Hang the Holley: The Irish Rovers

Hang the Holly is an inside look into the latest episode of the Celtic Christmas Podcast. The first teaser episode of the 2020 season came out last week. I want to share a little bit about one of the artists in the show, namely Celtic Woman. But first, the first episode of 2020 is show #55. It features Celtic Christmas music from eight Celtic artists with Christmas holiday music, including: Angus Mohr, Don Grieve, The Irish Rovers, Marc Gunn, Alexander James Adams, The Wee Heavies, Matthew Young, Celtic Woman. Show #55 is a shorter episode. Most shows will be about an hour long. They also no available on Spotify or YouTube. So if you want to hear those shows, please subscribe the podcast at CelticChristmasPodcast.com. Let's get on with the show. Are you searching for a GRAMMY-nominated, multi-platinum, Celtic music group with a decidedly feminine sound to fill your home with warmth during the Christmas season? If so, you don’t have to look any further than Celtic Woman. Many fans of Irish music already adore this celebrated band, and with several Christmas albums to choose from, there’s something for everyone to listen to during the upcoming holidays! Since the band’s debut in 2005, this group has had a PBS special, performed at the White House, and even appeared on ABC-TV's Dancing with the Stars. All this from a group that was originally created for a single event! That tells you a little something about how special they are... Although there is plenty of traditional appeal in Celtic Woman’s sound, they also bring a more contemporary flavor into the mix. This can be ideal for those who are searching for something fresh for the holiday season. You won’t have to worry about it being too modern, but you will hear an updated take on many of your seasonal favorites, and you may even hear some new tunes too! This, and the fact that they are an all-female group, might make a CD or DVD of theirs a perfect Christmas gift for someone on your list as well. There are a number of them out there – 15 CDs and 11 DVDs to choose from. Four of these CDs are dedicated to Christmas music. Celtic Woman's A Christmas Celebration album made it onto Billboard's World Music Chart in 2006, and it remained there for 112 weeks in a row, so that would definitely be one to check out if you haven’t already. It’s the earliest offering of Christmas music by the band, and it was followed by Home for Christmas in 2012. The Best of Christmas was released in 2017, and their last holiday album was The Magic of Christmas in 2019, featuring songs such as 'The Wexford Carol’ and ‘Deck the Halls’, among others. Fans of the band might find a bit of solace in listening to these CDs since Celtic Woman's much-anticipated 2020 tour has been cancelled due to COVID-19. While nothing is quite like live music, unfortunately this year a recording will have to do. New listeners can opt to add yet another layer to their Celtic Christmas spirit with music by these lovely ladies. Their angelic voices make the Christmas music shine, and each of these CDs has a decent number of tracks on them. It makes for a good introduction to the band’s sound, and will be a super add to the rotation of holiday tunes each year going forward. What better way is there to celebrate the end to this long year than hearing Celtic Christmas songs drifting through the house as you decorate? To get a taste of the band’s sound and their Christmas songs, be sure to subscribe to the Celtic Christmas Podcast. The show is free though it is supported by Celtic music fans on Patreon. I have featured Celtic Woman many times on past episodes. And they will be on again on future episodes. Subscribe at CelticChristmasPodcast.com . Nollaig shona daoibh.