▁music ▁set , ▁as ▁a ▁du o ▁called ▁' T umble we ed '. ▁ ▁O ' Con nell ▁attended ▁St ▁Joseph ' s ▁Second ary ▁School ▁in ▁Spanish ▁Point ▁from ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁to ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁where ▁she ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁school ▁cho ir . ▁She ▁was ▁also ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁" C úl ▁A od ha ▁Ch oir ", ▁led ▁by ▁P ead er ▁Ó ▁Ri ada , ▁that ▁sang ▁at ▁the ▁fun eral ▁of ▁Will ie ▁Cl ancy ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 3 . ▁ ▁Musical ▁career ▁ ▁Solo ▁career ▁O ' Con nell ▁began ▁her ▁professional ▁musical ▁journey ▁during ▁a ▁six - week ▁tour ▁of ▁the ▁US ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 0 , ▁as ▁vocal ist ▁for ▁the ▁tradition ally - based ▁C elt ic ▁group ▁De ▁D ann an . ▁The ▁following ▁year , ▁she ▁was ▁featured ▁on ▁the ▁band ' s ▁land mark ▁album , ▁The ▁Star ▁Sp ang led ▁Mol ly , ▁( where ▁she ▁has ▁the ▁lead ▁vocals ▁on ▁four ▁tracks ) ▁which ▁became ▁something ▁of ▁a ▁national ▁phenomen on ▁in ▁her ▁hom eland . ▁However , ▁not ▁long ▁after ▁joining ▁the ▁group ▁she ▁became ▁very ▁interested ▁in ▁the ▁experimental ▁roots ▁music ▁of ▁America ' s ▁New ▁Gr ass ▁Rev ival ▁when ▁the ▁bands ' ▁paths ▁crossed , ▁and ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁US ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁sett ling ▁in ▁Nash ville , ▁Tennessee . ▁There ▁she ▁met ▁new gr ass ▁pione ers