Áine Minogue

Born|  (1977-05-27) 27 May 1977 (age 48)
Borrisokane, County Tipperary, Ireland
Genres|

* Celtic
* world
* folk
* new age
* spiritual

Occupations|

* Musician
* singer-songwriter
* composer
* arranger

Instrument(s)| Harp, vocals
Years active| 1994–present
Labels| RCA Victor, BMG, Sounds True
Website| www.aineminogue.com

Musical artist

Áine Minogue (born 27 May 1977, Borrisokane, County Tipperary) is an Irish harpist, singer, arranger, and composer, now living in the Boston area.[2] She has recorded thirteen solo albums[3] in styles generally categorized as Celtic, world, folk, spiritual, and new age.[1]

## Early life

[edit]

Áine Minogue was born in Ireland to a family of ten, which often played and sang at traditional Irish events such as fleadhs and Hunting the Wren.[4] She was 12 when she started playing the Irish harp at a boarding school in Galway. Minogue became a harpist at Bunratty Castle in County Clare.[5] She obtained a Master's Degree in Traditional Irish Harp Performance from the University of Limerick.[6] She moved to Boston in 1990.[7]

## Music career

[edit]

Minogue's debut album, Were You at the Rock, consisted of traditional dance and concert pieces.[5]

Mysts of Time (1996) was a mix of traditional tunes and original songs, with mostly Gaelic lyrics. It was seen as belonging to the Irish wave of New Age/Celtic fusion and associated with the sound of Enya. Her voice was described as "fragile, lilting... like a gently windblown satin sheet."[8] To Warm the Winter's Night (1996) was a popular collection of Celtic and English midwinter and Christmas music.[9]

Circle of the Sun (1998) was a musical journey through the seasons with a focus on the four Celtic calendar festivals of Lughnasadh, Samhain, Imbolc, and Beltane.[10] She mixed her own Celtic harp with guitars, cellos, fiddles, flutes, and bodhráns, but also folk instruments from other traditions such as didgeridoo and djembe.[11] Celtic Lamentations (2005) explored how ancient people used music to mourn.[12] It won Zone Music Reporter's Best Celtic Album award.[13]

A Winter's Journey, a CatholicTV Christmas special produced by Minogue where she plays Celtic music with her friends in the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston, was nominated for a New England Emmy Award.[14]

## Discography

[edit]

### Solo albums

[edit]

Year  | Title[3] | Label

|
|

1994  | Were You at the Rock | Beacon Records
1996  | Mysts of Time | North Star Music
To Warm Winter's Night | Evergreen Music Recordings / Music Design
1997  | Between the Worlds | RCA Victor / RCA
1998  | Circle of the Sun | RCA
1999  | Vow: An Irish Wedding Celebration | North Star Music
2004  | Twilight Realm | Little Miller Music
Celtic Meditation Music | Gemini Sun / Sounds True
2005  | Celtic Lamentations
2008  | Celtic Pilgrimage
2012  | Close Your Eyes, Love: Lullabies of the Celtic Lands | CD Baby
2014  | Winter a Meditation | Self-published
2017  | In the Name of Stillness | Little Miller Music

### With Druidstone (band)

[edit]

* Vow: an Irish Wedding Celebration (1999)
* The Spirit of Christmas

### Collaborations and compilations

[edit]

* (Various Artists), Celtic Visions (RCA Victor/BMG)
* (Various Artists), "Sacred Spirit" Celtic Twilight (Hearts of Space)
* (Various Artists), Celtic Wave (Sony/BMG)
* (Various Artists), Dublin to Dakar (Putumayo)
* (Various Artists), Echoes Living Room Series, Vol. 4
* (Various Artists), A Winter's Tale (Universal)
* (Various Artists), "Celtic Lullaby" (Putumayo)
* (Various Artists), Exotica – World Music Divas (BMG Classics)
* (Various Artists), Celtic Heartbeat Christmas (Decca)
* (Various Artists), "European Playground" (Putumayo)
* (Various Artists), Celtic Christmas II (Windham Hill/BMG)
* (Various Artists), "Highlands IV" (Warner Bros)
* (Various Artists), "A Celtic Heartbeat Christmas" (Atlantic)
* (Various Artists), Celtic Spirit (Narada/Virgin)
* (Various Artists), Celtic Love (JVC Victor)
* (Various Artists), "Celtic Christmas" (Putumayo)
* (Various Artists), "Still" (Echoes)
* (Various Artists), "Celtic Dreamland" (Putumayo)
* (Various Artists), "Comfort & Joy" (Rounder)
* (Various Artists), "A Christmas Celtic Sojourn" (Rounder)
* (Various Artists), "Exotica, World Music Divas" (RCA Victor/BMG)
* John O'Donohue "To Bless the Space Between Us" (Sounds True)
* John O'Donohue, "Soul Friend/Anam Chara" spoken word (Sounds True)

### Special projects & collaborations

[edit]

* Tommy Makem Ancient Pulsing (PBS/TV and CD)
* Tommy Makem's Ireland (PBS/TV)
* John O'Donohue, "Soul Friend/Anam Chara" spoken word (Sounds True)
* Michael Dowling, Artist installation "Freshwater"
* Stirling Harris The Little Horse That Could (soundtrack)
* Wilfred E. Richard, Photographer The Four Seasons/Hidden Landscapes (soundtrack)
* Dr. Ray Shea Yeats Country (soundtrack)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Áine Minogue: Biography". AllMusic.
2. ^ "Aine Minogue at Club Passim". Boston Globe. April 1999.
3. ^ a b "Áine Minogue: Discography". AllMusic.
4. ^ "Winter solace". Mercury. 14 December 2005. p. 20.
5. ^ a b "Minogue masters 'ultimate instrument'". Boston Globe. 8 September 2005. p. C1-C4.
6. ^ "2018 Tutors". Spanish Peaks Harp Retreat. 2018.
7. ^ "This is Irish harpist's season of gratitude". Boston Globe. 1995.
8. ^ "ÁINE MINOGUE: The Mysts of Time". Billboard. Vol. 109, no. 27\. 5 July 1997. p. 97.
9. ^ "With Harp and Song, a Breath of Celtic Solstice". The Boston Globe (archived by HighBeam). 21 December 1999.[dead link]
10. ^ "Áine Minogue". Boston Irish Reporter. May 1998.
11. ^ "ÁINE MINOGUE: Circle of the Sun". Billboard. Vol. 110, no. 6\. 7 February 1998. p. 75.
12. ^ "Scott Alarik: Top CDs of 2005". The Boston Globe. 2005.
13. ^ "2005 NAR LifeStyle Music Award Winners". Zone Music Reporter. 2005.
14. ^ "A Winter's Journey". CatholicTV. 11 December 2015.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* United States

Artists|

* MusicBrainz