In 1987, Irish composer Michael McGlynn founded the choir in an effort to create a physical voice for his compositions, many of which are strongly influenced by the history and mythology of his homeland. Ireland has a long and sophisticated history of traditional singing or sean nós. McGlynn uses this as the basis for much of his arrangement and composition. His own education in this form and his experiences as a classical musician drove him to develop a new musical vocabulary for his choir both as a composer and a choral director. The name Anúna is derived from the Gaelic term An Uaithne, a collective description for the three ancient forms of Irish music - Goltraí (song of lament), Geantraí (song of joy) and Suantraí (the lullaby). An Uaithne and subsequently ANÚNA, is a uniquely beautiful instrument. The purity and natural techniques that are employed by the singers explore the stories of ordinary people, poets, saints and scholars. Within these songs are universal truths told through the landscape, the philosophy and the mythology of Ireland and beyond.