Overview
- His family confirmed late Friday that Lunny died peacefully following a short stay in St James’s Hospital in Dublin.
- He rose to prominence in the 1960s and 1970s as a founding member of Planxty and a member of The Bothy Band and later played with Moving Hearts, helping to modernise traditional Irish music.
- Lunny championed the bouzouki in Irish music, wrote melodies and arrangements for traditional instruments, and founded Mulligan Records in 1973, producing 17 albums for a range of artists.
- Political and cultural figures, including the Taoiseach and Sinn Féin leader, paid tribute on social media while broadcasters and peers highlighted his influence on generations of musicians.
- He is survived by his partner Una O'Boyle and children Oisin, Cora Venus and Sora Chan, and recent honours include a 2025 lifetime achievement award and a 2026 RTÉ documentary and festival performances; one report mentioned a cancer battle but the family statement only noted a short hospital stay.