who helped open the door for generations of artists. Her voice was truly extraordinary. Rest in peace, Dolores.'
