11. DHS - Leo's Tavern

Aug 13, 2021, 04:26 PM

Shrine Eleven: it's a family affair.
Location:  55.026448, -8.273392
Speaker: Moya Brennan
Theme: gathering to entertain and enjoy.

Moya Brennan took time out from recording to tell us how Leo's came about, how the locals were a bit sceptical, but how over 50 years later, this place is still buzzing to the sound of live music.

One of the most famous pubs in Donegal by virtue of the prodigious siblings who made up most of Clannad as well as the fragrant Enya. It's well signposted and is 3 km south of Gweedore on the road to Crolly.

Leo has died and the tavern is now run now by son Bartley who ensures that music is at the very heart of the place still.

Legions of music lovers make the pilgrimage to this tavern in the hope that some of the Brennan kids are in town and might just be playing some of their latest work. It has been known to happen you know! As Moya tells us in the audio piece, she performs there once a month on a Friday for a singer/songwriter evening with the odd special guest in tow.

URL: Leo's Tavern

Audio taken from Donegal's Hallowed Sites on the Racontour Archive.
Spotify URL: Donegal's Hallowed Sites playlist on Spotify