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.
Turning Away
Celtic Thunder Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In daylight we're oblivion
Our hearts so raw and clear
Are turning away, turning away from here
On the water we have walked
Like the fearless child
What was fastened we've unlocked
And in search of confirmation
We have jumped into the fire
And scrambled with our burning feet
Through uncontrolled desire
In darkness we do what we can
In daylight we're oblivion
Our hearts so raw and clear
Are turning away, turning away from here
There's a well upon the hill
From our ancient past
Where an age is standing
Still holding strong and fast
And there's those that try to tame it
And to carve it into stone
Ah but words cannot extinguish it
However hard they're thrown
In darkness we do what we can
In daylight we're oblivion
Our hearts so raw and clear
Are turning away, turning away from here
By Loch Etive they have worked
With their highland dreams
By Kilcrennan they have nourished
In the mountain streams.
And in searching for acceptance
They had given it away
Only the children of their children know
The price they had to pay
In darkness we do what we can
In daylight we're oblivion
Our hearts so raw and clear
Are turning away, turning away from here
The lyrics of Celtic Thunder's song Turning Away explore the concept of living in darkness versus living in daylight. The darkness and light are used metaphorically to represent different emotional states. The first verse describes how in darkness, we become resourceful and do what we can to survive. However, in daylight, we tend to be oblivious to the world around us, and our hearts become raw and clear as we try to cope with our struggles. The chorus repeats the idea that our hearts are turning away from our current location, probably meaning that we are trying to escape our present state or situation.
The second verse continues with the theme of taking risks and living life to the fullest. The water metaphor represents the unknown, and the fearless child denotes courage and faith in oneself. The verse talks of unlocking what was fastened, possibly meaning that we are exploring new opportunities or making new discoveries. The imagery of jumping into the fire and scrambling with our burning feet suggests that we are willing to do whatever it takes to achieve our goals, even if it requires sacrifice and hardship.
The third verse refers to an ancient well on a hill and a past that remains steadfast and unbreakable. The well represents something that cannot be tamed or controlled, and even words cannot extinguish its spirit. The verse can be perceived as a tribute to those who fought for their beliefs and stood their ground, even in the face of adversity. The remaining lines talk about generations of Highlanders who worked hard and sacrificed a lot to nourish their land and pass on their traditions to their children. The last line is particularly poignant, as it suggests that sometimes, only the next generation can understand the price that their ancestors had to pay.
Line by Line Meaning
In darkness we do what we can
We resort to any means necessary in the absence of light, even if it means making compromises.
In daylight we're oblivion
During the day, we become forgetful and can't retain good experiences from the past.
Our hearts so raw and clear
Our emotions are intense and easy to read.
Are turning away, turning away from here
We are choosing to remove ourselves from this situation or relationship.
On the water we have walked
We have taken risks and ventured into uncharted territory.
Like the fearless child
We did this with courage and excitement.
What was fastened we've unlocked
We have unraveled or exposed something that was previously unknown or hidden.
Revealing wondrous wild
This has exposed the beauty and excitement that is now available to us.
And in search of confirmation
We look for validation and assurance from others that we are on the right path.
We have jumped into the fire
We are willing to take risks and face challenges head on, even if it means getting burned in the process.
And scrambled with our burning feet
We are moving feverishly and desperately to solve a problem or reach a goal.
Through uncontrolled desire
Our passion and ambition is driving us forward without any sense of restraint or caution.
There's a well upon the hill
There is a source of nourishment and wisdom that is available to us.
From our ancient past
This is a legacy that has been passed down through generations.
Where an age is standing
This tradition has lasted for an extremely long time and will continue to do so.
Still holding strong and fast
This legacy is not going anywhere and will remain for future generations to benefit from.
And there's those that try to tame it
Some people try to control or manipulate this legacy for their own benefit.
And to carve it into stone
They attempt to make this legacy permanent and unyielding.
Ah but words cannot extinguish it
However, no matter what they do, this legacy will not be erased or forgotten.
However hard they're thrown
No matter how many attempts are made to destroy or alter it.
By Loch Etive they have worked
People have worked hard and tirelessly in this location to achieve their dreams.
With their highland dreams
These individuals have been driven by their aspirations and goals for something greater.
By Kilcrennan they have nourished
This place has provided nourishment and support for these individuals.
In the mountain streams.
Nature has provided a sense of purity and refreshment for these people.
And in searching for acceptance
People are seeking to be valued and approved of by others.
They had given it away
They have sacrificed something important in order to gain this acceptance or approval.
Only the children of their children know
The full extent of these sacrifices is known only by future generations.
The price they had to pay
The cost of acceptance and sacrifice was very high for these individuals.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Feather Stafford
I have to agree their voices work together and compliment each other. One of my favorite groups.
Jodi Anderson
Can't wait for the Fall Tour to start...so excited to see this one performed live, Amazing job!! Can't beat Celtic Thunder...they're the BEST!!!
karencampbellgreen
Been a HUGE Celtic Thunder Fan since 2009 and they never disappoint!!! Just keep getting better and better :)
Helen Dreyer
This entire troup makes me wish I was 25 again and making music for MY living. They all express such unchained joy in what they do. Don't ever stop the Thunder.
Gordon Mckinnon
It does not get any better than this,Celtic thunder has hit a home run with "Turning Away"There voices compliment each other,Gordon Mckinnon
Edith Gunn
Love these guys! Fabulous voices. Together or solo I can't listen to them enough.
Dee Chee
I just have to say this. I'm extremely picky when it comes to singing. Seriously, I'm the hardest person to please when it comes to music. Then I heard these guys sing... My heart nearly exploded! Their synchronization is nearly perfect and their harmonies are absolutely beautiful! And doing SIX rounds at THE SAME TIME?! It was absolutely flawless and incredible to hear! I love you guys!
Chey Richardson
I am so happy to hear these amazing men sing. =3 I love this song!!! I hope their music is forever kept alive, long live Celtic Thunder!!! XD
TheMajR Payne
Beyond stunning. Just can't get enough of this tune.
karencampbellgreen
Been a HUGE Celtic Thunder Fan since 2009 and they never disappoint!!! Just keep getting better and better :) Hope this is the closing song this Tour!!!