Where is Enya now? Inside the star's quiet castle life complete with 12 cats
The Irish singer has always sidestepped the limelight, and now lives in a castle with her cats and £98 million fortune.
Irish icon Enya now lives a lush reclusive life with her cats- despite having an asteroid and a fish species named in her honour. The songstress has sold a staggering 75 million albums without ever seeking the limelight or indulging in the trappings of fame, including never having toured.
The star now resides with her 12 feline companions in her Victorian stronghold near Dublin, which is not far from Bono's abode. Born Eithne Ní Bhraonáin, she hails from a musically abundant family in Gweedore, County Donegal, where she was immersed in a world of siblings, strings, and traditional harmonies, yet yearned for solitude, reports the Irish Mirror.
After a brief stint with Clannad, her family's band, during her teenage years, Enya ventured out on her own, joining forces with producer Nicky Ryan and his wife Roma in a creative, non-romantic partnership.
This trio dedicated years to meticulously sculpting their unique sound in near seclusion, producing tracks with up to hundreds of vocal layers. Throughout her career, Enya has lent her voice to songs in English, Gaelic, French, Latin, Tolkien's Sindarin and Quenya, and even a language of her own creation, Loxian.
The 1988 launch of 'Watermark' marked a turning point, as 'Orinoco Flow' swept through the Top 40 with its whimsy and uniqueness - surprisingly propelling album sales to 11 million. By the start of the new millennium, Enya was celebrated as one of the most successful female solo artists internationally.
Her track 'Only Time', used by CNN as an evocative backdrop to the chilling reports of the 9/11 attacks, entwined her music with a universal sense of mourning. The song gained newfound popularity after being reissued for charitable reasons, earning Enya a loyal following in the United States.
Nonetheless, despite a global fanbase that spans continents, Enya has remarkably never taken the plunge into touring.
In 1997, Enya invested £2.5 million into the 19th-century castle Manderley, transforming it with renovations, substantial security measures, and then seemingly disappearing from the public eye within its walls. A local told The Sun: "You wouldn't even know there was anyone there most of the time."
Enya's view on romance is that her work takes precedence, admitting: "After a bad day in the studio I'm dark and difficult to be with. I want and need to be on my own. What sort of man would be able to adapt?"
Her devotion lies elsewhere, with her saying: "My affairs are with melody and words and beautiful sounds. People think it sounds sad," before affirming, "but believe me, I'm happy. I am my music."
Enya's life has seen disturbing incidences of stalker obsession, including a 1996 episode where an Italian man tracked her for over a year and turned up at her parent's pub in Donegal sporting a pendant with her image. When confronted, the situation escalated as he wounded himself with a knife.
And if that wasn't horrifying enough, in 2005 another intruder invaded her castle, detaining a housemaid as he scoured the premises for Enya – who had taken refuge in a safe room. Following these events, Enya has stepped back from fan meet-and-greets and avoids public outings.
Within the walls of her castle, she is known to live with her cats. at one stage she was the companion to 12 cats. Her days are often spent in solitude, except for the company of the Ryan couple, her long-standing musical collaborators.
Even family visits are rare, with her own uncle saying: "She lives like a queen. She is a recluse."
Enya boasts four Grammy wins, an Oscar nomination for her part in 'The Lord of the Rings' soundtrack, and her music continues to influence new generations, echoing in tracks by The Fugees ('Ready or Not') and recently lending her 1987 melody 'Boadicea' to Metro Boomin and The Weeknd's 2022 chart-topper 'Creepin''.
Moreover, Enya was actively involved in 'Creepin''s creation, asserting her vision in the naming process by dismissing titles like 'IDWK', 'Undecided', 'Wanna Let You Know', and others, ultimately endorsing what Metro Boomin considers "the best name for it".
Enya's legacy is truly unique. She holds the title of the best-selling Irish solo artist of all time, has a minor planet - 6433 Enya - named after her, a species of fish in the Orinoco River was dubbed Leporinus enyae in her honour, and she boasts two honorary doctorates.
All this while maintaining her privacy and tranquillity.
"I don't like anybody else's opinion" she once said. "It's not a hanging offence not wanting to go to nightclubs. What happened to choice?".
Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.
You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.
All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in!
If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like.
To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
4 minutes ago
- Glasgow Times
French wildcard Lois Boisson makes history at Roland Garros with semi-final spot
The 22-year-old Frenchwoman, ranked 361 in the world, followed up her win over third seed Jessica Pegula with a 7-6 (6) 6-3 victory over Russian world number six Mirra Andreeva. Boisson dropped to the clay with her hands over her eyes in emotional scenes on a packed, ecstatic Court Philippe-Chatrier. 'I'm just proud of myself, because it was really tough for me to go into the semi-final,' she said. 'Every match was really tough, so I'm just proud about how it ends every time. And proud about what I do on the court.' Boisson's earnings from the year so far were £15,000, and she has now pocketed £580,000 for her fortnight's work in Paris. Her run has echoes of Emma Raducanu's charge through qualifying to win the US Open in 2021. If she goes on to win it, it would be even more unbelievable, as Raducanu was at least on the radar having reached the fourth round at Wimbledon before her New York triumph. Mirra Andreeva suffered in the second set (Jon Buckle/PA) And Boisson, who faces second seed Coco Gauff for a place in the final, freely admits she is dreaming of claiming the title. 'I think every kid who plays tennis has the dream to win a slam. More for French player to win Roland Garros, for sure,' she added. 'So, yeah, it's a dream. For sure I will go for the dream, because my dream is to win it, not to be in the semi-final. So I will try to do my best for it.' It was all too much for Russian 18-year-old Andreeva, who had two set points in the first but suffered a complete meltdown in the second. She told the crowd to 'shut up', received a code violation for whacking a ball into the stands, burst into tears and shouted at members of her coaching team to leave. Andreeva said: 'I think that the way I managed to kind of not react to anything in the first set – I think that if I would have been able to do this throughout the whole match, would have been great.' Boisson had suffered a career-threatening ACL injury before what was supposed to be her debut here last year and spent nine months recovering. She had won just one Tour-level match before Roland Garros, against Harriet Dart whose unpleasant comment that her opponent needed to wear deodorant must now be eating away at the British player this fortnight. Boisson is projected to rise to 65 in the WTA rankings, which would place her above Dart. Gauff had earlier scrapped her way past her fellow American Madison Keys, the seventh seed, 6-7 (6) 6-4 6-1. The 21-year-old faces arguably an even bigger test on Thursday against an inspired Boisson and 15,000 raucous Parisians on Court Philippe-Chatrier. 'I think there are two ways I have done it in the past,' said Gauff. 'Either, A, just pretend they're cheering for you, or B, just using it and not letting that get to you. 'I think it's just something that I will mentally prepare for if it were to happen and expect and be ready for.' Boisson had spent the morning hitting with none other than men's top seed Jannik Sinner. It seemed to do both the world of good, with Italian Sinner dispatching Alexander Bublik in straight sets. The Kazakh, who knocked out Jack Draper on Monday, was beaten 6-1 7-5 6-0.
Leader Live
19 minutes ago
- Leader Live
Marisa Abela and Harris Dickinson star in Audible Pride And Prejudice adaption
Bafta winner Abela, who stars in BBC Two drama Industry, will play romantic heroine Elizabeth Bennet, while Babygirl actor Dickinson will play her suitor Mr Darcy in the production, which will be released on September 9. Abela, 28, said of her role: 'Elizabeth Bennet is one of the most fiercely intelligent and iconic characters in literature, and stepping into her shoes has been an incredible honour. 'What I love about this adaptation is how it lets us hear her inner world in such a vivid, intimate way — it feels both timeless and fresh. 'Recording this with such a phenomenal cast and team was a true joy, and I can't wait for listeners to experience it.' The audiobook will also star Will Poulter as Mr Wickham, Jessie Buckley as Caroline Bingley and Bill Nighy as Mr Bennet. Dickinson, 28, added: 'Playing Mr Darcy was an amazing experience. I've always known him as this iconic character, but getting to really dive into the novel through this process gave me a whole new appreciation for him and the world. 'Being part of such a talented cast made it even better. It's a real privilege to be part of something so timeless.' The rest of the cast includes Glenn Close, who will be taking on the role of Lady Catherine De Bourgh, Marianne Jean-Baptiste as Mrs Bennet and David Gyasi as Mr Gardiner. Pride And Prejudice will be released in English, Castilian Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Brazilian Portuguese, with each version featuring a local cast. Aurelie de Troyer, head of regional content for Europe at Audible, said: 'It's remarkable how Pride And Prejudice has stood the test of time globally to be one of every generation's favourite love stories. 'Lulu Raczka's script is thrilling and conveys all of Jane Austen's energy in an engaging, modern way. 'Through the intimacy of audio, we have the unique ability to make the passion and romance truly electric and Marisa Abela and Harris Dickinson's chemistry as Elizabeth and Darcy is undeniable.' Audible says the new version is 'faithful to the original text', and features 'a unique interior perspective from Elizabeth'. The original novel was published by Austen in 1813, and has been adapted a number of times for film, television and theatre. Arguably the best known of these is the 1995 BBC TV version starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth. A 2005 film adaptation starred Keira Knightley and Matthew Macfadyen. In April, Netflix announced that Olivia Colman, Emma Corrin and Jack Lowden would star in a Pride And Prejudice series on the streaming platform.
Reuters
36 minutes ago
- Reuters
Fit and firing Boisson dares to dream as stunning French Open run rolls on
PARIS, June 4 (Reuters) - At Roland Garros, a venue that has crushed generations of French players, world number 361 Lois Boisson is daring to dream of an improbable triumph after she stormed into the French Open semi-finals on Wednesday to continue her magnificent run. The 22-year-old, in a Grand Slam main draw for the first time, beat Russian prodigy Mirra Andreeva in the quarter-finals having knocked out world number three Jessica Pegula in the previous round. Her WTA ranking belies the true level of Boisson, who was hovering around the 150th place when she sustained a serious knee injury a year ago. Now that she's fit, she is firing and has her eyes firmly fixed on the biggest prize. "For sure, every tennis player dreams of winning a Slam - and for a French player, Roland Garros even more so. I'll go for it because my dream is to win the final, not the semi-final,' Boisson, who will at least break into the world's top 70 next week, told a press conference. The daughter of a former professional basketball player, she has lit up the clay courts in Paris with her gutsy performances and calm demeanour under pressure — a far cry from how she used to be. "When I started tennis, I was very nervous, very emotional on court," Boisson, who faces world number two Coco Gauff on Thursday, told reporters. "It was hurting me too much. I realised I wouldn't go far if I stayed like that. I learned to control it." Boisson, who overcame Andreeva in a tense quarter-final, spoke of how her preparation remains constant whether she is facing a top-10 player or a qualifier. "The preparation is pretty much the same, whether it's against a number 300 or a top 10,' she said. "We analyse the opponent, then I focus on what I have to do with my gameplan.' GOOSEBUMPS Asked about the growing attention on her following her unexpected run, Boisson, who will pocket at least a 690,000 euro ($788,532) cheque for her participation in the semi-finals and can expect almost as much in endorsements and sponsorships, said: 'I don't really think about what's next. I just try to stay focused on this tournament. I'm enjoying what I receive on court and outside the court - it's incredible." The support from the French crowd has been electric, with chants and La Marseillaise ringing around Court Philippe Chatrier on Wednesday. 'At the warm-up, when they played La Marseillaise, I wasn't expecting it - it gave me goosebumps,' she said. 'Having the public behind me like this, it's a real boost.' Boisson said she had learned to embrace the pressure of playing at home - a prospect that has frozen generations of French players at Roland Garros. "Every player feels pressure, maybe more so for a French player at Roland Garros. But you have to deal with it, otherwise you can't win any matches," she said. "I can deal with it — it's okay." Her form has not improved by chance, she stressed. 'It's not a miracle. Maybe a little bit of luck, yes, but it's a lot of hard work too — especially after last year and my rehab.' Boisson, whose varied game has unsettled opponents throughout the tournament, said her natural style has always been one of variety and flair. "My game has always been like that, with a lot of variation. The more I train, the more I can fine-tune it. Maybe my forehand ball is a little different from the other girls'." ($1 = 0.8750 euros)
