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.
Raggle Taggle Gypsy
Celtic Thunder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
They came brave and boldly-o
One sang high and the other sang low
And the lady sang the raggle taggle gypsy-o
It was upstairs and downstairs the lady went
Put on her suit of leather-o
T'was a cry all around the door
It was late that night when the lord came in
Inquiring for his lady-o
The servant girl replied to her Lord
She's away wi' the raggle taggle gypsy-o
Oh, then saddle for me my milk white steed
My big horse is not speedy-o
I will ride and I?ll seek me bride
She's away wi' the raggle taggle gypsy-o
Then he rode east and he rode west
He rode north and south also
But when he rode to the wide open fields
It was there that he spied his lady-o
The song Raggle Taggle Gypsy tells the story of a rich lord who falls in love with a gypsy woman. The lord's lady is enticed by the wild and free lifestyle of the gypsies and decides to run away with them. The three old gypsies who come to the hall door of the lord's house are described as brave and bold. One gypsy sings high, another sings low, and the lady sings the raggle taggle gypsy-o. The lady is depicted as dressing in leather and leaving a cry all around the door as she runs away with the gypsies.
When the lord returns to his home and discovers that his lady has run off with the gypsies, he is heartbroken. He asks his servant girl about his lady's whereabouts and is informed that she is away with the raggle taggle gypsy-o. The lord then goes on a quest to find his love. He rides his milk white steed, deciding to look for his bride himself. He travels in all directions and eventually finds his lady in the wide open fields. She is still with the gypsies, but the lord is willing to forgive her and accept her back into his life.
Overall, the song tells a tale of forbidden love and the desire for freedom. The lord is willing to break societal norms and accept his lady's decision to leave him for a different way of life.
Line by Line Meaning
There were three old gypsies came to our hall door
Three gypsies came to our door, uninvited and without fear.
They came brave and boldly-o
They approached with courage and confidence.
One sang high and the other sang low
Each had a different pitch and style of singing.
And the lady sang the raggle taggle gypsy-o
The lady had a captivating voice that sang of the wandering gypsy lifestyle.
It was upstairs and downstairs the lady went
The lady searched the house for something, going up and down the stairs.
Put on her suit of leather-o
She changed into her outfit made from tough animal skin.
T'was a cry all around the door
Her departure was met with shouts of alarm from those nearby.
She's away wi' the raggle taggle gypsy-o
She left with the roaming gypsy, abandoning her former life and responsibilities.
It was late that night when the lord came in
The lord returned home in the late hours of the evening.
Inquiring for his lady-o
He asked after his partner.
The servant girl replied to her Lord
A servant answered in her place.
She's away wi' the raggle taggle gypsy-o
The servant informed him that the lady had left with the gypsy.
Oh, then saddle for me my milk white steed
He requested that his horse be prepared for him, a white horse that ran smoothly.
My big horse is not speedy-o
He explained that his larger horse was not fast enough for his purpose.
I will ride and I?ll seek me bride
He was determined to find his partner.
She's away wi' the raggle taggle gypsy-o
He was informed numerous times that she was indeed with the gypsy.
Then he rode east and he rode west
He searched in all directions, east and west.
He rode north and south also
His search was unyielding, spanning in all directions.
But when he rode to the wide open fields
It was not until he reached the vast open fields that he found her.
It was there that he spied his lady-o
It was in that location that he caught a glimpse of his partner.
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: MICHAEL SCOTT, COLIN BLAKEY, TREVOR SAMUEL HUTCHINSON, VINCENT GERARD KILDUFF, JAY DEE DAUGHERTY, ANTHONY THISTLETHWAITE, STEPHEN PATRICK WICKHAM, PD TRADITIONAL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@susanduncan6971
Celtic Thunder, no-one else like them, so pleased I found you, there’s no-one who could ever better you, in my eyes at least.XXXXXX
@laurahughes1913
I'm crying, so very sad. My friend and our husband's had tickets for the Fox Theater in Detroit to see these amazing guys. It was postponed because of stupid covid. Bull!!! I needed the peace and wonder of this concert so very badly. Can't wait to finally see them, but ...😪
@denisoneill4096
Yes you will
@Melebeck
Hope you enjoy it soon
@mike_havens
I love the ending one when the guy with the bigger drums realized the other wasn't done yet,he's like "Seriously?! I give up!" 😂
@julietolis1918
AMAZZZING. Right? And that glimps into Neil Byrne's multi talented abilities.
@talonsmith2016
id like to meet him. hes a goofball too lol
@pamelagardnerisenhour6866
I love you guys
I still miss George
I met George and the rest of the guys in Tulsa OK
@cormacdavid7355
Hello Pamela 👋 how are you?
@bettyebell2835
These lads are amazing!! it never ceases to amaze me how versatile they are in playing so many instruments