Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill

Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill
Maighread in Cork, 2005
Background information
Birth name	Maighréad Ní Dhomhnaill
Born	1955 (age 61–62) Kells, County Meath, Ireland
Genres	Irish Traditional Celtic Folk
Occupation(s)	Singer
Years active	1969 – present
Labels	Gael-Linn Records
Associated acts	Skara Brae, T with the Maggies
Notable instruments
Voice

Maighread Ní Dhomhnaill (Irish pronunciation: [ˈmaiɾʲəd̪ˠ nʲiː ˈɣoːn̪ˠəlʲ]; born 1955) is an Irish traditional singer from Kells, County Meath. Known for her work with the short-lived, but very highly regarded Skara Brae and her collaborations with sister Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill, as well as other traditional musicians. Most recently she has recorded and performed with the West Ocean String Quartet (WOSQ).

Maighread is also, along with her sister Tríona, Moya Brennan, and Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh, part of a new Celtic supergroup T with the Maggies, who have released a new CD as of October 2010.

Maighread was brought up in Kells, County Meath. (In the 1930s some Irish-speaking families were relocated to Meath as part of a government scheme to create a new Gaeltacht area near Dublin). Her father's family were native Irish-speakers from Rann na Feirste, County Donegal and Maighread was therefore brought up speaking the language, along with her sister Tríona and brothers Éamonn, Mícheál and Conall.

Maighread comes from one of Ireland's best-known musical families. Her father was a well-known song collector and songwriter and her aunt, Néillí Ní Dhomhnaill, was a collector of traditional songs.

Maighread first came to prominence as a member of the group Skara Brae. The other members of the group were Mícheál Ó Domhnaill (her brother), Tríona Ní Dhomhnaill (her sister) and Derry's Dáithí Sproule. The only recording that the group made still remains a classic.