How Can I  Keep From Singing was first made famous by Irish singer-songwriter Enya from her album Shepherd Moons. The inclusion of that track in the new album by the #1 ensemble Celtic Woman was an exciting move. I am curious about their rendition. As I’ve always identified them with a huge arena sound. Their vocals are powerful but I also know that they can deliver songs with nuance and grace.

Yes I was pleased! I love the voice of Éabha McMahon. I think it is in my ‘repeat’ list in my iTunes. But this is only the beginning of what’s to come. There are fascinating renditions of tracks from popular Irish bands and solo artists like for  example the rousing Whole of the Moon originally done by The Waterboys. I See Fire (Ed Sheeran) is so good it threatens to be better than the original. Those who like popular Celtic groups will recognize many songs from this album. And if you are a hardcore lover of Irish music then there are also  Gaelic treats for you. According to the Daly press release:

“Óró sé do bheatha ‘bhaile,” an anthem closely connected with the 1916 Easter Rising. The group also delivers timeless traditional Irish songs such as “Bean Pháidín” and “Siúil A Run” highlighting the beauty of Ireland’s heritage and its Gaelic language.

You’d probably wonder if after 10 chart-topping albums the Celtic Woman sensation would loose its charm. But no. There are always surprises with each album. Destiny is an album that sounds contemporary as it is traditional. It is very ‘out there’ in terms of having the pop smarts and also in bringing young followers to the fold-those  who aspire to be the next  Mairéad Carlin, Susan McFadden, Éabha McMahon and violinist and founding member Máiréad Nesbitt.

Read the full press release below:

CELTIC WOMAN IS BACK!! U.S. TOUR HITS 85 CITIES 

 

CELEBRATES #1 WORLD MUSIC ALBUM, DESTINY

Irish music sensation CELTIC WOMAN celebrates their brand new album, DESTINY, on their 85-city North American concert tour of the same name.  DESTINY has dominated the #1 spot on Billboard’s World Music Chart for SEVEN weeks since its January release – their 9th record to hit #1 in a decade-long career, a true testament to the ensemble’s enduring popularity.  Celtic Woman will perform songs from DESTINY on its 85-city North American tour that launched in Nashville on March 4^th and continues through early July.

The DESTINY Tour features​ an entirely new production ​showcasing vocalists Mairéad Carlin, Susan McFadden and newest member Éabha McMahon along with violinist and founding member Máiréad Nesbitt, accompanied by a group of equally talented musicians and dancers.

DESTINY ( on Manhattan Records) is Celtic Woman’s 10th CD and features a fusion of traditional Irish music and modern songwriting including the Waterboys’ classic “The Whole of the Moon,” Ed Sheeran’s “I See Fire,” from The Hobbit film, ​Mutt Lange’s “Walk Beside Me,” Brendan Graham’s “Sometimes a Prayer Will Do,” and the popular theme song from video game, “Skyrim.”

​In 2016, as Ireland commemorates the Irish Rebellion of 100 years ago that led to its nation’s independence, Celtic Woman goes back to their roots and offers a rousing version of  “Óró sé do bheatha ‘bhaile,” an anthem closely connected with the 1916 Easter Rising. The group also delivers timeless traditional Irish songs such as “Bean Pháidín” and “Siúil A Run” highlighting the beauty of Ireland’s heritage and its Gaelic language.

The companion DVD DESTINY : Live in Concert, was filmed in Dublin, in the Round Room at the Mansion House, the historic home of the Lord Mayor of Dublin.  It has already begun airing on local public television stations as the latest in Celtic Woman’s lengthy series of successful PBS television concert specials.  The multi-platinum, all female ensemble made its debut on PBS in 2005 and has achieved massive success encompassing 10 chart-topping albums, nine PBS specials, over eight million albums sold, and platinum sales in nine countries. Celtic Woman regularly performs to sellout audiences across six continents and 23 countries, with an especially devoted following in America. Watch the DESTINY trailer here:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2QnCHBVM6Y0

For full tour dates and more information on Celtic Woman go to : www.celticwoman.com

US/Media Contact: Anita Daly/ Daly Communications/ 212 772 0852/ anitadaly@yahoo.com/ @dalycomm

CD + Digital Album tracklisting:

1. MY LAND
2.  Siúil a Rún

3. RIDE ON
4. THE WHOLE OF THE MOON

5. SKYRIM

6. HOW CAN I KEEP FROM SINGING

7. I SEE FIRE

8.  Tír na nÓg

9. Óró sé so bheatha ‘bhaile

10. SOMETIMES A PRAYER WILL DO

11. Bean Pháidín

12. WESTERING HOME

13. WHEN YOU GO
14. LIKE AN ANGEL PASSING THROUGH MY ROOM
15. WALK BESIDE ME
16. THE HILLS OF IRELAND

My Land

Brendan Graham, Rolf Lovland, Alana Graham (Peer/Universal Music)

Featuring Susan McFadden, Mairéad Carlin, Eabha McMahon and Máiréad Nesbitt

Produced by Gavin Murphy. Mixed by Andrew Boland.

Recorded by Tim Martin at Cauldron Studios, Dublin

Assistant Recording Engineer – David Montuy

Strings recorded by Damien Channelles at RTE Studio 1 Dublin

Strings arranged by Gavin Murphy & conducted by Joe Csibi

Musicians

Harp – Geraldine O’Doherty

Low Whistle – John O’Brien

Piano, Keyboards, Programming – Gavin Murphy

Guitar – Jimmy Smyth

Guitar – Bill Shanley

Bass Guitar – James Blennerhassett

Percussion- -Andy Reilly

Bagpipes – Anthony Byrne

Celtic Woman Choir (see below for details)

Celtic Woman String Orchestra (see below for details)

Siúil a Rún

Trad arr. Gavin Murphy (Rathmines Music Ltd)

Featuring Susan McFadden, Mairéad Carlin, Eabha McMahon and Máiréad Nesbitt

Produced by Gavin Murphy. Mixed by Andrew Boland.

Recorded by Tim Martin at Cauldron Studios, Dublin

Assistant Recording Engineer – David Montuy

Musicians

Harp – Geraldine O’Doherty

Low Whistle – John O’Brien

Percussion – Andy Reilly

Keyboards – Gavin Murphy

Guitar – Ewan Cowley

Celtic Woman Choir (see below for details)

Ride On

Jimmy MacCarthy (Universal Music)

Featuring Mairéad Carlin, Eabha McMahon and Máiréad Nesbit

Produced by Gavin Murphy. Mixed by Andrew Boland.

Recorded by Tim Martin at Cauldron Studios, Dublin

Assistant Recording Engineer – David Montuy

Musicians

Piano, Keyboards – Gavin Murphy

Percussion- Andy Reilly

Guitar – Jimmy Smyth

Guitar – Bill Shanley

Low Whistle John O’Brien

Upright Bass – James Blennerhassett

Harp – Geraldine O’Doherty

The Whole Of The Moon

Mike Scott (Warner Chappel Music)

Featuring Susan McFadden

Produced by Chris O’Brien & Graham Murphy

Recorded and Mixed at The Production Suite, Dublin

Musicians

Guitars, Keyboards, Accordion – Graham Murphy

Uilleann Pipes & Low Whistle – John O’ Brien

Backing Vocals – Davey Long

Backing Vocals – Fiona Harpur

Skyrim 

Jeremy Soule (Nettwerk Music)

Featuring Máiréad Nesbitt

Produced by Chris O’Brien & Graham Murphy

Recorded and Mixed at The Production Suite, Dublin

Musicians

Keyboards, Programming- Graham Murphy

Guitar – Bill Shanley

Uilleann Pipes & Low Whistle – John O’ Brien

Vocals – Meav Ní Mhaolchatha

Vocals – Eunan McDonald

How Can I Keep From Singing

Trad arr. Gavin Murphy/Meav Ni Mhaolchatha (Rathmines Music Ltd)

Featuring Éabha McMahon

Produced by Gavin Murphy. Mixed by Andrew Boland.

Recorded by Tim Martin at Cauldron Studios, Dublin

Assistant Recording Engineer – David Montuy

Strings recorded by Damien Channelles at RTE Studio 1 Dublin

Strings arranged by Gavin Murphy & conducted by Joe Csibi

Musicians

Keyboards – Gavin Murphy

Percussion- Andy Reilly

Guitar – Jimmy Smyth

Low Whistle John O’Brien

Upright Bass – James Blennerhassett

Celtic Woman Choir (see below for details)

Celtic Woman String Orchestra (see below for details)

I See Fire

Ed Sheeran (Sony/ATV Music)

Featuring Mairéad Carlin

Produced by Chris O’Brien & Graham Murphy

Recorded and Mixed at The Production Suite, Dublin

Musicians

Keyboards, Programming- Graham Murphy

Bass – James Blennerhassett

Cello – Ailbhe McDonagh

Spanish Guitar – Bill Shanley

Low Whistle – John O’Brien

Strings – Ken Rice

Backing Vocals – Davey Long

Backing Vocals – Fiona Harpur

Tír na nÓg

Hartmut Krech, Mark Nissen, Hannes Braun, Lukas Hainer (Sony/ATV/EMI gmbH)

Featuring Susan McFadden, Mairéad Carlin, Eabha McMahon and Máiréad Nesbitt

and Special Guest Oonagh

Produced by Hartmut Krech, Mark Nissen and Hannes Braun for Elephant Music

Musicians

All flutes by Sandro Friedrich

Stringed instruments by Ingo Hampf

Choirs by Alex prince, Tamara Olorga

Tapdance by Nicole Ohnesorge, Gyula Glaser, Constantin Kirsten (Irish Beats Dance Company Berlin)

Óró sé so bheatha ‘bhaile

Trad arr. Gavin Murphy/Meav Ni Mhaolchatha (Rathmines Music Ltd)

Featuring Meav Ni Mhaolchatha

and Susan McFadden, Mairéad Carlin, Eabha McMahon, Máiréad Nesbitt

Produced by Gavin Murphy. Mixed by Andrew Boland.

Recorded by Tim Martin at Cauldron Studios, Dublin

Assistant Recording Engineer – David Montuy

Musicians

Guitar- Jimmy Smyth

Guitar & Bouzouki – Bill Shanley

Drums and Percussion – Ray Fean

Uilleann Pipes- John O’Brien

Bass Guitar- James Blennerhassett

Piano/Keyboards – Gavin Murphy

Celtic Woman Choir (see below for details)

Sometimes A Prayer Will Do

Brendan Graham, Rolf Lovland (Peer/Universal Music)

Featuring Susan McFadden

Produced by Gavin Murphy. Mixed by Andrew Boland.

Recorded by Tim Martin at Cauldron Studios, Dublin

Assistant Recording Engineer – David Montuy

Strings recorded by Damien Channelles at RTE Studio 1 Dublin

Strings arranged by Gavin Murphy & conducted by Joe Csibi

Musicians

Piano/Keyboards – Gavin Murphy

Backing Vocals – Shelley Buckspan

Guitar – Jimmy Smyth

Guitar – Bill Shanley

Bass Guitar – James Blennerhassett

Low Whistle – John O’Brien

Drums and Percussion Ray Fean

Percussion- Andy Reilly

Celtic Woman Choir (see below for details)

Celtic Woman String Orchestra (see below for details)

Bean Pháidín

Trad arr. Gavin Murphy/Meav Ni Mhaolchatha (Rathmines Music Ltd)

Featuring Susan McFadden, Mairéad Carlin, Eabha McMahon and Máiréad Nesbitt

Produced by Gavin Murphy. Mixed by Andrew Boland.

Recorded by Tim Martin at Cauldron Studios, Dublin

Assistant Recording Engineer – David Montuy

Musicians

Percussion – Andy Reilly

Percussion – Ray Fean

Guitar – Jimmy Smyth

Guitar & Mandolin- Bill Shanley

Bass Guitar – James Blennerhassett

Piano – Gavin Murphy

Whistle – John O’Brien

Westering Home

Trad arr. Gavin Murphy (Rathmines Music Ltd)

Featuring Susan McFadden, Mairéad Carlin, Eabha McMahon and Máiréad Nesbitt

Produced by Gavin Murphy. Mixed by Andrew Boland.

Recorded by Tim Martin at Cauldron Studios, Dublin

Assistant Recording Engineer – David Montuy

Strings recorded by Damien Channelles at RTE Studio 1 Dublin

Strings arranged by Gavin Murphy & conducted by Joe Csibi

Musicians

Bagpipes – Anthony Byrne

Guitars – Jimmy Smyth

Guitar – Bill Shanley

Percussion – Andy Reilly

Drums – Ray Fean

Piano/Programming – Gavin Murphy

Upright Bass – James Blennerhassett

Celtic Woman Choir (see below for details)

Celtic Woman String Orchestra (see below for details)

When You Go

Bernd Wendlandt, William Billy Andrews (Valicon Songs/ Melodie der Welt/ Edition Little White Raven/ Rathmines Music Ltd)

Featuring Susan McFadden, Mairéad Carlin, Eabha McMahon and Máiréad Nesbitt

Produced by Bernd Wendlandt & William Billy Andrews

Recording, Mixing and Arrangement – Bernd Wendlandt

Musicians

Guitars – Jörg Weisselberg

Bouzouki -Oliver Pada

Hurdy-Gurdy – Staphan Groth

Flutes, Bag Pipe – Fiona

Keyboards, Programming -Bernd Wendlandt

Bass: William Billy Andrews

Drums: Felix Lehrmann

Like An Angel Passing Through My Room

Benny Andersson & Bjorn Ulvaeus (Bocu Music)

Featuring Maíréad Carlin

Produced by Gavin Murphy. Mixed by Andrew Boland.

Recorded by Tim Martin at Cauldron Studios, Dublin

Assistant Recording Engineer – David Montuy

Strings recorded by Damien Channelles at RTE Studio 1 Dublin

Strings arranged by Gavin Murphy & conducted by Joe Csibi

Musicians

Piano – Gavin Murphy

Celtic Woman String Orchestra (see below for details)

Walk Beside Me

Mutt Lange (Peer Music)

Featuring Éabha McMahon

Produced by Chris O’Brien & Graham Murphy

Recorded and Mixed at The Production Suite, Dublin

Musicians

Keyboards, Programming- Graham Murphy

Bass – James Blennerhassett

Strings – Ken Rice

Bagpipes – Anthony Byrne

Uilleann Pipes – John O’Brien

Backing Vocals – Davey Long

Backing Vocals – Fiona Harpur

The Hills of Ireland

Trad arr. Gavin Murphy/Máiréad Nesbitt (Rathmines Music Ltd)

Featuring Máiréad Nesbitt

Produced by Gavin Murphy. Mixed by Andrew Boland.

Recorded by Tim Martin at Cauldron Studios, Dublin

Assistant Recording Engineer – David Montuy

Strings recorded by Damien Channelles at RTE Studio 1 Dublin

Strings arranged by Gavin Murphy & conducted by Joe Csibi

Musicians

Piano/Keyboards – Gavin Murphy

Bass Guitar – Eoghan O’Neill

Guitars – Ewan Cowley

Drums, Percussion & Hand claps – Ray Fean

Celtic Woman String Orchestra (see below for details)

The Celtic Woman Choir: Shane Barriscale, Tristan Caldwell, Morgan Crowley, Ernest Dines, Louis Mahon, Eunan McDonald, Paul McGough (director), John McKeown, George Rice

The Celtic Woman String Orchestra

Leader: Kenneth Rice

Violin 1: Anita Vedres, Lynda O Connor, Sylvia Roberts, Karl Sweeney, Lidia Jeweloszewicz – Clarke, Katie O Connor, Istvan Bernacez

Violin 2:  Brona Fitzgerald, David O Doherty, Nicola Cleary, Ros Brown, Dara O Connel, Denise Doyle, Catherine Humphries, Matthew Wylie

Viola: Aine O Neill, Lisa Dowdall, Randall Devine, Karen Dervan, Carla Vedres, Niamh Roache

Cello: Gerald Peregrine, Yue Tang, Aibhe McDonagh, Delia Lynch.