Irish bouzouki master Dónal Lunny, who co-founded Planxty and the celebrated Irish folk supergroup, dies aged 79 after battling cancer

Bono once hailed Dónal Lunny as Ireland's 'answer to Quincy Jones'. Taoiseach Micheál Martin called him 'a colossus of Irish music' after he passed away on Friday morning at St James's Hospital in Dublin. His family said he died 'peacefully' following a short stay. He produced 17 albums through his own label, Mulligan Records, and worked with Kate Bush, Elvis Costello and Mark Knopfler.

Lunny met Christy Moore at school in 1959, and they formed the Rakes of Kildare as teenagers.

Lunny designed his own bouzouki, believing it suited Irish music better than the guitar.

Moore once joked that Lunny skipped homework to go tickling trout in the Liffey.