Tír na nÓg are an Irish folk band formed in Dublin, Ireland, in 1969 by Leo O'Kelly and Sonny Condell. They are often considered as one of the first progressive folk bands. Well known on the folk circuit Leo O Kelly originally from Carlow and Sonny Condell of Wicklow have also toured internationally, as a support act for various rock bands, including Jethro Tull, Procol Harum, The Who and Emerson,Lake & Palmer. Tír na nÓg made three studio albums between 1971 and 1973. The first was called
Tír na nÓg and was produced by Bill Leader. It achieved Melody Maker Album of The Month on its release on May 1971. It featured mainly their own songs, strongly rooted in the Celtic tradition, but also influenced by eastern music. Condell and O'Kelly played acoustic guitars and occasional bongos and other percussion instruments. They released two further albums A Tear and a Smile (1972) and Strong in the Sun (1973).
After the breakup of Tír na nÓg in 1974, they both returned to Ireland to pursue solo careers. Condell recorded a solo album called Camouflage in 1977 and went on to form the band
Scullion with Philip King, Greg Boland and Jimmy
O'Brien Moran. O'Kelly pursued a career as a producer and has also released solo albums.
Tír na nÓg reformed in 1985, releasing the single "Love Is Like a Violin", and have toured sporadically since then. Three more albums have been produced: Hibernian in 2000, a 1995 live performance in Birmingham, and Spotlight in 2001, from the original John Peel BBC radio sessions in 1972/1973.
In 2010, they launched a new live album, Live at Sirius, recorded at the Sirius Arts Centre in Cobh, Co. Cork.
This is a welcome return after their stunning concert at Wexford Arts Centre last year. The intimate space at Wexford Arts Centre is ideal to experience the beauty of Leo and Sonny's unique guitar style with open tunings on both guitars and along with their hypnotic melodies they will sweep the audience away to an enchanted place, they won't want to leave. Miss this show at your peril!
Tir na nOg blew me away - that mix of Irishness, folk and Led Zeppelin" (David Kitt - Mojo Magazine)
“..a remarkable band…. they deliver a stunning performance that underlines their
reputation as being well founded…… the crowd utterly entranced.”
(Malcolm Dome – Classic Rock presents Prog – June 2012)
Tír na nÓg and was produced by Bill Leader. It achieved Melody Maker Album of The Month on its release on May 1971. It featured mainly their own songs, strongly rooted in the Celtic tradition, but also influenced by eastern music. Condell and O'Kelly played acoustic guitars and occasional bongos and other percussion instruments. They released two further albums A Tear and a Smile (1972) and Strong in the Sun (1973).
After the breakup of Tír na nÓg in 1974, they both returned to Ireland to pursue solo careers. Condell recorded a solo album called Camouflage in 1977 and went on to form the band
Scullion with Philip King, Greg Boland and Jimmy
O'Brien Moran. O'Kelly pursued a career as a producer and has also released solo albums.
Tír na nÓg reformed in 1985, releasing the single "Love Is Like a Violin", and have toured sporadically since then. Three more albums have been produced: Hibernian in 2000, a 1995 live performance in Birmingham, and Spotlight in 2001, from the original John Peel BBC radio sessions in 1972/1973.
In 2010, they launched a new live album, Live at Sirius, recorded at the Sirius Arts Centre in Cobh, Co. Cork.
This is a welcome return after their stunning concert at Wexford Arts Centre last year. The intimate space at Wexford Arts Centre is ideal to experience the beauty of Leo and Sonny's unique guitar style with open tunings on both guitars and along with their hypnotic melodies they will sweep the audience away to an enchanted place, they won't want to leave. Miss this show at your peril!
Tir na nOg blew me away - that mix of Irishness, folk and Led Zeppelin" (David Kitt - Mojo Magazine)
“..a remarkable band…. they deliver a stunning performance that underlines their
reputation as being well founded…… the crowd utterly entranced.”
(Malcolm Dome – Classic Rock presents Prog – June 2012)
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