BIO
Dónal grew up in Warrenpoint, Northern Ireland.
With musicians in his family for generations, Dónal grew up singing in English and Irish. He played GAA for his schools, club and county. To pass the time on long car journeys, he and his brothers would work out 4-part harmonies in the backseat. He studied classical flute and tread the boards of the local drama group. Since leaving home, he has gathered diverse professional experience in legal practice, international diplomacy, project management, as well as international performance and music education work.
After studying Law, Dónal's career started off as an international human rights researcher.
Graduating in Law from the University of Cambridge in 2011 (Gonville & Caius), Dónal later attained a Distinction from the Irish Centre of Human Rights. He went on to work at the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva, Switzerland, representing the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders at the Human Rights Council (2014). Dónal has worked in non-governmental organisations and charities in the UK and Ireland; most recently the Dublin-based human rights organisation, Front Line Defenders.
He has since worked internationally as a performer, educator and producer.
Dónal is a highly-esteemed educator with one of Ireland's most unique educational portfolios. He has worked with musicians of all ages across Ireland and the UK, and his experience with ANÚNA's international Education programme includes tours to Canada 2013, Japan 2014, the Netherlands 2014, China 2015, and USA 2015. He featured on two ANÚNA albums (Illuminations 2014 & Revelation 2015), and has performed onstage in Beijing's National Centre for Performing Arts, Shanghai Conservatoire of Music, Tokyo's MAIHAMA Amphitheatre and Orchard Hall, Rotterdam's De Doelen, London's King's Place, and Dublin's O2 Arena at The Point. His current musical projects include Tourist Walk, folk band TRÚ and collaborative project, weavers.
Dónal is co-Director of the Irish Institute of Music (IIMS) along with Michael T. Dawson. Together they set up Fingal Academy of Music with the goal of offering the highest quality in musical education to students in North County Dublin. IIMS is now an international centre for music education. Dónal coaches with Ulster Youth Training Choir and National Boys' Choir of Great Britain, he is Director of Spanish-language ensemble Coro Cervantes, and has trained as a Community Music Leader with Musicians Without Borders, an international organisation that uses the power of music to bridge divides, connect communities, and heal the wounds of war. In 2015, he founded VOCALiSM (also known as Vocal Folk), a creative storytelling tool for speakers, advocates and singers.
He loves travelling (especially to Spain), playing football and surfing, and he is obsessed with film.
With musicians in his family for generations, Dónal grew up singing in English and Irish. He played GAA for his schools, club and county. To pass the time on long car journeys, he and his brothers would work out 4-part harmonies in the backseat. He studied classical flute and tread the boards of the local drama group. Since leaving home, he has gathered diverse professional experience in legal practice, international diplomacy, project management, as well as international performance and music education work.
After studying Law, Dónal's career started off as an international human rights researcher.
Graduating in Law from the University of Cambridge in 2011 (Gonville & Caius), Dónal later attained a Distinction from the Irish Centre of Human Rights. He went on to work at the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in Geneva, Switzerland, representing the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders at the Human Rights Council (2014). Dónal has worked in non-governmental organisations and charities in the UK and Ireland; most recently the Dublin-based human rights organisation, Front Line Defenders.
He has since worked internationally as a performer, educator and producer.
Dónal is a highly-esteemed educator with one of Ireland's most unique educational portfolios. He has worked with musicians of all ages across Ireland and the UK, and his experience with ANÚNA's international Education programme includes tours to Canada 2013, Japan 2014, the Netherlands 2014, China 2015, and USA 2015. He featured on two ANÚNA albums (Illuminations 2014 & Revelation 2015), and has performed onstage in Beijing's National Centre for Performing Arts, Shanghai Conservatoire of Music, Tokyo's MAIHAMA Amphitheatre and Orchard Hall, Rotterdam's De Doelen, London's King's Place, and Dublin's O2 Arena at The Point. His current musical projects include Tourist Walk, folk band TRÚ and collaborative project, weavers.
Dónal is co-Director of the Irish Institute of Music (IIMS) along with Michael T. Dawson. Together they set up Fingal Academy of Music with the goal of offering the highest quality in musical education to students in North County Dublin. IIMS is now an international centre for music education. Dónal coaches with Ulster Youth Training Choir and National Boys' Choir of Great Britain, he is Director of Spanish-language ensemble Coro Cervantes, and has trained as a Community Music Leader with Musicians Without Borders, an international organisation that uses the power of music to bridge divides, connect communities, and heal the wounds of war. In 2015, he founded VOCALiSM (also known as Vocal Folk), a creative storytelling tool for speakers, advocates and singers.
He loves travelling (especially to Spain), playing football and surfing, and he is obsessed with film.
