That's awesome that you all are there (meaning CWazyTom, and of course your hubby)! Thanks for posting & esp. sharing pics! What a great setting. Love it!

So all new arrangements for CW songs (e.g. Like An Angel...)? Any word on when her EP is coming out?

Enjoy the rest of your trip!

That was a great show! They must have needed a mop for all the tears that accumulated on the ground in front of me. I loved Ronan's arrangements as well.

Mairéad's solo concert was Friday night in Derry, Northern Ireland. Mairéad's voice is literally my favorite thing on earth and has been for years, so of course the moment I found out about her solo concert I was coming for it. Gregg came with me for this one and saw her perform in person for the first time in over 3 years (I never could've gone that long!) We've had a wonderful vacation in Derry. We arrived one week before the concert, spent lots of time walking around this beautiful city and also took a couple of day trips out. We went to the lovely oceanside town of Portrush and went to the beautiful beach Benone Strand, which has special significance since Mairéad wrote a song of the same name. Just before we went there, we listened to Mairéad on a radio show and they debuted Benone Strand - my goodness it's outstanding! I loved it when she sang it on stage it last year as well!

Mairéad's concert was at St. Augustine's, which is a beautiful little church on the Derry walls. They call it the 'wee church on the walls'. It was a wonderful place for a concert. It's small, intimate, the acoustics were amazing, and they filled it with candles. So beautiful! We arrived quite early with it being general admission and while waiting at the door, were able to hear soundcheck. Sounded incredible just standing outside! Then we got our favorite spot, front row center (though I did offer to switch seats with Mairéad's mum who was behind me, but she didn't want the front).

Matthew Campbell from the group Shamrock Tenors opened for Mairéad. He was really good! He has an incredible voice and did a really fun set that the audience all sang along with. I would say though that 7 songs was a bit too long for an opening act. I would've preferred his set to be maybe 5 songs so Mairéad's set could be longer. I did enjoy his performance though and he got the audience warmed up to sing along with Mairéad later!

Then it was time for the real magic to begin! Mairéad sounded absolutely amazing as always! That voice - my goodness it just goes straight to my heart. There's nothing else in the world for me like hearing her sing in person and feeling pure joy in my heart. I love it so much! Her concert was breathtaking, stunning, gorgeous, outstanding, amazing, beautiful, incredible, magical - you name a good word and it describes her concert! It always amazes me too that I go into these performances fully expecting it to be all of those things and then she still manages to blow my mind! I love it with all my heart. Her band was Ronan Scolard, Matthew Campbell, and Cormac Crummey. They had a lot of instruments between the three of them and were so great. It was just perfect! Mairéad had the concert filmed to be released online later on. I'm thrilled to get to see it again and for you all to see it as well - you're going to love it!

I can't remember the exact order of the setlist other than the first couple and last couple since I was just absorbing all the magic, so apologies that this list isn't in order whatsoever, but here are the songs Mairéad sang:

Daisy
The Water Is Wide
Oft In The Stilly Night
Sitting In The Sky (her original song)
River Run
You Take My Breath Away
Wild Mountain Thyme
Caledonia
Orphan Girl
Sleepsong
Like An Angel Passing Through My Room
Benone Strand (her original song)
Sweet Thames Flow Softly
The Lark In The Clear Air
Let The River Run
Scarlet Ribbons

Loved this concert sooooo much! Really truly phenomenal! Every song was fabulous and she put together a setlist that flowed so nicely. I'd say I could pick out two favorites of the night - Sleepsong made my jaw drop and Benone Strand made me cry.

Mairéad was also so generous with the amount of personal time she spent with us. We had such a great time talking with her a lot over the past few days. Love being friends with her! At the end of the night after all going for drinks after the concert, Mairéad's mum asked me if she'll see me again. Yes, yes she will, 100% . Mairéad can keep telling me dates and locations where she'll be performing and I will keep going! Love this so much!

It's fine for the calendar. Even if Mairéad doesn't open for them (she probably will), Ronan performed with Celtic Woman, so it's a Celtic Woman related show.

Amazing Grace, feat Susan Mcfadden
https://youtu.be/LWbF0XK0Cuk

Oh🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩someone just posted a quality SUPERB
of Amazing Grace in Prague with Susan in Mairead's spot!

You can see Megan in love like she is to witness perform with her.

I've seen several clips but not this quality.
  IT'S UNBELIEVABLE THE SOUND SO EXACT TO WHEN with Mairead C!

This was the best tour segment because it was a beautiful moment for Susan had her maternity kept her from gracing the Ancient Land Castle filming and even though she claimed again in Postcards from Ireland this first time here shows her first time returning filling in and doing the top soprano role she is capable of!

While Lynn is by far the best replacement Celtic Woman has ever had to uphold the Soprano position of Meav, Susan is the second closest so far for filling in for Mairead C even though for solos it made not be. x