Celtic Woman
Songbirds: What happens when Riverdance runs dry? Will Ireland Inc evaporate in a puff of Celtic mist? Will we be flung back into the Dark Ages, when Irish dancers didn't oil their chests? Will the Celtic music sections of giant department stores be replaced by row upon row of Tyrolean yodelling compilations? Fear not: our Celtic cash cow is still safe thanks to five intrepid colleens whose mission is to keep the Irish brand name flying - right to the top of the Billboard Top New Artist Heatseekers Chart. Chloë Agnew, Lisa Kelly, Méav Ní Mhaolchatha, Órla Fallon and Máiréad Nesbitt are a Celtic music collective who have been jigging and reeling around the US, playing well- known Irish tunes, and giving them a new agey twist. So, when Riverdance finally grinds to a stop in a clatter of worn-out tap shoes, you can rest easy knowing that Celtic Woman are keeping the paddywhackery flame burning.
Gael force five: If you buy Celtic Woman's new CD (for your Auntie Peg from Pittsburgh, perhaps), you'll get shamrock-tinted readings of She Moved Thru the Fair and Danny Boy, guaranteed to get even your Jewish friends teary- eyed with nostalgia for the auld sod. You'll also get versions of classical favourites Ave Maria and Nella Fantasia, and easy-listening standards such as Enya's Orinoco Flow and Josh Groban's You Raise Me Up. Besides hitting the top of the Heatseekers chart, the CD has also spent four weeks at the top of the Billboard World Music chart. Not only is it selling like hot coddle, but a 90-minute live DVD, recorded at Dublin's Helix last year, has been on heavy rotation on PBS, the public broadcasting station.
Pot o' gold: Celtic Woman is more than just a group - it's a full-on Riverdance- style show, conceived by Sharon Browne, who looks set to follow Moya Doherty into Celtic legend. With help from Dave Kavanagh of label Celtic Collections, composer David Downes, the Irish Film Orchestra, Aontas Choral Group, percussionists Ray Fean and Robbie Carsserly, and a crew of 250, Browne has put together a show that hopes to outshine its flame-footed rival and bring fortune to all concerned. Looking at this shameless attempt to sell our heritage down the Swanee, we can only shake our heads and ask the obvious question: why the hell didn't we think of it first?
Little myth dynamite: At the core of Celtic Woman are five talented Irish gals, each of whom possesses her own musical super power. Lisa captures your heart with a song from Lord of the Rings; Méav knocks 'em dead with her soprano voice. Órla plays harp and sings Clannad's Harry's Game while Máiréad dazzles with her award-winning violin playing. Fifteen- year-old Chloë is the youngest of the Celtic women, and she has a lot to live up to: her mother is Twink.
