Fuaimlaoi was formed by Ronan McDonagh in 2006 to promote and develop liturgical music that grows out of our native tradition. Based at St Teresa’s Church, Clarendon Street, Dublin, it comprises a dynamic group of talented and committed singers and instrumentalists who have a keen interest in both liturgical music and Irish culture.

The name Fuaimlaoi is a poetic joining of two Irish words: fuaim - meaning sound, and laoi - an old epic narrative poem, lyric or canticle. Linking both evokes a sense of the sound of our native spiritual song.

Ronan McDonagh KSG

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Ronan is a native of Kiltimagh, Co. Mayo. At an early age he became immersed in traditional Irish music, winning All-Ireland titles at Fleadh Cheoil na hÉireann and Slógadh. His organ studies began at the Schola Cantorum, St Finian’s College, Mullingar, and continued with Professor Gerard Gillen at Dublin’s Pro-Cathedral. He has obtained a BMus degree from UCD, a Masters Degree in the Performance and Interpretation of Organ Music from NUI Maynooth, and holds the Performance Licentiate of Trinity College, London.

Since 1990, Ronan has held the full time position of Organist and Director of Music at St Teresa’s Church, Clarendon Street, Dublin. He is widely known as a liturgical music composer, with many of his compositions published in Ireland and in the United States.

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Awarded a Papal Knighthood by the Holy See for services to church music, Ronan was invested into the Pontifical Equestrian Order of St Gregory the Great (KSG) in 2021.