They began by busking in Dublin;[2] their first booked performance was "to three people" at the Baggot Inn.[3]
In their first year, they busked on Grafton Street nearly every week and played 44 concerts, most of them at their father's publishing company's book launches, their mother's art exhibition openings or their brother's political campaign launches. Their first paying concert was upstairs in the Baggot Inn and was attended by only three people, one of whom was the broadcaster Bláthnaid Ní Chofaigh.
In 2006, the band collaborated with Ainu-Japanese artist OKI on the album "Kila & Oki."[3]
In 2008, Kíla recorded "The Ballad of Ronnie Drew" along with other artists as a tribute to the Dubliners singer. In 2010, the band collaborated with French composer Bruno Coulais on the soundtrack of Cartoon Saloon's Oscar-nominated movie, The Secret of Kells.[4] In the same year, their music was featured in three films: Maeve Murphy's Beyond the Fire, Ciarán O'Connor's Trafficked, and the award-winning Peter J. McCarthy documentary, Fight or Flight. In late 2011, Kíla published Book of Tunes, a book containing over 100 of their compositions, photos, poems and prose.
In 2015, the band collaborated with Bruno Coulais on the music for the Oscar-nominated animated feature, Song of the Sea,[4] and they received an Annie Award nomination for 'Outstanding Achievement in Music in an Animated Feature Production'. They also received an Emmy nomination for their work on the "Crossing The Line" production called, The Secret Life of the Shannon.
In 2020, Kíla recorded music for the 2019 film Arracht (for which they won an IFTA)[5] and the 2020 film Wolfwalkers. Arracht was nominated for 11 IFTA awards and won two, with Kíla awarded 'Best Original Score'. During the two COVID-19 lockdowns, the band performed six online concerts in a Wolfwalker-themed Saint Patrick's Day broadcast. After the lockdowns, they went on tour and produced three shows: Kíla and Tumble Circus (September 2021), Kíla le Prás (New Year's Eve 2021) and Kíla and Cairde for TradFest in the National Stadium (January 2022).
Members
In 1988, flute player and singer Colm Ó Snodaigh joined; in 1991, fiddler Colm Mac Con Iomaire and guitarist Dave Odlum left Kíla to join the band The Frames; Dee Armstrong replaced Colm on fiddle and guitarist Eoin O'Brien; and lead guitarist Dave Reidy joined. In 1994, Karl Odlum left and joined Mick Christopher's band The Mary Janes; he was replaced by jazz bassist Ed Kelly, who left in 1995 along with Eoin O'Brien after the release of Mind The Gap. Drummer and rhythm guitarist Lance Hogan took Eoin's place and Laurence O'Keefe filled in on bass until Brian Hogan became bass player prior to recording Tóg É Go Bog É (1996).
In 2009, Donegal guitarist Seanán Brennan joined the band to replace Hogan, who was on a sabbatical. In 2010, drummer Dave Hingerty was invited to join the band. In 2015, piper Eoin Dillon left and James Mahon replaced him. Dee Armstrong began playing with Kíla in 1991. She writes for three animated feature films with Cartoon Saloon.
Current members
Rossa Ó Snodaigh: mandolin, whistles and percussion (1987–present)
Rónán Ó Snodaigh: bodhrán and singer (1987–present)
Colm Ó Snodaigh: fluter and singer (1988–present)
Brian Hogan: bass (1996–present)
Seanán Brennan: acoustic and electric guitar, bass and mandola (2009–present)
Dave Hingerty: drums (2010–present)
James Mahon: flute, uilleann pipes and whistles (2015–present)
Dee Armstrong: fiddle percussion and hammered dulcimer (1991–present)
Former members
Eoin Dillon: uileann pipes (1987–2015)
Lance Hogan: guitar, djembe and drum kit (1995–2009)
Laurence O'Keefe: bass (1995–1996)
Eoin O'Brien: acoustic and electric guitar (1991–1995)
