Best Song Version Part 11: Isle Of Hope, Isle Of Tears

Welcome back to another episode of me desperately trying to avoid doing You Raise Me Up and The Parting Glass! (THERE’S JUST SO MANY) Shoutout to @rfcw for at least clearing Amazing Grace off my plate.

Personally, nothing could ever beat the original version for me. The New Ground is one of the most beautiful pieces I’ve ever heard, and I think the song works better as a group song than a solo anyway. I also have a lot of nostalgia surrounding it—I found it and was briefly obsessed with it before forgetting it when I switched playlists and then later found it and fell in love with it again. I also remember having my playlist on shuffle while struggling with a horrendous migraine and being left in utter shock at The New Ground’s majesty. Isle Of Hope, Isle Of Tears is a great song, but The New Ground is everything to me.

I will say, though, that Éabha’s voice is lovely in the VOA version, and I think I need to listen to that again because it’s been a long time since I last did.

I’m sure Chloë’s version is nice as well, though it does seem like an odd choice for the Celebration tour…I get that she filled in for Éabha, but wouldn’t it make more sense to use one of her many other solos? She did sing it on one of her solo albums, but still…

Overall, though, the Celebration tour setlists seem incredibly strange…like why is Megan singing I See Fire? That’s a Mairéad solo, and it’s not as though Mairéad wasn’t there! And why is Mairéad singing Isle Of Innisfree instead…although neither possess Órla’s otherworldly grace, that’s definitely more of a Megan song…I can much more easily hear Megan singing it than Mairéad, and I prefer Mairéad’s voice to Megan’s! (Although both are lovely, obviously.) And Megan singing The Voice…it just doesn’t fit her…also, Megan already had three solos from Ancient Land, so why didn’t they give her those? 😭 I’m so confused

I just listened to the Voices Of Angels version of this and instantly added it to my playlist! Although I still prefer the Songs From The Heart version, this song might show off Éabha’s voice better than any other (except for maybe Mná Na hÉireann, but that’s a group song). It does actually have potential to be a favourite of mine if it had The New Ground as an introduction, though I understand why they didn’t because of David Downes’ legal debacle. Although, it does seem that the terms of that may be a bit looser as Granuaile’s Dance was played for the 20th Anniversary special. Granted, Máiréad N did also cowrite that, but hopefully this means we could see more David Downes originals come back later.

I might have to abstain from voting because I can't vote fairly if Eabha's blue Homecoming dress is in the vote. Haha. 

I don't usually comment on dresses, hair, and make-up. But that might be my fav CW dress of all-time!!!

I might have to abstain from voting because I can't vote fairly if Eabha's blue Homecoming dress is in the vote. Haha. 

I don't usually comment on dresses, hair, and make-up. But that might be my fav CW dress of all-time!!!

Yes!!! That dress is so wonderful! The most beautiful shade of blue combined with that lovely shape with the skirt jutting out! All of the first act Homecoming gowns were incredibly lovely!

I might have to abstain from voting because I can't vote fairly if Eabha's blue Homecoming dress is in the vote. Haha. 

I don't usually comment on dresses, hair, and make-up. But that might be my fav CW dress of all-time!!!

Yes!!! That dress is so wonderful! The most beautiful shade of blue combined with that lovely shape with the skirt jutting out! All of the first act Homecoming gowns were incredibly lovely!

Ok now we're going way off topic. But I think I heard Tara say somewhere (or I read it on here) her Homecoming dress was her personal fav of all-time.

I'll get it back on track by commenting on your poll later. Sorry for hijacking your thread. 

I might have to abstain from voting because I can't vote fairly if Eabha's blue Homecoming dress is in the vote. Haha. 

I don't usually comment on dresses, hair, and make-up. But that might be my fav CW dress of all-time!!!

Yes!!! That dress is so wonderful! The most beautiful shade of blue combined with that lovely shape with the skirt jutting out! All of the first act Homecoming gowns were incredibly lovely!

Ok now we're going way off topic. But I think I heard Tara say somewhere (or I read it on here) her Homecoming dress was her personal fav of all-time.

I'll get it back on track by commenting on your poll later. Sorry for hijacking your thread. 

Don’t worry! I love talking about their dresses  …I’ll probably make a topic about favourite dresses of theirs anywhere from a few minutes from now to three to five business days…

I’m excited to see yours and others’ thoughts on this! If I had to guess, I’d say that Éabha’s rendition will win with the original being a close second…either that or a tie!

Here's a version of Megan after she left CW, at Eabha's CWF.

https://youtu.be/YDT8Umfh44U

Probably shouldn't be in your poll. But a very good cover and kind of a different version of Megan.

It is my pleasure to help ya clear Amazing Grace!! 

The group one is number one but Eabha is a close second!

Also, it was one of Susan's 10th Anniversary Tour solo's before Eabha joined in if I believe remember.
What is interesting is for the Dublin and Europe opening and start of the tour in January she had a different dress and also sang a new song never sang before called "Here to Stay". I think it was a test trial because once the US Tour came they changed her solo to Isle of Hope, Isle of Tear's.

It is my pleasure to help ya clear Amazing Grace!! 

The group one is number one but Eabha is a close second!

Also, it was one of Susan's 10th Anniversary Tour solo's before Eabha joined in if I believe remember.
What is interesting is for the Dublin and Europe opening and start of the tour in January she had a different dress and also sang a new song never sang before called "Here to Stay". I think it was a test trial because once the US Tour came they changed her solo to Isle of Hope, Isle of Tear's.

That’s interesting. I thought the solo version of Isle Of Hope, Isle Of Tears was a Gavin Murphy invention. Unless I got my timing wrong and he directed the 10th anniversary tour?

Susan absolutely would rock a solo rendition of that, though! I can see why they chose her for that. I wonder why they switched it to an Éabha solo for Voices Of Angels. In an alternate universe, Susan kept that while Éabha sang She Moved Through The Fair—which Éabha absolutely would sound incredible singing! It would be nice to see the third verse added (it always bothered me that they left out the third verse) to contrast with her calming voice. But Susan was also incredible with that song.

Did they still have The New Ground as an intro for Susan’s rendition?

It is my pleasure to help ya clear Amazing Grace!! 

The group one is number one but Eabha is a close second!

Also, it was one of Susan's 10th Anniversary Tour solo's before Eabha joined in if I believe remember.
What is interesting is for the Dublin and Europe opening and start of the tour in January she had a different dress and also sang a new song never sang before called "Here to Stay". I think it was a test trial because once the US Tour came they changed her solo to Isle of Hope, Isle of Tear's.

That’s interesting. I thought the solo version of Isle Of Hope, Isle Of Tears was a Gavin Murphy invention. Unless I got my timing wrong and he directed the 10th anniversary tour?

Susan absolutely would rock a solo rendition of that, though! I can see why they chose her for that. I wonder why they switched it to an Éabha solo for Voices Of Angels. In an alternate universe, Susan kept that while Éabha sang She Moved Through The Fair—which Éabha absolutely would sound incredible singing! It would be nice to see the third verse added (it always bothered me that they left out the third verse) to contrast with her calming voice. But Susan was also incredible with that song.

Did they still have The New Ground as an intro for Susan’s rendition?

The arrangement instrumental is Gavin Murphy version but having Susan sing it solo I think Celtic Woman really got interested in it with her since she did The Call as a solo for the first time on the Emerald Tour. She blew away The Call as a solo with her supreme power way ability to sing it in a new way as a power number. She did well on Isle of Hope, but it was meant for Eabha to do that one. They did do The New Ground but as an intro to a different song which is very interesting but for the moment don’t remember for which song they did instead!