Leannáin (Band)

**Leannáin** is a Selkie-Rock Duo composed of Alaina Trasnaigh of the Tribe of Clonmel and Layla Dearg of the Tribe of Waterford. The band is at home in Ardán, near Inis.

The band is seen as a typical Selkie Hard Rock Band with loud and aggressive songs, as well as with an emphasis on the guitars. Many of the songs of the band are about military and warfare,

## Members

### Alaina Trasnaigh of the Tribe of Clonmel

Alaina is the electric guitarist and main-vocalist.

Born in 1994, Alaina is two months older then Layla, the age difference hardly mattering to either of them. Her parents were a carpenter and his wife,

### Layla Dearg of the Tribe of Waterford

Layla is the bass-guitarist and secondary vocalist, as well as able to play the keyboard.

In 2018, her father died after short illness. This led to the song Ár mBlocha Cloiche, Our Tombstones, from 2018's album *Crua ar chúis mhaith*.

## History

The two young women met first at the age of a few months, in their shared hometown of Ardán, near Inis. While their fathers got along well with each other, their mothers were old rivals and fought each other at any given and not-given opportunity.

The band came to a wider critical acclaim in 2014, with the concept album *Cross and Arrow*, the larger thematic context being the Crusade between 1280 and 1325.

In 2017, Layla's father died of a sudden stroke. That led to a creative pause, soon resulting in the album *Crua ar chúis mhaith* from 2018, focusing a lot on love and loss, but also on peace and tranquility. One of the songs, *Ár mBlocha Cloiche*, is to be seen as a memorial to Layla's Father and dedicated to him.

After the Battle of Falernum, Leannáin and Disread were troop entertainment for the SDF-Forces in Sadera, a bit of a reward for the men and women. They toured the stations, where the SDF was deployed, including their humanitarian efforts, and played two concerts.

From 2019, with Disread's shift to harder rock, Leannain discovered influences from Power Metal and adapted them to their needs, delivering 2019's *Arís sa Sárú arís*.

In early 2020, Leannáin played at the 2020 Port Serenity Music Festival, right after Disread.

## Style and Reception

Leannáin has often been compared to Dísréad, a comparison both bands neither dread nor try to avoid, mainly because while there are similarities, for example both women playing guitars, there are enough differences: Leannáin is known for its harder songs, sometimes aggressive vocals (or at least aggressively sung) and sometimes incorporating keyboards. They are seen as a typical band of the Selkie Hard Rock.

Leannáin's songs are loud and aggressive, with the guitar emphasized. Their topics are usually topic of military and warfare, although both members of the band deny, that they were glorifying war and fighting or that there was a political message behind their songs.

The only major exception to that is the 2018-album *Crua ar chúis mhaith*, *Hard for a good reason*, which focuses a lot on love and loss, but also on peace and tranquility, their 2018-song *Cúrsaí Síochána* (*Hounds of Peace*) stands as an often quoted example. They also delivered *Ár mBlocha Cloiche*, *Our Tombstones*, on the same album, presenting a song, in which they try to work over the loss of Layla's father. In general, *Crua ar chúis mhaith* won critical acclaim.

With Dísréad turning harder in Mid-2019, Leannáin turned to harder rock as well, discovering influences from Power Metal. 2019's *Arís sa Sárú arís*, *Into the Breach again*, was exactly that, their statement, that they were back in business and stronger then ever - and not only that, with a new format as well. *Arís sa Sárú arís* was a concept album, retelling the battles of the Marcach over their many centuries, shedding focus on some of them or their formations. The first song from that album, *Coinnigh na costais go léir*, *Hold at all costs*, premiered at the 2019 Cuan Spring Festival.

After experimenting with Power Metal Elements, the band returned to old strengths in 2020, releasing *Bog agus Crua* (*Soft and Hard*). The Album included songs of two genres, Selkie Hard Rock and Selkie Soft Rock. Main theme of the album is growing up, changing, and what it does with people. It was released to the Spring Festivals of 2020 and included several songs in English.

## Discography

* *Cross and Arrow* (Concept Album, the Crusade, 2014).
* Simplí Album (Collaboration Album, Comedy Rock, 2017).
* *Crua ar chúis mhaith*, *Hard for a good reason*, 2018.
	+ *Cúrsaí Síochána* (*Hounds of Peace*).
	+ *Ár mBlocha Cloiche* (*Our Tombstones*).
* *Arís sa Sárú arís*, *Into the Breach again*, 2019.
	+ *Coinnigh na costais go léir* (*Hold at all costs*).
	+ *Dínit Trodaí* (*Dignity of a Warrior*).
	+ *Seo deoch do na fir go léir* (*Here's a Drink to all the Men*).
	+ *Tine, Claíomh agus Creideamh* (*Fire, Sword and Faith*).
	+ *Mallacht an Mharthanóra* (*The Curse of the Survivor*).
* *Bog agus Crua* (*Soft and Hard*), 2020.