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1
« on: October 26, 2025, 06:15:32 PM »
Like you said in your "Best Song Version Part 1" post, this shouldn't be a happy song. It should have a more serious tone to it. I can see Muirgen singing it, in the tone of "A Stór Mo Chroí" on the 20th. So I voted for her.
I wholeheartedly agree! I hope that a rendition by Muirgen would sound like the Clannad version (here: https://youtu.be/OxfxbdPNQvQ?si=s_es7YDfeMbwT_If) with the sombre tone and inclusion of all the verses. I do hope they might include all of the verses someday! The original left out the last two and the Destiny and Ancient Land versions left out the third and fifth verses. (Although I can kind of understand using only three verses for the Destiny version with one verse for each vocalist.) It would also be wonderful to have Tara on the harp again! (assuming she’s back, of course 😬) The song sounds a bit incomplete without a harp in my opinion.
2
« on: October 25, 2025, 12:40:52 PM »
This is one of the songs that featured at least 3 separate arrangements across Celtic Woman Christmas albums.
Silent Night? There’s the original with Méav singing and Máiréad Nesbitt on the fiddle, the Home For Christmas with Méav singing without Máiréad’s fiddle, and the purely instrumental version on The Magic Of Christmas. There’s also the group performance Voices Of Angels version, but I’m unsure if it counts as VOA isn’t a Christmas album. I believe it is included in The Best Of Christmas, though?
3
« on: October 25, 2025, 10:52:18 AM »
This song is a group performance on the DVD versions, but more of a solo on the original album version.
I think I know. But I feel like I cheated because I read it in a post recently. Not sure I would have thought of it otherwise. So let's see if anyone else wants to answer first.
You Raise Me Up. It was primarlily a Lisa Kelly solo on the album, with the group coming in during the climax. It was a group number on that DVD and all subsequent albums and DVDs (with the exception of some compilation albums that used the original recording).
Yes! Sorry if that was too easy 😅 I know that’s probably an extremely well known fact in the CW fandom. I just wanted to add something to the thread because it’s quite fun to play!
4
« on: October 23, 2025, 11:48:48 PM »
It may be a bit late to ask this, seeing as it’s been seven years since this album, but who wrote County Down? It wasn’t listed as one of the tracks Gavin Murphy wrote on Wikipedia, but there’s no mention of who did write it. I looked it up and got nothing. Did Mairéad write it herself?
I looked inside the CD booklet.
Tommy Sands
Elm Grove Music
I love Ancient Land! I still watch a lot of the videos all the time.
Thank you!  I looked up the name and got some old pop singer who married Frank Sinatra’s daughter, so I’m assuming this is someone else…? I agree about the album, it’s my favourite one post-David Downes! Everything seemed to work so well together, and County Down is no exception! And Tara’s violin in the Ancient Land (which is really more of a solo for her, let’s be honest) is so ethereally haunting.
5
« on: October 23, 2025, 11:43:30 PM »
Nollaig na mBan (feat. Sibeal) is released.
It shows up on my YouTube and Spotify for example.
It's beautiful!!!
Thank you so much for letting me know! I’m listening to it right now.  It seems as though they’ve given Caitríona the first part, but it might be Sibéal (I haven’t heard much of either to be able to tell 😬). Either way, the opening lassie sounds absolutely majestic! Muirgen and Mairéad are incredible as well  I think this will end up being something I’ll listen to all year round . I am surprised the song isn’t in Irish. The title comes from one of the traditional twelve days of Christmas, and apparently is the title of another song by someone named Jennifer Licko, and although I haven’t listened to that yet, given that it took me three pages on Google to find it, I’m going to assume this one is a CW original. ADDENDUM (because I was too lazy to edit the first paragraph  ): I do believe after listening to some Sibéal (her rendition of The Wind That Shakes The Barley, which I would recommend! It’s quite captivating!) that it was indeed Caitríona in the beginning. Her voice is utterly enchanting and fits perfectly with CW. Also, I’m glad to finally have an answer to what song they were singing in the promo video that went “winter’s daughter with her tender song”, because that was driving me mad trying to figure out what it was! 😭
6
« on: October 22, 2025, 06:27:15 PM »
It may be a bit late to ask this, seeing as it’s been seven years since this album, but who wrote County Down? It wasn’t listed as one of the tracks Gavin Murphy wrote on Wikipedia, but there’s no mention of who did write it. I looked it up and got nothing. Did Mairéad write it herself?
7
« on: October 22, 2025, 04:10:29 PM »
Unfortunately the duet version wasn't recorded on a DVD, a Special, nor album. Instead, Emerald has Chloe and Lisa Lambe doing a duet version of "She Moved Through the Fair". It was so cool hearing Lynn take on another Meav song!!!!
I guess if we are going with DVD/Album my favorite would be the Destiny version. I loved Deirdre on that song! 🙂
I wasn’t sure about the Emerald duet version, hence why I added the question mark. I’d seen conflicting comments about it online, but I probably should have known that it wasn’t on there given the lack of YouTube clips and it not being listed as a bonus track on Wikipedia. Anyway, thanks for clearing that up!
I’m assuming the mentions of Lynn and Deirdre are in reference to old concert versions?
Conflicting comments for that duet 🤔...never seen
Lynn did it when she joined the Emerald Tour taking spot over for Lisa Lambe and did it again during her participation during the 10th Anniversary Tour!
Deirdre was during when she filled in for Meav during the Celtic Woman World Tour in 2005! You can find a clip of her performing it on YouTube from a longer recording.
I just saw the performance by Deirdre! She sounds absolutely lovely, thank you! Also, I think the mentions of the Emerald performance were elsewhere on here…maybe someone had seen it at the tour and misremembered it as being on the DVD? It could also be a regional thing, but Wikipedia mentions those, so I think my first theory is more likely.
8
« on: October 21, 2025, 05:24:33 PM »
Unfortunately the duet version wasn't recorded on a DVD, a Special, nor album. Instead, Emerald has Chloe and Lisa Lambe doing a duet version of "She Moved Through the Fair". It was so cool hearing Lynn take on another Meav song!!!!
I guess if we are going with DVD/Album my favorite would be the Destiny version. I loved Deirdre on that song! 🙂
I wasn’t sure about the Emerald duet version, hence why I added the question mark. I’d seen conflicting comments about it online, but I probably should have known that it wasn’t on there given the lack of YouTube clips and it not being listed as a bonus track on Wikipedia. Anyway, thanks for clearing that up! I’m assuming the mentions of Lynn and Deirdre are in reference to old concert versions?
9
« on: October 20, 2025, 02:45:39 PM »
NOTE: please keep in mind for all of these that I don’t have any of the DVDs (yet) and haven’t been to any concerts (yet) so although there’s probably some special version they did with Alex, Muirgen, Hayley, and Mairéad Z (the secret lost member only the real fans know about), I’m going off of somewhat limited experience and these are the only versions I know of so far. The original version is a special favourite of mine. It’s so incredibly catchy and showcases Méav’s enchanting voice best of all of her solos. It’s a major auditory stim for me 😭 everything just works so perfectly together! I also love the Destiny version, but it isn’t as catchy as the original (it still is incredibly catchy, there’s just a special magic with the first one!). The only recordings I’ve heard of the Emerald version were extremely low quality, so I don’t think I’d be able to provide a fair opinion of it, but I think I’d still prefer the original because Méav is my favourite vocalist of the group. Anyway, I’m curious to see what ye think! I don’t really have a particular prediction as to what will win (and this poll is set to go on forever so it could change over time), so that makes this all the more interesting!
10
« on: October 20, 2025, 12:35:32 PM »
I know most people on here have been fans since the 2004 PBS special and have been to many concerts and have every DVD, but unfortunately, I am not yet at that level. I wasn’t even born yet when the band was founded! As of now, I haven’t gotten to go to any concerts (a combination of me not being able to drive, my family, and most concerts being far away), and I don’t have any of the DVDs (although this could change soon—my birthday’s in 15 days!  )
I saw the birthday list on the bottom of the forum. So...
Happy Birthday!!!
Did you treat yourself to anything from CW?
Thank you so much!! I listened to a lot of their music today and my mum got me concert tickets!!!!! I’m so incredibly excited to go!!! I’ve never been happier about a birthday gift
Wow what a nice mom! That's a great gift!
After you go, you can post your thoughts, pics, etc in the "Toured" forum. Like here:
https://www.celticwomanforum.net/index.php?board=118.0
I know, she really is the best! I’ll be sure to post then!! It feels as though I’m part of some special club 😄
11
« on: October 19, 2025, 10:24:54 PM »
12
« on: October 19, 2025, 10:21:27 PM »
I’m starting a new series with reassigning old songs to the new members. They’ll mostly be solos, but I may do it with a duet or something. I won’t do instrumentals because I think it’s pretty obvious who would get those. 😂 (I feel like a millennial using that emoji 😭) Also, I’m combining Emma and Caitríona because we don’t know the exact status of their membership.
Also, let me know if this would be better as a thread in the Fun And Games section, which is where I originally considered putting it.
Anyway, there have been two solo versions of this song: one by Órla from Debut and Éabha on Ancient Land. (There was also the group performance on Destiny and they included Órla’s version from her solo album The Water Is Wide on Decade, but I’m not sure if either of those are relevant)
Personally, considering how both Órla and Éabha are altos (well, Éabha is a contralto), I’d continue the tradition and give it to Muirgen. Muirgen also has an extremely emotive voice, which would certainly fit a song about a lover gone off to war.
13
« on: October 19, 2025, 09:24:55 PM »
I am also surprised there is not more mention of Loreena McKennitt on here.
Nights from the Alhambra is still played occasionally on my local PBS. Just on that that album alone, there are these CW songs:
- She Moved Through the Fair
- Bonny Portmore
- Raglan Road (same tune as Dawning of the Day)
That is nice to know she is your fav musician! Have you ever seen her in person?
I have not been able to, alas! I was supposed to be able to go to her Christmas concert Under A Winter’s Moon this year, but couldn’t get tickets due to extenuating circumstances. Hopefully I’ll be able to attend something in the future.
You seem to have listened to her before, I’m curious, what’s your favourite song of hers?
Well, I have limited knowledge. Just what pops up on streaming radio. So far, I like The Mummers’ Dance and The Highwayman. If you have a suggestion for either a playlist or specific album, that might help narrow down where to start listening. She has a big catalog of music!
Hmmm…my personal favourite album of hers is The Book Of Secrets (which is where the songs you mentioned are from), but her albums with the most Celtic material are Elemental, Parallel Dreams, and The Wind That Shakes The Barley. On those, she has some renditions of songs Celtic Woman has also covered, including the ones you mentioned (well, Bonny Portmore is from The Visit and Raglan Road is exclusive to the Nights From The Alhambra, but She Moved Through The Fair is on Elemental), including Carrighfergus on Elemental (featuring Cedric Smith) and The Parting Glass on The Wind That Shakes The Barley. I’d recommend those albums, although her albums with more Mediterranean-influenced music are exquisite as well. My favourite song of hers is her version of the Scottish folk ballad Annachie Gordon (Parallel Dreams), although I will warn you that it is rather tragic and dark. She is also a tremendous songwriter, and my favourite examples of this are Beneath A Phrygian Sky (An Ancient Muse), Dante’s Prayer (The Book Of Secrets, also, Méav covered this on her debut solo album), The Old Ways (The Visit), and Skellig (The Book Of Secrets). PS: sorry if this was too much 😭 I can go a bit overboard when mentioning my special interests 😭
14
« on: October 17, 2025, 10:33:59 PM »
NOTE: please keep in mind for all of these that I don’t have any of the DVDs (yet) and haven’t been to any concerts (yet) so although there’s probably some special version they did with Alex, Muirgen, Hayley, and Mairéad Z (the secret lost member only the real fans know about), I’m going off of somewhat limited experience and these are the only versions I know of so far.
Anyway, I’m curious about this one! I know the VOA version is very popular but nothing will beat the ANJ version for me. The background arrangements are simply exquisite and the vocal talents of that era are unmatched. The exchange between Órla and Chloë’s lines lives rent free in my head! (We should have gotten some sort of duet between them, because the contrast of their voices is magical!) I’m also not fond of the changing everything to English in the later version, although that’s sort of a problem I have with most of their renditions of traditional songs (although it’s not that big of an issue and I can still enjoy them).
I’d also recommend checking out Órla’s solo version on her 2011 album My Land, it’s entirely in Irish and is absolutely exquisite.
Also, if anyone has more suggestions for these, I’d be thankful, because I’m running out of non-group performance ones that have more than two versions (at least, studio versions) 😭, I think I will start a new series soon with assigning older songs (mostly solos) to the new cast, i.e., Siúil A Rún or The Voice (I won’t be doing any instrumentals because I think it’s fairly obvious who’d get those 😂), so let me know if ye would prefer those to be a series of polls or just a normal thread.
15
« on: October 17, 2025, 10:24:19 PM »
I am also surprised there is not more mention of Loreena McKennitt on here.
Nights from the Alhambra is still played occasionally on my local PBS. Just on that that album alone, there are these CW songs:
- She Moved Through the Fair
- Bonny Portmore
- Raglan Road (same tune as Dawning of the Day)
That is nice to know she is your fav musician! Have you ever seen her in person?
I have not been able to, alas! I was supposed to be able to go to her Christmas concert Under A Winter’s Moon this year, but couldn’t get tickets due to extenuating circumstances. Hopefully I’ll be able to attend something in the future. You seem to have listened to her before, I’m curious, what’s your favourite song of hers?
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