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.
The Bachelor's Warning
Celtic Thunder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And I'll tell you of stories would provoke you to ponder
Your station in life, should you e'er take a wife
Who would cause naught but strife and pull all joys asunder.
The boys of the Nation, with great trepidation,
Do swear that they ne'er will consent to be throthed.,
But when out cavorting, imbibing, and courting,
For the face of a blackguard may look worn and haggard,
But full is his soul as he tears on the spree,
He has no distraction to give satisfaction,
It's happy he is to live single and free.
At each wedding feast, as they call in the priest
To invoke marriage blessings, the boys wonder in silence
If God will allow this poor man take a vow
To surrender his will and be doomed to compliance.
For many's the bachelor gets into a match
For the glories of love and connubial bliss,
Too late to discover his wife's not his lover
And he wishes his Missus was still just a Miss.
There was young Packy Hayes, all singin' the praise
Of the wee lass who's father was cursed with the naggin',
We knew if he married himself would be harried,
His songs now lament that his spirits are draggin'.
For the new Mrs. Hayes had a mouth full of nays
That she learned from her mother, a creature displeasin',
Their schemes and their plots tied Packy in knots,
They'd prevent peace from pleasin' his soul any season.
So young men take care if a wedding you dare,
Pick a girl that was raised to take great joy in life.
The woman you wed should delight in your bed,
And not stand on your hand like poor Packy's wife.
And you old ones take warning, lest you be left mourning
That no man will wed or take your daughter's hand,
If you will impart the goodwill of your heart
It's of peace and contentment you'll have full command.
The Bachelor's Warning is a classic Celtic Thunder melody that highlights the dangers of marriage and the importance of picking the right spouse. The song starts with the singer encouraging young men to listen carefully to the lyrics and think about their future before making a rash decision. He advises about the risks of marrying someone who is not compatible and would destroy all joys in life.
The song discusses the different reasons that might lead men to break their oath of staying single forever. They enjoy the distractions of youth and tend to forget about their promise when they find a girl with a striking appearance. However, the lyrics caution that looks can be deceiving, and many bachelors end up regretting their decision to marry someone who does not share their passions and interests. The chorus affirms that marriage can be a trap, and the bachelor might find himself tied to someone he does not love, longing for the freedom he had before.
The song's plot has a sub-story about young Packy Hayes, who sang praises for a lass with a worrisome family history. He eventually married her and found himself trapped in a life of misery and regret. The lyrics make a universal point that men should take care when choosing their spouses and pick someone who values life and happiness. The song is a gentle reminder to young men that marriage should be a deliberate decision and that they should not rush into it without careful thought.
Line by Line Meaning
Come hither me boys, well, I'll make some old noise
And I'll tell you of stories would provoke you to ponder
Your station in life, should you e'er take a wife
Who would cause naught but strife and pull all joys asunder.
Listen to me, young men. I've got some stories that will make you think about your life and whether you should marry a woman who would bring only trouble and ruin all happiness.
The boys of the Nation, with great trepidation,
Do swear that they ne'er will consent to be throthed.,
But when out cavorting, imbibing, and courting,
Their senses all dulled, they renege on their oath.
The men in the country are afraid of getting married and swear they will never do it. But once they start going out, drinking, and flirting, they forget their promise and change their minds.
For the face of a blackguard may look worn and haggard,
But full is his soul as he tears on the spree,
He has no distraction to give satisfaction,
It's happy he is to live single and free.
A rough-looking man may seem unhappy, but he's actually enjoying his wild lifestyle without any responsibilities or worries that come with marriage.
At each wedding feast, as they call in the priest
To invoke marriage blessings, the boys wonder in silence
If God will allow this poor man take a vow
To surrender his will and be doomed to compliance.
As they attend weddings and hear the priest bless the marriage, the men secretly question if it's fair for a man to give up his freedom and agree to obey his wife's wishes for the rest of his life.
For many's the bachelor gets into a match
For the glories of love and connubial bliss,
Too late to discover his wife's not his lover
And he wishes his Missus was still just a Miss.
Many single men get married hoping for love and happiness, only to realize too late that their wife doesn't really love them and they regret ever getting married.
There was young Packy Hayes, all singin' the praise
Of the wee lass who's father was cursed with the naggin',
We knew if he married himself would be harried,
His songs now lament that his spirits are draggin'.
A young man named Packy Hayes bragged about how great his girlfriend was, even though her father was annoying. We knew that if he married her, his life would be difficult. Now he sings sad songs because he's unhappy.
For the new Mrs. Hayes had a mouth full of nays
That she learned from her mother, a creature displeasin',
Their schemes and their plots tied Packy in knots,
They'd prevent peace from pleasin' his soul any season.
Packy's wife is always negative and controlling, just like her mother. Their plans and manipulations make Packy's life miserable and he can never find peace or happiness.
So young men take care if a wedding you dare,
Pick a girl that was raised to take great joy in life.
The woman you wed should delight in your bed,
And not stand on your hand like poor Packy's wife.
Young men, be careful when choosing a wife. Find a woman who is happy and enjoys life, and who will love and be intimate with you, not make your life miserable like Packy's wife did to him.
And you old ones take warning, lest you be left mourning
That no man will wed or take your daughter's hand,
If you will impart the goodwill of your heart
It's of peace and contentment you'll have full command.
Parents, be warned that if you don't teach your daughters to be kind and loving, no man will want to marry them. If you raise your children with love in your heart, you will have a peaceful and contented family.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT US, LLC
Written by: MURRAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind