ENYA THE CATHOLIC

Enya, birth name Eithne Patricia Ní Bhraonáin, sometimes presented in the media as Enya Brennan, was born on 17 May 1961, in Gweedore, County Donegal, Ireland, and is a four-time Grammy Award-winning singer, an Academy Award-nominated songwriter, and Ireland's best-selling solo artist (her record sales stand at 80 million as of 2009). She lives in a small castle in Ireland and is not married.
As a musical group, Enya is a collaboration between three people: Enya herself, who composes and performs the music; Nicky Ryan, who produces the albums, and Roma Ryan, who writes the lyrics in various languages.
Enya is an approximate transcription of how Eithne is pronounced in her native Irish, in the Donegal dialect. "Eithne" comes from Irish mythology and was chosen by Enya's grandfather.
MEANING of ENYA: eithne means “kernel of a nut or seed” but it may also be related to Aidan meaning “little fire.” There are at least nine St. Eithnes. One 6th century St. Eithne was the mother of St. Columba. Before the birth of her son an angel appeared to her displaying a beautifully colored cloak covered with wonderful flowers. When she reached for the cloak it rose into the air, and spreading out, floated over land and sea until it seemed to rest upon the hills of a distant land. This vision foretold that her little son was to travel over the seas and there win great distinction and honour.