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.
Hard To Say I'm Sorry
Celtic Thunder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I heard her say
From each other
Even lovers need a holiday
Far away from each other
Hold me now
It's hard for me to say I'm sorry
After all that we've been through
I will make it up to you
I promise to
After all that's been said and done
You're just a part of me I can't let go
I couldn't stand being kept away
Not for a day
From your body
Wouldn't want to be swept away
Far away
From the one that I love
Hold me now
Its hard for me to say I'm sorry
I just want you know
Hold me now
I really want to tell you I'm sorry
I could never let you go
After all that we've been through
I will make it up to you
I promise to
After all that's been said and done
You're just a part of me I can't let go
After all that we've been through
I will make it up to you
I promise to
After all that's been said and done
You're just a part of me I can't let go
After all that we've been through
I will make it up to you
I promise to
I do
The lyrics to Celtic Thunder's song "Hard to Say I'm Sorry" are a heart-wrenching reflection on the struggles of a relationship. The song speaks to the importance of taking time away from one another, which is necessary even for lovers. It acknowledges that distance can be difficult, but sometimes it is needed in order to refresh a frayed partnership. The chorus emphasizes the difficulty that the singer is having in admitting fault and in expressing sincere apologies. Though the singer longs for the other person's company, they cannot bring themselves to apologize without physically holding the person. The resolution of the song highlights the singer's refusal to let go of the relationship or the person, despite everything that has happened.
The chorus repeats itself three times, emphasizing the depth of the singer's apology and emphasizing the significance of the relationship, which cannot be undone. The verse further highlights that idea, as the singer acknowledges their inability to remain separated from the other person, saying they "couldn't stand being kept away / Not for a day / From your body." The song's emotional content creates an emotional response in the listener, and the concept of apologizing for past mistakes resonates with many who have experienced complex relationships.
"Hard to Say I'm Sorry" was originally performed by the band Chicago in 1982, and subsequently was re-recorded by the band Az Yet in 1997. Celtic Thunder's cover of the song has different sonic textures and a different structure than the original. Nevertheless, it is still one of the group's most popular songs.
Line by Line Meaning
Everybody needs a little time away
Everyone needs some time away from someone or something.
I heard her say
Someone said this to me.
From each other
From one another, from the other person, from those around you.
Even lovers need a holiday
Even people in love need a break, time off, vacation.
Far away from each other
Separated from one another by distance.
Hold me now
Please embrace me in your arms right now.
It's hard for me to say I'm sorry
It is difficult and painful for me to apologize.
I just want you to stay
Please do not leave me, I want you to be near me.
After all that we've been through
Despite all the things we have experienced together.
I will make it up to you
I will make amends for what I have done wrong or failed to do.
I promise to
I give you my word, I intend to follow through on this commitment.
You're just a part of me I can't let go
You are an inseparable part of my life, my being, and my heart.
I couldn't stand being kept away
I cannot tolerate being separated from you.
Not for a day
Not even for a single day.
From your body
From being near you, holding you, touching you.
Wouldn't want to be swept away
I would not desire to be carried off and separated from the one I love.
From the one that I love
From the person I love and care about deeply.
I really want to tell you I'm sorry
I truly desire to verbalize my remorse.
I could never let you go
I could never bring myself to end our relationship, to lose you.
I do
I wholeheartedly commit to this relationship and the promise I have made.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Universal Music Publishing Group
Written by: DAVID FOSTER, PETER CETERA
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@Jen999
Do not understand why so many comments criticize this amazing guy,.. they called him mechanical.. didn't like his hairstyle.. wasn't romantic enough.. wasnt as good as some of the other singers.. yada yada..
Come on.. give Keith a break! He has an amazing voice.. nothing whatsoever wrong with his appearance or his presentation.. he is an individual.. so he is different from the others.. what on God"s green earth is wrong with that?
Personally I love his hairstyle.. suits him perfectly.. he is his own man and knows what looks good on him..btw many of the commenters agree with me.. so..
Have been following Celtic Thunder for a long time.. and always appreciated how they took a bunch of different guys with different looks and hairstyles and put them altogether to make something beautiful happen..
In my opinion this was a great video., Keith is and always has been amazing each time he sings.. personally I feel sad when he gets all these negative comments.. he is doing his job.. and doing it extremely well.. and doesn't deserve so much negativity.. he deserves appreciation and a ton of hugs for being individual and doing it his way..🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗
You are a 10 out of 10 Keith.. and you are truly loved and appreciated by many who follow Celtic Thunder.. not easy it is to please everyone.. so please yourself and those you love.. they are the ones who matter :)
Jen999💙
@jeanpierrerdc9651
Tout le monde a besoin d’un peu de temps loin
Je l’ai entendue dire
L’un de l’autre
Même les amoureux ont besoin de vacances
Loin les uns des autres
Tenez-moi maintenant
C’est difficile pour moi de dire que je suis désolé
Je veux juste que tu restes
Après tout ce que nous avons traversé
Je me réconcilierai avec vous
Je promets de
Et après tout ce qui a été dit et fait
Tu n’es qu’une partie de moi, je ne peux pas lâcher prise, ooh-ooh
Je ne pouvais pas supporter d’être tenu à l’écart
Juste pour la journée
De votre corps
Je ne voudrais pas être emporté
Loin de celui que j’aime
Tenez-moi maintenant
C’est difficile pour moi de dire que je suis désolé
Je veux juste que vous sachiez
Tenez-moi maintenant
Je veux vraiment vous dire que je suis désolé
Je ne pourrais jamais te laisser partir
Après tout ce que nous avons traversé
Je me réconcilierai avec vous
Je promets de
Et après tout ce qui a été dit et fait
Tu n’es qu’une partie de moi, je ne peux pas lâcher prise
Après tout ce que nous avons traversé
Je me réconcilierai avec vous
Je promets de
Tu vas être la chanceuse
Quand on y arrive, on va sauter en l’air
Personne ne nous verra parce qu’il n’y a personne là-bas
Après tout, vous savez que nous nous en fichons vraiment
Attends, je vais t’y emmener
@deadlerduke1566
I wish all of the original thunder were back. I will always miss and remember Donaldson
@mariasmith2667
He's so cute.nice voice.♥️
@frankhendricks5918
Simple music can make you sing simple hug can make you feel better simple things can make you happy, i hope my simple Hello brings smile to your face,
@Jen999
Do not understand why so many comments criticize this amazing guy,.. they called him mechanical.. didn't like his hairstyle.. wasn't romantic enough.. wasnt as good as some of the other singers.. yada yada..
Come on.. give Keith a break! He has an amazing voice.. nothing whatsoever wrong with his appearance or his presentation.. he is an individual.. so he is different from the others.. what on God"s green earth is wrong with that?
Personally I love his hairstyle.. suits him perfectly.. he is his own man and knows what looks good on him..btw many of the commenters agree with me.. so..
Have been following Celtic Thunder for a long time.. and always appreciated how they took a bunch of different guys with different looks and hairstyles and put them altogether to make something beautiful happen..
In my opinion this was a great video., Keith is and always has been amazing each time he sings.. personally I feel sad when he gets all these negative comments.. he is doing his job.. and doing it extremely well.. and doesn't deserve so much negativity.. he deserves appreciation and a ton of hugs for being individual and doing it his way..🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗🤗
You are a 10 out of 10 Keith.. and you are truly loved and appreciated by many who follow Celtic Thunder.. not easy it is to please everyone.. so please yourself and those you love.. they are the ones who matter :)
Jen999💙
@audranorwood3113
Chicago … Peter Centera first sang “ It’s hard to say I’m sorry”! It was great then & it’s great with Keith singing it too!
@Jen999
@Audra Norwood Thank you Audra.. absolutely agree with you I do.. Chicago was one of my favorite bands.. so good it was to hear this beautiful song again.. and Keith sang it so well :)
@amandastoran6194
Virginia I agree with u he is just awesome
@Jen999
@Amanda Storan 🌹
@lmesiuol
@Virginia Powers come on! I'm just practicing my right to free speech and am expressing my personal opinion! It doesn't matter if no one agrees with me! I love to generate discussion
@michelleezeugo5098
Awesome Keith. I wish you were back with Celtic Thunder