Celtic Woman Concert

I just came back from the fourth amazing concert I have attended with the group Celtic Woman.  As in the past, it was an absolutely incredible concert.  It was great to hear some of my favorite songs from the past, along with some great new songs as well.

Every time I have seen Celtic Woman, there has been a slight change in the main performers.  I have been privileged to see Susan McFadden all four times, Mairead Carlin three times, and Eabha McMahon twice.  All of them have unsurpassed vocal abilities, and I would go a long distance to see any one of them, or any of the other main vocalists I have seen in the Celtic Woman concerts (Chloe Agnew, Lisa Lambe, and Lynn Hilary).

 In the first three Celtic Woman concerts I attended, they still had their original fiddle player/violinist, Mairead Nesbitt.  She was a joy to hear and see, and I could not imagine a different fiddle player with the group.  Since the last concert, she decided to work on her solo career, and I look forward to hearing what she comes up with next.

The newest violinist/fiddle player and harpist for Celtic Woman is Tara McNeill.  She is also an amazing performer, who brings a versatility to the group as a multi-instrumentalist.  I can't imagine a better successor for Mairead.

One of the things I really enjoyed about this performance was that each of the main members of Celtic Woman gave commentary about their songs.  It added a new dimension to the songs, and my favorite accent in the world is that of the Irish.

There were many highlights of the performance:

• Danny Boy with the three vocalists and Tara on the harp.
• The song Walk Beside Me was amazing.  Tara's commentary at the beginning was also well thought out.
• The version of Ave Maria sung by Mairead Carlin was beyond compare.
• The songs sung by Eabha McMahon in the unaccompanied, sean nos style were hauntingly beautiful.
• Susan McFadden singing The Voice was incredible as usual.
• The fiddle tunes played by Tara were great.
• The Kesh Inn set done by the Celtic Woman Band and Tara McNeill brought back memories of sitting in the wonderful pubs of Ireland.
• I have heard many great version of The Parting Glass, but the one they did for this concert may have been my favorite.

A few times in my life, I have been privileged to attend concerts that were good for the soul.  This Celtic Woman performance, as well as the other Celtic Woman performances I have attended were definitely good for the soul, and were great inspirations in my life.  

The second time I went to a Celtic Woman concert (in Duluth, Miinnesota), I was inspired to go to Ireland.  I had a wonderful trip to Ireland with my Mom in May of 2015.  This performance has reinforced my desire to return to the Emerald Isle.