Enya says goodbye to much-loved father
ENYA and members of Clannad were on hand yesterday to bid a last farewell to father Leo Brennan who was laid to rest in Co. Donegal in a moving, music-filled ceremony.
Mourners turned out under grey skies to say goodbye to the loving husband, father and grandfather who brought music all over the county during his 90 years.
Parish priest Fr Pádraig Ó Baoighill paid tribute to Leo’s patience and said he never heard him say a cross word about anyone.
He said that outside of his wife Baba and his family, Leo’s obvious love was music.
Having spent many years as a musician, Leo bought a pub in Meenaleck, Crolly, in 1968 which he simply called Leo’s Tavern.
Fr Ó Baoighill said that long before there was the Wild Atlantic Way, Leo was responsible for bringing busloads of tourists into Donegal and entertaining them for hours.
But he said it was his genuine nature, his patience and his decency for which he will be remembered by many people.
Among those who came to pay their respects was former director general of RTÉ Cathal Goan, TDs Pearse Doherty and Pat ‘the Cope’ Gallagher and lead singer of Altan Mairéad Ní Mhaonaigh.
Tears flowed as members of Clannad paid musical tribute to their late father while a recording of Leo singing Danny Boy sent a shiver through the congregation.
Daughter and lead singer of Clannad Moya Brennan thanked everyone who had looked after her father in the final weeks of his life.
‘He was an amazing, husband, father and granda,’ she said. A lone piper led Leo’s coffin to his final resting place at nearby Magheragallon Cemetery.