Songs of Ireland: A Celtic Celebration

On Thursday, March 7 a group called Songs of Ireland performed in the Performing Arts Center at Frostburg State University as a stop on their North American tour. The event was sponsored by CES and the Lewis J. Ort Library to celebrate Irish heritage month.

With a full house, they sang twenty-five songs that are based on the Irish culture, from Broadway shows, and other modern contemporary songs. The group included four tenors, four sopranos, one pianist, and three Irish instrumentalists. They use the piano, uilleann pipes, whistles, fiddle, and concertina.

Soprano Emer Barry has completed her first solo album Storyteller. Soprano Heather Fogarty Mezzo performs as an opera singer. Soprano Anna Brady also performs opera. Soprano Andrea Delaney sings both operatic and traditional Irish style. Tenor Fearghal Curtis is an opera Oratorio and Irish singer. Tenor John Spink is a member of the world famous Irish vocal group Anuna. Tenor Alan Leech tours internationally. Last but not least, tenor George Hutton is also apart of  Anuna.

They came out with the first song called “Down by the Sally Garden,” and shortly after Alan Leech introduced the members of the group. The next song was called “You Raise Me Up” which the audience enjoyed because the sopranos balanced very well with the tenors. The fourth song, “Last Rose of Summer,” was sung by Emer Barry, which she mentioned is her favorite piece. She said, “it is about how life has no meaning without people to share it with… it’s kind of sad we do really really sad song and really really happy songs, it’s nothing in the middle, the next one will be happier I promise.” The audience laughed and enjoyed her performance. Considering she is a soprano, she was able to sing unspeakable ranges and tones. The next song, “Dulaman” was about men that went off to sea when a storm is came. The song expressed what happened at sea when they got lost. The song started very steady and picked up in tempo at the end. The group performed a song entitled “When Irish Eyes are Smiling”, an upbeat tribute to Ireland.

The group finished their set, then had an intermission. After intermission, they sang twelve more songs. The group finished with the “unofficial national anthem” called “Danny Boy.” Following the conclusion of the song, the audience responded with a standing ovation. The group performed one last song as an en core and a tribute to the United States, “O’America.”

Once the performance concluded, members of the group mingled with those in the audience in the lobby of the Performing Arts Center.