Celtic Thunder

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Irish band

title: "Celtic Thunder" type: doc version: 1 created: 2026-02-28 author: "Wikipedia contributors" status: active scope: public tags: ["irish-celtic-music-groups", "irish-folk-music-groups", "scottish-folk-music-groups", "green-linnet-records-artists", "2000s-in-irish-music", "2010s-in-irish-music", "2020s-in-irish-music"] description: "Irish band" topic_path: "arts" source: "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_Thunder" license: "CC BY-SA 4.0" wikipedia_page_id: 0 wikipedia_revision_id: 0

::summary Irish band ::

::data[format=table title="Infobox musical artist"]

FieldValue
nameCeltic Thunder
originIreland
labelDecca, Verve, Legacy
genre{{flatlist
years_active2007–present
website
current_membersNeil Byrne
Emmet Cahill
Damian McGinty
Ronan Scolard
past_membersPaul Byrom
George Donaldson†
Daniel Furlong
Keith Harkin
Colm Keegan
Ryan Kelly
Michael O'Dwyer
Emmett O'Hanlon
::

::callout[type=note] the band founded in Ireland in 2007 ::

| name = Celtic Thunder | image = | origin = Ireland | label = Decca, Verve, Legacy | genre = {{flatlist|

Celtic Thunder is an Irish singing group and stage show known for its eclectic, theatrical style show. The group is backed by the Celtic Thunder Band on their concert tours, and their live shows are known for the use of dramatic set pieces (often invoking symbols of ancient Celtic mythology), visual effects, and highly choreographed staging.

Since the original group's formation in 2007, Celtic Thunder has released twelve albums as well as ten live performances on DVD, three of which were split into two releases.

History

Celtic Thunder was conceived in the mind of producer Sharon Browne (Celtic Collections) who started the group in 2007. Celtic Thunder debuted in August 2007 at The Helix in Dublin, Ireland. They are accompanied by the Celtic Concert Orchestra under the direction of Phil Coulter, the musical director of the group.

In December 2008, 2009 and 2011, Billboard magazine named Celtic Thunder Top World Album Artist. Their first three albums also placed in the top 10 for World Albums.

In March 2009, Celtic Thunder opened the Saint Patrick's Day Parade in New York City.

On 28 November 2010, Celtic Thunder member Paul Byrom announced his resignation from the group to begin a solo career. He left the group when the 2010 concert tour was over.

In 2011, Damian McGinty (the group's youngest member) entered and won the Oxygen reality show The Glee Project. On 21 August 2011, McGinty announced on *The Glee Project*s Live Viewing Party, that he would be stepping down from Celtic Thunder due to his new role on Glee. McGinty returned to the group in 2015, and has been on their subsequent albums.

George Donaldson died of a heart attack on 12 March 2014 in his home in Glasgow.

Members

Current members

Past members

Band

Current Members:

  • Seamus Brett – keyboards, piano, assistant musical director
  • Daniel Thompson – keyboards
  • Kate Knudsvig – violin
  • Meabh O’Donnell - pipes, whistles
  • AJ Fullerton – guitars
  • Tim Philpott - bass
  • Forrest Raup – drums Past Members:
  • Muireann Ní She – pipes, whistles
  • Alex Goldberg – bass
  • Peter Sheridan – keyboards
  • Conal Early – guitars
  • Seána Davey – harp, concertina
  • Charlie Foley – bass
  • Nicole Hudson – violin
  • Laura Durrant – cello
  • Ruth O'Leary (Sephira) – violin
  • Joyce O'Leary (Sephira) – violin
  • David Munro – piano, musical director
  • Barry Kerr – pipes, whistles, bodhran, mandolin
  • Declan O'Donoghue – percussion

Creative team

  • Mark Jones – production director
  • David Munro – music director
  • Stuart McInnes – front-of-house audio engineer
  • Cameron Triplett - monitor engineer
  • Jean Clancy – marketing manager
  • Declan Browne – online merchandise manager
  • Matthew Browne – tour merchandise manager

Discography and videography

Studio albums

::data[format=table]

TitleDate of releaseMedia formatFeatured soloistsNotesSalesCertifications
Celtic Thunder: The Show18 March 2008CD & DVDByrom, Donaldson, Harkin, Kelly, McGinty
Celtic Thunder: Act Two16 September 2008CDByrom, Donaldson, Harkin, Kelly, McGinty
Celtic Thunder: Take Me Home14 July 2009CD & DVDByrom, Donaldson, Harkin, Kelly, McGinty
Celtic Thunder: It's Entertainment!9 February 2010CD & DVDByrne, Byrom, Donaldson, Harkin, Kelly, McGinty
Celtic Thunder: Christmas12 October 2010CD & DVDByrne, Byrom, Donaldson, Harkin, Kelly, McGinty
Celtic Thunder: Heritage22 February 2011CD & DVDByrne, Byrom, Donaldson, Harkin, Kelly, McGinty
Celtic Thunder: Storm20 September 2011CD & DVDByrne, Byrom, Donaldson, Harkin, Kelly, McGintyRecorded in 2009
Celtic Thunder: Voyage28 February 2012CD & DVDByrne, Cahill, Furlong, Donaldson, Harkin, Kelly
Celtic Thunder: Voyage II25 June 2012CD & DVDByrne, Cahill, Furlong, Donaldson, Harkin, Kelly,For online purchase only, re-released 2015 as New Voyage
Celtic Thunder: Mythology19 February 2013CD & DVDByrne, Cahill, Donaldson, Harkin, Keegan, KellyAlso available as 2 CD deluxe edition
Celtic Thunder: Christmas Voices11 October 2013CDByrne, Cahill, Donaldson, Harkin, Keegan, KellyRe-released 2014 as Holiday Symphony, 2015 as The Classic Christmas Album
The Very Best of Celtic Thunder13 March 2015CDByrne, Byrom, Cahill, Donaldson, Harkin, Keegan, Kelly, McGinty, O'HanlonAlso features re-recorded tracks to include Keegan and O'Hanlon
Celtic Thunder: Inspirational29 September 2017CDByrne, Byrom, Cahill, Donaldson, Furlong, Harkin, Kelly, McGinty, O'DwyerFeatures new tracks recorded May 2017 and a few old tracks
Celtic Thunder X2 March 2018CD & DVDByrne, Cahill, Kelly, McGinty, O’DwyerA new show for 2018 to celebrate 10 Years of Celtic Thunder
Celtic Thunder: Homeland12 March 2021CD & DVDByrne, Cahill, Donaldson, Harkin, Keegan, Kelly, McGinty, O'Dwyer, O'HanlonA new album and show celebrating the Irish music from the past 10 years of Celtic Thunder
Celtic Thunder: Odyssey24 November 2023 (CD) & 30 April 2024 (DVD)CD & DVDByrne, Cahill, Kelly (CD), McGinty, Scolard (DVD)A new show for 2023
Celtic Thunder: The Live Experience22 November 2024CDByrne, Cahill, McGinty, ScolardA live recording of Celtic Thunder: Odyssey
::

In 2015 Legacy re-released the whole Celtic Thunder back-catalogue, including re-releases of Celtic Thunder, Celtic Thunder: Act Two, Take Me Home, It's Entertainment!, Christmas (with new art work), Heritage, Storm, Voyage, New Voyage (originally entitled Voyage II), Mythology and The Classic Christmas Album (originally entitled Holiday Symphony). Some of the songs originally sung by Paul Byrom got re-recorded by Emmett O'Hanlon or Colm Keegan. All tracklists were revised.

Compilations

::data[format=table]

TitleDate of releaseMedia formatNotes
Celtic Thunder: Ireland's Call2010CDQVC bonus CD released along with It's Entertainment!; includes 5 tracks
Celtic Thunder: The Irish Collection2011CD11-track compilation released along with Storm; includes 1 new recording
Celtic Thunder: Heartland2012CD plus DVD15-track compilation
Celtic Thunder: Islands2013CD12-track compilation released for Celtic Thunder Cruise 2013; includes 2 new recordings
Celtic Thunder: Home2013DVDincludes fan favourites from previous DVDs
Celtic Thunder: Myths & Legends25 October 2013CD plus DVDAustralian exclusive package; behind the scenes DVD plus 14-track CD Mythology leftovers
Celtic Thunder: My Land18 April 2014CD plus DVDAustralian exclusive package; documentary DVD plus 8-track CD including Mythology leftovers
George2014CD & DVD16-track George Donaldson tribute album
Celtic Horizons2014CD16-track compilation released for Celtic Thunder Cruise 2014
Celtic Thunder: Celtic Roots Myths & Legends30 October 20153 CDs plus 3 DVDsamazon.com exclusive set including the complete Mythology recording session
Celtic Thunder: Emmet Cahill's Ireland2017CD13 track album featuring Emmet Cahill
Celtic Thunder: Ireland2020CD15 track album
::

Live albums

::data[format=table]

TitleDate of releaseMedia formatFeatured soloistsNotesCertifications
Celtic Thunder: Live & Unplugged at Sullivan Hall New York2013CD & DVDByrne, Cahill, Donaldson, Harkin, Keegan, Kellyfilmed in December 2012
Celtic Thunder: Legacy, Vol. 126 February 2016CD, DVD, Blu-ray, VinylByrne, Harkin, Keegan, Kelly, McGinty, O'HanlonMcGinty is credited as "special guest"
Celtic Thunder: Legacy, Vol. 212 August 2016CD, DVDByrne, Harkin, Keegan, Kelly, McGinty, O'Hanlononly available through PBS pledge drive until officially released in fall 2016
::

References

References

  1. (30 June 2008). "''Celtic Thunder'' in Dublin". WLIW21.
  2. "World Albums Artists – Year-End 2009". Billboard.
  3. "The Glee Project".
  4. [https://www.pbs12.org/about/pressroom/passing-of-principle-singer-george-donaldson/ Celtic Thunder Announces the Passing of Principle Singer George Donaldson]. pbs12.org. Retrieved 27th February 2024
  5. Wete, Brad. (1 October 2013). "Justin Timberlake's 'The 20/20 Experience' & 12 More Two-Album/One-Year Releases". Billboard.
  6. {{Cite certification
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  8. (25 January 2013). "Upcoming Releases 2013". Hits Daily Double.
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::callout[type=info title="Wikipedia Source"] This article was imported from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 License. Content has been adapted to SurfDoc format. Original contributors can be found on the article history page. ::

irish-celtic-music-groupsirish-folk-music-groupsscottish-folk-music-groupsgreen-linnet-records-artists2000s-in-irish-music2010s-in-irish-music2020s-in-irish-music