In 1985, film producer David Puttnam commissioned her to write music for his film The Frog Prince (1986) which was released in 1985. Eithne, apparently frustrated with being left in the background, left at the same time and, in Ryan's belief that she had talent in her own right, moved to live with him and his wife Roma Ryan and develop her own musical career. In 1982, Clannad split with their long-time manager and producer Nicky Ryan. Enya joined Clannad in 1980 and, credited under her real name, provided keyboards and (mostly) backing vocals. Changing their name to Clannad, and recruiting sister Maire Brennan in 1973, the band have gone on to international success performing both their own and traditional material. In 1968, elder brothers Ciarán & Pol, and uncles Pádraig & Noel Ó Dúgáin, formed the band "An Clan As Dobhar" to perform traditional Irish music at festivals etc. Her father owns a local pub - Leo's Tavern in Meenaleck - and her mother Baba taught music in the local school.
She now lives in Killiney, a coastal district on the southern outskirts of Dublin The family is very musical and her parents played in a family dance band before settling down.
Eithne Pádraigín Ní Bhraonáin, the fourth youngest of nine children, comes from the small village of Dore (Dobhar in Irish) in the Gweedore (Gaoth Dobhair) region of County Donegal in northwestern Ireland.