Ancient Woods (featuring Harp Twins, Lynn Hilary, Eimear McGeown)
https://youtu.be/itaDTujVQas

And here's a short clip of my favorite song from the album, Hidden Forest:
https://www.facebook.com/officialtimjanis/videos/432250824030560/

Thanks!

Got mine!

Now to keep my fingers crossed I don't have another insane cluster of shows like in May.

Additional airings on PBS have been announced!

Maine PBS:
Saturday August 24 at 7:00 p.m

Detroit - DPTV:
Friday August 2nd

Southern Oregon Public Television
Saturday, September 7 @ 7:30pm
Thursday, September 12 @ 10pm
Sunday, October 6 @ 10:30am

Rhode Island PBS:
Thursday August 29th - 8pm
Friday August 30th - 1am
Friday August 30th 1pm
Wednesday September 11th 8pm

Plattsburgh, New York-Mountain Lake PBS:
Sat. 8/17 @ 5:30 PM

Chattanooga, TN-WTCI PBS:
Sunday, August 18th at 7:30 p.m

New Orleans PBS WYES
Saturday, August 10, 7pm & 10pm
Saturday, August 17, 4:30pm
Monday, August 19, 11pm
Sunday, August 25, 5:30pm

Evansville, IN WNIN:
Monday August 19th 7 to 9:30pm

SBSTV Australia:
Monday August 26 at 3 pm

Showing on more PBS stations nation-wide in 2020.

Still on the lookout for the DVD and physical CD release dates.

Yesterday was one year since the Ancient Land recording at Johnstown Castle was announced!

One of the shows I got to see while I was in Ireland was of course Jimmy's Hall, featuring Lisa Lambe.

To stir up some memories, here are a couple of recordings of songs Lisa Lambe was featured in during the show:

A Stor Mo Chroí (solo)

Bean Phaídín (as part of the company)

Céad míle fáilte (a hundred thousand welcomes).

Pronounced (roughly) kayd MEE-luh FAHL-cheh

It's a common greeting or salute in Ireland.

Could you please add Deirdre? She’s my favorite.

Wish granted. 

Before the Show

It was pretty hot and humid outside, though the rain in the forecast for most of the day had mercifully held off for the most part.

Traffic getting from the BnB to the show was fairly heavy, but Tracie and I got to the show with plenty of time to spare. We were one of the first ones there and there wasn't a line yet. We decided to get into the shade for a few minutes. That decision ended up being a costly one as within minutes, a bunch of the superfans arrived and started a line before we could get back in it. We still got pretty good seats in the second row though, but next time, I'll be starting the line instead of waiting to join an existing one.

We chatted a bit with some of the superfans (including Mike, Dee, the Scott's and a few others) as we waited to enter the venue.

There was an Irish pub a few steps away, right next to the Irish Arts Centre building, but it was packed.

The Venue

The show was at the Irish Cultural Centre of New England, in Canton, Massachusetts. There was a zipline park very close by, but we did not partake on this occasion. There was a boardwalk from the parking lot to the venne. The concert took place under a tent outdoors. The tent was partly open at the sides for the audience and performers to enter. There were translucent plastic windows along the sides. There were a few hundred plastic chairs set up under the tent.

Side-note: I never found out what "bring your picnics" meant.

At the front of the theatre, there was a fairly long stage with a large space in front of the stage for the pipe band and dancers. There was a backdrop with the Irish Cultural Centre logo on it, but aside from that the stage was nothing fancy.

There was a merch table at the back of the tent, operated by Mairead's good friend Tiffany. Available were signed copies of Mairead's CDs Hibernia and Devil's Bit Sessions. Kathleen Nesbitt's "Fidil" Irish Fiddle Tutorial book was also available. There were free copies of Travel and Culture magazine, featuring Mairead, as well as free promotional cards for Mairead's violin line.

The Show

The show opened with The Old Colony Higlander Pipe Band, which consisted of drummers and bagpipers. Then Mairead pranced onto the scene from stage left and began to dazzle us with her brilliance.

For the first act, Mairead was wearing a stunning gold sparkly dress.

Mairead was sometimes joined by the pipe band, Irish dancers of The Kenny Academy, and singer Ryann Murray. Ryann has a strong voice.

It didn't take long to realize this was one of the best audiences I've ever been part of. The place was practically filled. The audience clapped along enthusiastically to many of the songs. The applause was loud and there were a lot of well-deserved standing ovations.

Mairead asked us to sing Danny Boy with her and Ryann. There wasn't nearly as much participation as I thought there would have been, but other than that, the crowd was fantastic!

My favourite song of the first act was There Is No Night, which had me in tears. The first act ended with a thunderous rendition of The Dusk by Mairead, Ryann, the Pipe Band and the dancers.

For the second act, Mairead wore a white dress with a baby blue cloak. She started the act by walking across the back of the audience and then through the isle right where I was sitting. She gave me a smile and a little nudge with her shoulder as she approached the stage.

Mairead wore her white dress for the rest of the show but removed the blue cloak a few songs into the second act.

Mairead spent most of the show on the stage. She did several times venture out into the open area in front of the stage, where she engaged in a dizzying sequence of spins while playing her violin.

Ryann wore a gorgeous bright green sparkly dress in the second act. That is one of the most beautiful dresses I have ever seen and as a Celtic Woman fan, that's saying a lot.

It was fun to clap along to Granuaile's Dance as I imagined myself in the audience at Slane Castle.

It rained quite a bit during the show, but we were fortunately sheltered from the elements by the tent.

For the penultimate number of the second act, Mairead performed the theme from Game of Thrones, which was pretty awesome tribute (in spite of how disappointing the final season of the show was).

The finale of the night was, ironically, the Dawn (my favourite song from Hibernia). With the full cast on stage, it was a absolutely epic and it was the perfect way to end the show!

Set List

Act 1:

The Old Colony Higlander Pipe Band number
The First Sheaf (Invasion 2)
Becoming (Invasion 3) (Mairead with dancers for 2nd tune)
There is No Night
The Old Colony Higlander Pipe Band number
Ballydesmond Polkas (Hibernia 2) (Mairead with dancers)
Celtic Butterfly
My Heart Will Go On (singer Ryann Murray)
The Dusk (Mairead, then joined by dancers, then Highlander Pipe Band and Ryann)

Act 2:

Séan Ó Duibhir (Hibernia 1)
Belles of Tipperary (Hibernia 3) (with dancers second tune)
The Dark
The Old Colony Higlander Pipe Band number
Merrily Kiss the Quaker (Hibernia 3) (Mairead then joined by dancers)
Granuaile's Dance
Danny Boy (Mairead and Ryann and audiance)
Game of Thrones (start with Mairead, then all)
The Dawn (all)


Post Show

After the show, Mairead, the dancers, and Ryann returned to the stage for some group photos.

Then, those of us with Meet and Greet tickets proceeded into the main Irish Cultural Centre building. I found some show flyers outside the hall where the Meet and Greet was held and grabbed some to get signed.

Tracie and I got some photos with Ryann in her stunning green dress. Then, after a short wait, Mairead came to meet us. There were a LOT of people there to meet her so we waited for most of the crowd to dissipate before getting in line.

Mairead signed our posters and took some photos with us. Mairead is always on the move and I usually don't get to say much to her. This time, I got out most if what I wanted to tell her. I told her I appreciated all the energy and heart with which she performed and thanked her for all the joy she brings into my life. I told her that her performance of There Is No Night was beautiful. I also told her I loved The Hidden Forest from Tim Janis's Celtic Heart and the she and Lynn were amazing together.

We stuck around for a little while longer and took a group photo with Mairead and the superfans before saying goodbye to Mairead and heading back to the BnB.

Wrap Up

So ends this epic concert season which started with Mairead Nesbitt in Ohio in early March. It was an epic series of 12 shows that included Lisa Lambe, Lisa Kelly, Chloë, Lynn, and 4 Celtic Woman Ancient shows (including the one at Red Rocks). My next scheduled show is currently to see Mairead and Lynn in December, although I hope to see Chloë and maybe even CaraNua between now and then.

Some people wonder why I travel so much to concerts. Those of us here on the forum know the answer: because Mairead Nesbitt and all the other Celtic Woman performers, past and present, are worth every hour of planning, every penny spent, and every mile of the journey. <3

Great idea!

Here's another one:

Giorraíonn beirt bóthar (two people shorten the road)

It means company makes the time seem to pass more quickly and pleasantly on a long journey.