Celtic Thunder debuted in August 2007 at the Helix in Dublin, Ireland, accompanying the Celtic Concert Orchestra under the direction of Phil Coulter, the musical director of the group.
Since the group's formation, Celtic Thunder has released twelve albums: Celtic Thunder, Act Two, Take Me Home, It's Entertainment!, Celtic Thunder Christmas, Storm, Heritage, Voyage, Voyage II, Christmas Voices and Mythology as well as best-of collection Homeland, and twelve live performances on DVD, entitled Celtic Thunder: The Show, Take Me Home, It's Entertainment!, Storm, Christmas, Heritage, Voyage, Voyage II, Live and Unplugged and Mythology, as well as a Christmas performance. In December 2009 Billboard magazine named Celtic Thunder the Top World Album Artist.
Celtic Thunder is known for its eclectic style with songs ranging from a soloist to an ensemble focus. The group is backed by the Celtic Thunder Band on their concert tours, and their live shows are known for the use of dramatic effects via lighting and choreography as well as a stage set resembling an ancient stone pathway suggestive of those referenced in Celtic lore.
Members
The members of Celtic Thunder are (in alphabetical order of family name):
Neil Byrne (born November 16, 1977): Music has always been a major part of Neil's life. Born into a musical family, Neil’s father has worked as a professional musician his entire life and his mother is a huge fan of all music. By the age of 5, Neil was gripped by rhythm, which instinctively lead him to drum on anything in front of him. He began learning the guitar when he was 7, hugely helped and encouraged by his father. Later in life a mutual friend approached Neil and asked him to play at a function for one of Ireland’s most renowned songwriters and producers, Phil Coulter. When Sharon Browne and Phil began working on production for Celtic Thunder he was invited to record backing vocals for the debut DVD, and subsequently play lead guitar player for the live show. Neil would have to say the most memorable and prestigious performance of his career to date was in Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Since then he has toured America and Canada extensively with Celtic Thunder and most recently has joined the cast as the 6th leading vocalist with Celtic Thunder.
Paul Michael Byrom (born April 11, 1979) is from Dublin, Ireland. In addition to Celtic Thunder, he has also performed at major sporting events in Ireland and abroad, including singing at the All Ireland Finals in Dublin's Croke Park and at Heinz Field for a Pittsburgh Steelers game in the USA. He has also performed for Ireland's President, Mary McAleese, and for Emperor Akihito of Japan. Paul has released two albums: Velvet and I'll Be Home For Christmas. He left Celtic Thunder as of 2011 to pursue his solo career. Member from 2008-2011
George Donaldson (February 1, 1968- March 12, 2014) is the oldest member of the group and is a well-known balladeer, guitarist and flutist from Glasgow, Scotland. At Scotland's Celtic Park, Donaldson played to 65,000 fans at the opening match of the 2000-2001 season.
Keith Ronald Harkin, (born June 10, 1986), like Damian, is from Derry, Northern Ireland. He plays the guitar and has written one of the songs for Celtic Thunder: "Lauren and I". In 2008, a new solo album by Keith was rumoured to be in the working stages but has not yet been released as of mid 2009. Keith enjoys surfing and has written a song called Chasing Dreams that articulates his love for it. Keith has now recorded more original songs apart from Celtic Thunder, some titles include: Vanity, Don't Lose the Feeling, and What I Like.
Ryan John Kelly (born November 6, 1978) is from The Moy, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. He holds two degrees from the Queen's University Belfast, having earned a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and also a Graduate Diploma in Advanced Accounting, qualifying Ryan to be a chartered accountant.
Damian Joseph McGinty, Jr. (born September 9, 1992) was the youngest member of the group for 4 years and is from Derry, Northern Ireland. He recorded the first Celtic Thunder album when he was only fourteen years old. It is rumoured that McGinty will begin work on a solo album in the next 6 months. He won his first singing contest at the age of five. He recorded the first Celtic Thunder album when he was fourteen years old. McGinty lists Michael Buble, Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra among his inspirations.[5] On April 29, 2011 it was announced that Damian was chosen as one of 12 contenders for The Glee Project, a reality series on the Oxygen Network. He tied for first and had a guest starring role in the third season of the Fox hit TV show Glee. He debuted on Glee season 3 episode 4 Pot o' Gold. Though originally awarded a seven-episode arc, his run-time was later extended to 16 episodes including a guest appearance in season 4's Glee Actually. In the summer of 2013 Damian joined Paul Byrom for "The Me and My Shadow" Tour. McGinty is also part of Ethan Bortnick's concert.
Emmet Michael Cahill (born October 18, 1990) became Paul Byrom's replacement. 2010 was a very exciting year for Emmet Cahill; he was awarded the 2010 John Mc Cormack Bursary for the most Promising Young Tenor, and was named the most promising young singer at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. He has been a multiple prizewinner at the National Feis Ceoil singing competition in Ireland. Emmet is 20 years old and hails from Mullingar in County Westmeath in Ireland. His musical journey began when at just 5 years old he began learning the piano. By 7 Emmet had begun voice training, and he soon went on to win a music scholarship for high school in Mullingar and spend 5 years intensively studying and playing music. At school he furthered his studies in piano, organ and violin and vocal training, however singing has always been his true love. He continued his education at the prestigious Royal Irish Academy of Music where he received a university degree in Music Performance. He has been in many stage productions in Dublin and has performed on stage at the Gaiety Theatre, Dublin and as a soloist at the National Concert Hall. He is an avid sports fan and has performed twice at Croke Park in Dublin, in front of crowds of 90,000. One such occasion was for the 125th Anniversary of The GAA. He has also performed for the President of Ireland Mary McAleese and at several international rugby games Dublin’s new Aviva Stadium. Emmet also sings regularly at the Mullingar Cathedral.
He is a huge sports fan and has won many prizes playing football with his college and local teams. In his spare time, he also loves attending music and sporting events, playing the guitar and listening to music. He attended auditions for Celtic Thunder in June 2010 and was delighted to be asked by Sharon and Phil to join the show. Emmet Cahill is the latest addition to the Celtic Thunder family.
Daniel Furlong
Vocalist
Daniel Furlong was the newest (and youngest) member of Celtic Thunder. Daniel is 13 years old and hails from the town of Taghmon in County Wexford on the Southeast coast of Ireland. He is a boy soprano and was discovered when he entered a singing competition at the age of seven and won! Although Daniel is barely a teenager, he has been performing and singing in public for over six years. Daniels hometown of Wexford is synonymous with Opera and is host to the internationally acclaimed Opera Festival in October of every year. Indeed Daniel is no stranger to opera and played the role of Edgar in the Wexford Light Opera Society production of Ragtime in 2008. In 2008 and again in 2009, Daniel was also cast in the lead role of Oliver in the musical Oliver with both Oyster Lane and Festival productions. He has also performed solo on two national television stations in Ireland. In 2009 Daniel won an All Ireland Song Contest as a solo singer, competing with artists considerably older than he. In 2011 he won "The All Ireland Talent" Show a nationally televised talent competition and Irelands answer to Americas Got Talent. In light of all of his incredible achievements to date, his home county of Wexford honored Daniel by naming him "Wexford Person of the Year" for 2011.
Daniel describes himself as an outgoing and optimistic, friendly and a fun person. He likes to spend time with his friends and family, and he loves the chance to perform. He is quite competitive and loves playing team sports such as hurling, Gaelic football, soccer and rounders (softball). Music is obviously Daniels passion, he practices with his local choir "The Young Wexford Singers" every week and is also learning to play the guitar and the pigeon box. Daniel came to the attention of Celtic Thunder producer Sharon Browne, when he won the All Ireland Talent Show" and she quickly arranged to meet him. His energy and enthusiasm is infectious and once Sharon had met Daniel and seen him perform, she immediately offered him a place in Celtic Thunder. He performs an angelic version of Walking In The Air in the Christmas show and also sings solo in Heritage on Somewhere Over The Rainbow and the Josh Groban hit To Where You Are. Daniel also joins with other members of Celtic Thunder in the Ensembles and performs duets with Keith and Emmet.
Colm Joseph Keegan (born August 2, 1989) is from Dublin, Ireland. He attended University College Dublin on a music scholarship, graduating in 2011 with an honors degree in Music and Irish. Colm auditioned for and was selected for Celtic Thunder in May 2012 as a new vocalist, becoming a sixth member of the previously five-man group. He was formerly a member of the Aontas Choral Ensemble, who are known for their work with Celtic Woman. Colm appeared in the Celtic Woman DVDs 'Songs From The Heart' (2009) and 'Believe' (2011).
Emmett O'Hanlon (born July 9, 1991), Celtic Thunder's newest member, is Emmet Cahill's replacement. He is Irish- American. Emmett will be touring with Celtic Thunder during their Mythology tour and the Christmas Voices Symphony tour.
Beginning in March 2008, the group has been featured throughout the US on the PBS television network more than 1200 times, and during May and June 2008, members of the group were interviewed on dozens of local PBS stations during performances of their show
Celtic Thunder is also the name of a traditional Irish band formed in 1977. The band recorded three albums―1981’s Celtic Thunder; The Light of Other Days (1988), and Hard New York Days in 1996.
Friends In Low Places
Celtic Thunder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I showed up in boots
And ruined your black tie affair
The last one to know
The last one to show
I was the last one
You thought you’d see there
And I saw the surprise
When I took his glass of champagne
And I toasted you
Said, “Honey, we may be through
But you’ll never hear me complain”
‘Cause I’ve got friends in low places
Where the whiskey drowns
And the beer chases my blues away
And I’ll be okay
I’m not big on social graces
Think I’ll slip on down to the oasis
‘Cause I’ve got friends in low places
Well, I guess I was wrong
I just don’t belong
But then, I’ve been there before
Everything’s all right
And I’ll just say good night
And I’ll show myself to the door
Hey, I didn’t mean
To cause a big scene
Just give me an hour and then
Well, I’ll be as high
As that ivory tower
That you’re livin’ in
‘Cause I’ve got friends in low places
Where the whiskey drowns
And the beer chases my blues away
And I’ll be okay
I’m not big on social graces
Think I’ll slip on down to the oasis
‘Cause I’ve got friends in low places
Yeah, I’ve got friends in low places
Where the whiskey drowns
And the beer chases my blues away
And I’ll be okay
I’m not big on social graces
Think I’ll slip on down to the oasis
‘Cause I’ve got friends in low places
‘Cause I’ve got friends in low places
Where the whiskey drowns
And the beer chases my blues away
And I’ll be okay
I’m not big on social graces
Think I’ll slip on down to the oasis
‘Cause I’ve got friends in low places
The song "Friends In Low Places" by Celtic Thunder is a cover of Garth Brooks' 1990 hit. The song starts off with the singer acknowledging that they are to be blamed for their poor attire which has ruined the formal event that they are attending. They are aware that they are the last person expected to show up at the party, and the surprise in everyone's eyes is evident. Despite the awkwardness of the situation, the singer raises a toast to his love and accepts the fact that their relationship may be over.
The chorus of the song is the repeated idea that the singer has "friends in low places" where they can drink and forget their blues away. Although they may not fit in with high society or be familiar with social graces, they are content with the company of their low-class friends and can count on them in times of need. The singer acknowledges that they do not belong in the high society and will leave on their own accord. The song ends with the repetition of the chorus that emphasizes the singer's acceptance of their social status and how the friends they have are all they need to get by.
Line by Line Meaning
Blame it all on my roots
I apologize for my behavior, but I come from a different background that may not align with your expectations.
I showed up in boots
I came in a way that may not fit the formal atmosphere.
And ruined your black tie affair
My appearance and behavior disrupted the classy nature of the event.
The last one to know
I was not aware of the event's etiquette or the fact that I was the only one uninvited.
The last one to show
I was fashionably late due to my lack of experience with formal events.
I was the last one you thought you’d see there
No one expected me to attend and I was definitely not on the guest list.
And I saw the surprise
I noticed the shock on everyone's faces when they saw me.
And the fear in his eyes
I could tell that at least one person was afraid of what I might do or say.
When I took his glass of champagne
I did something that was considered rude or inappropriate by taking someone's champagne.
And I toasted you
I raised my glass in your honor and addressed you directly.
Said, “Honey, we may be through
I acknowledged that our relationship is over and there is no repairing it.
But you’ll never hear me complain”
I am a resilient person who can handle rejection without expressing too much sadness.
‘Cause I’ve got friends in low places
I have a group of friends who may not be high society, but they are reliable and supportive.
Where the whiskey drowns
In this environment, people tend to drink heavily to cope with their problems.
And the beer chases my blues away
Alcohol is a common way to escape from negative feelings.
And I’ll be okay
With the help of my friends and alcohol, I will survive this situation.
I’m not big on social graces
I am not skilled in the art of socializing and manners.
Think I’ll slip on down to the oasis
I will leave this formal setting and go to a more comfortable place where I can relax.
Well, I guess I was wrong
I realize now that I was mistaken in thinking I could fit in here.
I just don’t belong
I am not the type of person who is accepted in this type of social setting.
But then, I’ve been there before
I have felt like an outsider in such settings before.
Everything’s all right
I will leave without causing any further discomfort to anyone.
And I’ll just say good night
I will leave now and say goodbye.
And I’ll show myself to the door
I will make a graceful exit on my own.
Hey, I didn’t mean
I did not intend to cause any drama or trouble.
To cause a big scene
I did not want to create a disturbance or make anyone uncomfortable.
Just give me an hour and then
I need some time to gather my thoughts and emotions.
Well, I’ll be as high
I will feel better when I am drinking or under the influence.
As that ivory tower
I will feel as elevated and superior to others as those who think themselves above people like me.
That you’re livin’ in
I am referring to the high society people and their luxurious lifestyle.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC
Written by: Earl Lee, Dewayne Blackwell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@dianemarrs4304
Love Ryan’s voice and all the boys of Celtic Thunder.
@lucettepetitgas1958
44
@genirich
This is an awesome version of that song. Ryan Kelly is definitely an amazing singer.
@barbarashoemaker2469
To be honest, I got burnt out of this song years ago. But with Ryan on lead and the rest of the guys joining, I could listen to it again. Great job guys.
@juliejeffs9072
These guys can take ANY song and make it great!
@gramethyst2920
After all these years they are still wonderful! Ryan, George, Keith, and Damian always will have a place in my heart! The best part of this song is Ryan's smile after it ends!! What a joy to see him so happy.
@angelaferdon5956
Mine too❤️
@angelaferdon5956
Mine too, wish they could have lasted forever❤️
@carolstokes7094
It's a shame i only came across Celtic Thunder a few months ago Love listening to them all have great voices
@jennhalford6227
I love this song and no one can cover this song like the fabulous Ryan Kelly and the rest of the Celtic Thunder guys.