Ancient Land
Ancient Land is the twelfth studio album and eleventh DVD by the group Celtic Woman.
Background
The album was recorded at Real World Studios, Herbert Place Studios, Beechpark Studios, and Jam Studios in July, 2018. The digital album was released on 28 September 2018 and the CD was released on 26 October 2018.The music was produced, arranged, and orchestrated by Gavin Murphy and includes a mixture of traditional Irish songs and contemporary arrangements. The lead performers are vocalists Máiréad Carlin, Éabha McMahon, and Megan Walsh as well as instrumentalist Tara McNeill. Celtic Woman: Ancient Land was Walsh's studio debut and live debut with the group.
The PBS special and DVD were recorded at Johnstown Castle in County Wexford, Ireland on 13 and 14 September 2018, in front of an invited audience. It was the group's first outdoor special since was recorded nine years prior. The concert began airing on PBS in November, 2018. The DVD was released 25 January 2019.
The album and concert special were both dedicated to Dave Kavanagh, one of the founders of Celtic Woman, who died in April, 2018: "our founder, our leader, our guiding light. Sé mo laoch mo ghile mear."
Album track listing
CDNotes
- Tracks 17 and 18 were not available on the digital album, only on the physical CD.
- Tracks 1,4,6,15,17 and 18 were original tracks written by Gavin Murphy.
- Tracks 4 and 18 were co-written by Méav Ní Mhaolchatha.
- Track 14 was written by Éabha McMahon and Ciarán Byrne.
- Track 15 was co-written by Johnny B Broderick.
Tour setlists
DVD2018
Act 1
- "Ancient Land"-
- "Homeland"-
- "The Moorlough Shore"-
- "Ae Fond Kiss"-
- "Amazing Grace"-
- "Long Journey Home"-
- "Sive"-
- "Shenandoah"-
- "County Down"-
- "Love & Honour"-
- "Ballroom of Romance"- - Ceili dresses
Act 2
- "Follow me"-
- "Mná na hÉireann"-
- "Over the Rainbow"-
- "Tara's Tunes"-
- "Danny Boy"-
- "Garden of Eden"-
- "Faith's Song"-
- "Siuil A Ruin"-
- "Be Still"-
- "Going Home"-
- "The Enchanted Way"-
- "The Parting Glass"-
Additional tour setlist
Act 1
- "Ancient Land"-
- "Homeland"-
- "Moorlough Shore"-
- "Follow Me"-
- "Newgrange"-
- "Sive"-
- "Fields Of Gold"-
- "Love & Honor"-
- "Amazing Grace"-
- "Tara's Tunes"-
- "Danny Boy"- - Ceili dresses
- "Ballroom Of Romance"-
Act 2
- "Long Journey Home"-
- "Faith’s Song"-
- "Mná na hÉireann"-
- "Orinoco Flow"
- "Siuil A Run"-
- "County Down"-
- "Garden Of Eden"-
- "Over the Rainbow"-
- "The Enchanted Way"-
- "Bean Pháidín"-
- "The Kesh Inn” "-
- "Going Home"-
- "Parting Glass"-
Album personnel
Musicians
- Bill Shanley – guitars
- James Blennerhassett – bass guitar, double bass
- Paul Clarvis – drums, percussion
- Noel Eccles – percussion
- Liam Bradley – drums
- Alex Vann – mandolin bouzouki
- John O'Brien – Uilleann pipes, whistles
- Darragh Murphy – Uilleann pipes, whistles
- Cormac DeBarra – Irish harp
- Peter Browne – accordion
- Declan Aungier – accordion
- Anto Byrne – bagpipes
- Glenn Murphy – background vocals
- Ronan Scolard – background vocals
- Simon Morgan – background vocals
- Paul McGough – background vocals
- Daryn Crosbie – tap dancer
- Alan McGrath – tap dancer
- Gerald Peregrine – solo cello
- Gavin Murphy – piano, keyboards, programming, string arrangements
- Joe Csibi – orchestra contractor
- Ken Rice – leader
- Lynda O'Connor – violin
- Lydia J. Clarke – violin
- Anita Vedres – violin
- Cillian Brackin – violin
- Sylvia Roberts – violin
- Jane Hackett – violin
- Emily Thyne – violin
- Aoife Durnin – violin
- Aoife Dowdall – violin
- Paul O'Hanlon – violin
- Rachel Grimes – violin
- Leanne Melchoir – viola
- Adele Johnson – viola
- Karen Dervan – viola
- Carla Vedres – viola
- Anthony Mulholland – viola
- Gerald Peregrine – cello
- Martin Johnson – cello
- Una Ni Chanainn – cello
- Jane Huges – cello
- Anna Marcossi – cello
- Shane McDonnell – executive producer
- Gavin Murphy – producer, arranger
- Méav Ní Mhaolchatha – vocal director
- Tim Martin – recording
- Patrick Phillips – recording
- Oli Jacobs – recording
- Daire Winston – recording
- Michael Manning – recording
- PJ Ronan – recording
- Martin Quinn – recording
- Chris O'Brien – mixing
- Graham Murphy – mixing
- Chris O'Brien – mixing
- Andy Walters – mastering
- Caroline Nesbitt, Designedly Ltd. – sleeve design, art direction
- Kip Carroll – photography
TV special and DVD personnel
- Gavin Murphy - piano
- Darrah Murphy - uilleann pipes, whistles
- Ray Fean - drums
- Caitriona Frost - percussion
- Tommy Buckley - guitar
- Anthony Byrne - bagpipes
- Karl Nesbitt - mandolin, bouzouki, accordionCeltic Woman Choir / Dancers
- Carl Maguire
- Alan McGrath
- James Greenan
- Colm FarrellNew Ross & District Pipe Band
- Denis New
- Pat Moloney
- Darragh Murphy
- Fionn McCarthy
- Matt Ryan
- Derek Furlong
- Robbie Donovan
- Brian MacMahonJohnstown Voices Choir
- Jessica Kavanagh
- Hannah Devereux
- Catherine Devereux
- Gia Simmons
- Declan Wildes
- Mark Keegan
- Declan Murphy
- Cian Bates
- David McDonnell
- Cait Kavanagh
- Jonathan Blake
- Amy RichardsThe Orchestra of Ireland
- Joe Csibi - orchestra fixer
- Lidia Jewloszewicz-Clarke - leader
- Annemarie Twomey Russell - violin 1
- Chris Quaid - violin 1
- Lucia McPartlin - violin 1
- Emily Redmond - violin 1
- Maria Ryan - violin 1
- Justyna Dabek - violin 2
- Emma Masterson - violin 2
- Sandra Mason - violin 2
- Siofra Grant - violin 2
- Amelia Dziedzic - violin 2
- Marie Louise Bowe - viola
- Annemarie McGahon - viola
- Feilimidh Nunan - viola
- Katherine Veeckman - viola
- Aoife Burke - cello
- Michelle Mason - cello
- Anna Marcossi - cello
- Yesult Cooper Stockdale - cello
- Sam Homfray - contrabass, bass guitar
- Clare McCague - harpTour, promotional and production
- Shane McDonnell - producer, set design
- Peter Brady - producer
- Paul McKay - director
- Gavin Murphy - musical director
- Méav Ní Mhaolchatha - vocal director
- Daryn Crosbie - choreographer
- Rhona Kelly - style director
- Jake Kennedy - production manager
- Terry Power - location manager
- Katie Conneely - production co-ordinator
- Catherine Richard - PA to producer
- Rosemary Hartigan - PA to production manager
- Grainne Kelly - production assistant
- Johnny McCullagh - lighting director
- Mark Hannah - assistant lighting director
- Dougie McConnon - lighting crew chief
- Gareth White - dimmer man
- Peter McGrath - moving light technician
- Jeffery Blake - lighting crew
- Michael McCormack - lighting crew
- Dave McCarthy - lighting crew
- Matt Deane - lighting crew
- Liam Rainsford - site crew
- Dmitry Smirnoff - site crew
- Mark Lappin - site crew
- Jason Robertson - site crew
- Michael Manning - sound engineer
- Leon O'Neill - monitor engineer
- Robert Mather - audio crew
- Xurxo Taz - audio crew
- Peter Boyle - set construction
- Jason Coogans - set construction
- Steve Wilson - set construction
- Dave Redmond - set construction
- George Hay - set painter
- Sett Neiland - tour manager
- Derek Flanagan - stage manager
- Anto Byrne - stage technician
- Aimee Murphy - hair & makeup
- Jennifer Rilly - hair & makeup
- Jodie McDonald - hair & make up assistant
- Yvane Bude - seamstress
- Louisa Parsons - wardrobe assistant
- Kieran Dorgan - rig supervisor
- Darius McGann - sound supervisor
- Lisa Casey - camera
- Michael Whelan - jib
- Mick O'Rourke - steadicam
- Eoin Coakley - vision supervisor
- Joe Hannafin - UHD recording
- Keith Brock - unit manager
- Bart Arnold - unit manager
- Deirdre Ryan - vision mixer
- Ann Mooney - director's PA
- Caoimhe Connolly - floor manager
- Chiara Provenzano - location assistant editor
- Richard Doyle - audience and b roll camera
- Peter Brady - production executive
- Clodagh Z. McCarthy - post production producer
- Sarah O'Carroll - post production producer
- Maura Murphy - post production producer
- Aaron Carroll - colourist
- John Phillipson - online editor
- Chris McLoughlin - graphics
- Mick Creedon - audio post production
- Martin Fanning - assistant editor
- Niamh Burke-Kennedy - assistant editor
- Julian Ulrichs - editor
Charts