Postcards from Ireland
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| Postcards from Ireland | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | 29 October 2021 | |||
| Recorded | June–July 2021 | |||
| Studio | Camden Recording Studios and Windmill Lane Recording Studios, Dublin, Ireland | |||
| Genre | Celtic, new-age, classical crossover, vocal | |||
| Length | 50:54 | |||
| Language | English, Irish, Quenya | |||
| Label | Manhattan Records, Universal Music Group | |||
| Producer | Daragh O'Toole | |||
| Celtic Woman chronology | ||||
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Postcards from Ireland is the fourteenth studio album released by the group Celtic Woman.
Background
On 20 April 2021, Celtic Woman announced the Postcards from Ireland tour,[1] with Cork-born singer Muirgen O'Mahony replacing former member Mairéad Carlin who left the group in January 2021 to pursue solo projects.[2]
On 10 September, "The Dawning of the Day" was released as the first single from the album, accompanied by a lyric video.[3] On 8 October, "Mise Éire" was released as the second single from the album, also with a lyric video.[4] The album was released on 29 October, and an accompanying music video for "Wild Mountain Thyme" was released on the same day.[5][6]
Postcards from Ireland features vocalists Chloë Agnew, O'Mahony, Megan Walsh and instrumentalist Tara McNeill. British folk group the Longest Johns make a guest appearance on the track "Beeswing", while former member Susan McFadden returned to the group as a guest performer on the track "May it Be".
Track listing
Note: All songs arranged, orchestrated and produced by Daragh O'Toole.
| No. | Title | Performer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Dawning of the Day" | Chloë Agnew Tara McNeill Muirgen O'Mahony Megan Walsh | 3:54 |
| 2. | "Bonny Portmore" (from Highlander: The Final Dimension) | Walsh | 4:00 |
| 3. | "Mise Éire" | Agnew McNeill O'Mahony Walsh | 3:52 |
| 4. | "Wild Mountain Thyme" (from Wild Mountain Thyme) | Agnew McNeill O'Mahony Walsh | 3:56 |
| 5. | "Beeswing" (featuring the Longest Johns) | Agnew McNeill O'Mahony Walsh | 4:48 |
| 6. | "Down by the Salley Gardens" | O'Mahony | 4:10 |
| 7. | "Where Sheep May Safely Graze" | McNeill | 3:58 |
| 8. | "Angel" | Agnew | 4:35 |
| 9. | "The Lakes of Pontchartrain" | McNeill Walsh | 3:56 |
| 10. | "May It Be" (from The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring) | Susan McFadden | 3:11 |
| 11. | "The Calm of the Day / The Banshee" | McNeill | 2:57 |
| 12. | "The Galway Shawl" | Agnew McNeill O'Mahony Walsh | 4:04 |
| 13. | "Black Is the Colour" (2021 Version) | Agnew McNeill O'Mahony Walsh | 3:33 |
| Total length: | 50:54 | ||
PBS special and DVD release background
A television special of the same title was broadcast on PBS stations across the United States and Canada in November 2021. Directed by Irish filmmaker Donal Moloney, the special was filmed on location across both the Republic and north of Ireland in summer 2021 and consists of a subset of sixteen music videos filmed in different locations across the country. The special also features a storyline revolving around Sean, an American immigrant to Ireland, who writes a postcard to his family back home.
Various PBS stations offered a gift set containing a CD, DVD and a set of postcards for donations made through local stations to support airings of the special. The DVD was later made available through the official PBS website,[7] and is due for general release in January 2022.
DVD track listing
| No. | Title | Performer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "The Dawning of the Day" (filmed at Ballintoy Harbour, County Antrim) | Chloë Agnew Tara McNeill Muirgen O'Mahony Megan Walsh | |
| 2. | "Bonny Portmore" (filmed at Wicklow Mountains, County Wicklow) | Walsh | |
| 3. | "Where Sheep May Safely Graze" (filmed at Muckross Abbey, County Kerry) | McNeill | |
| 4. | "Beeswing" (featuring the Longest Johns; filmed at Ulster American Folk Park, County Tyrone) | Agnew McNeill O'Mahony Walsh | |
| 5. | "The Lakes of Pontchartrain" (filmed at Gougane Barra, County Cork) | McNeill Walsh | |
| 6. | "Down by the Salley Gardens" (filmed in Yeats Country, County Sligo) | O'Mahony | |
| 7. | "Mise Éire" (filmed at the Burren, County Clare) | Agnew McNeill O'Mahony Walsh | |
| 8. | "Angel" (filmed at Kylemore Abbey, County Galway) | Agnew | |
| 9. | "The Galway Shawl" (filmed at the Old Bog Road, County Galway) | Agnew McNeill O'Mahony Walsh | |
| 10. | "May It Be" (filmed in the Chapel at Trinity College, County Dublin) | Susan McFadden | |
| 11. | "Danny Boy" (filmed in Glendalough, County Wicklow) | Agnew McNeill O'Mahony Walsh | |
| 12. | "Wild Mountain Thyme" (filmed at Derryclare Lough, County Galway) | Agnew McNeill O'Mahony Walsh | |
| 13. | "Amazing Grace" (filmed at Johnstown Castle, County Wexford) | Agnew McFadden McNeill Walsh | |
| 14. | "Black Is the Colour" (filmed at Inch Beach, County Kerry) | Agnew McNeill O'Mahony Walsh | |
| 15. | "The Calm of the Day / The Banshee" (filmed in Glencullen, County Dublin) | McNeill | |
| 16. | "The Parting Glass" (filmed in Dunquin, County Kerry) | Agnew McNeill O'Mahony Walsh |
Personnel
Per the liner notes:
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Featured performers
The Longest Johns appear courtesy of Decca Records Band
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The Orchestra of Ireland
Celtic Voices Choir
Production
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Charts
| Chart (2021) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[8] | 56 |
References
- ^ "US Spring Tour 2022 'Postcards from Ireland' - Presale On Now". Celtic Woman.
- ^ "New Member Announced". Celtic Woman.
- ^ "Celtic Woman - Postcards From Ireland - CD - Pre-Order". Celtic Collections.
- ^ "Mise Éire is Available Everywhere Now!". Celtic Woman.
- ^ "'Postcards from Ireland' - Out Now". Celtic Woman.
- ^ "Wild Mountain Thyme". Celtic Woman Official (YouTube).
- ^ "Celtic Woman: Postcards from Ireland DVD". Shop.PBS.org.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Celtic Woman – Postcards from Ireland". Hung Medien. Retrieved 7 November 2021.