Celtic Woman

Celtic Woman was the brainchild of Sharon Browne and David Downes, formerly music director of the Irish hit stage show Riverdance, who recognised the potential appeal of an attractive female group who could tap into the international fascination with Celtic music and culture and recruited Chloë Agnew, Lisa Kelly, Orla Fallon and Méav Ní Mhaolchatha, with Máiréad Nesbitt on fiddle. Browne and Downes created a glamorous close harmony singing group specialising in the mystical element of Celtic music, ranging from traditional songs to modern material and their self-titled debut album topped the US world music charts in 2005. The group became major stars, despite personnel changes which saw the departures of Fallon and Ní Mhaolchatha to be replaced at first by Alex Sharpe and Deirdre Shannon and, later, Lynn Hilary. Hit albums continued through the 2000s, notably Celtic Woman: A New Journey (2007), Celtic Woman: The Greatest Journey (2008) and Celtic Woman: Songs From The Heart (2010).