His brother Pádraig died in 2016. Clannad's international breakthrough came when the band were asked to record the theme for ITV mini-series Harry's Game, set during the Troubles in Northern Ireland.

Moya Brennan achieved mainstream success in the 1980s with Clannad, who wrote the theme tunes to TV shows Harry's Game and Robin of Sherwood Moya Brennan is known as the first lady of Celtic music.