In 2004, he brought together five Irish female artists who had never performed together before: vocalists Chlo Agnew, rla Fallon, Lisa Kelly, and Méav N Mhaolchatha, as well as violinist Máiréad Nesbitt, to form the inaugural lineup of Celtic Woman. Downes picked a repertoire that included traditional Celtic tunes as well as contemporary music.
The lineup of the ensemble has evolved over time; in 2009, it included Chloe Agnew, Lynn Hilary, Lisa Kelly, Alex Sharpe, and violinist Máiréad Nesbitt; in May 2010, Alex Sharpe departed the group.
Celtic Woman: Celtic Woman, Celtic Woman: A Christmas Celebration, Celtic Woman: A New Journey, Celtic Woman: The Greatest Journey, and Celtic Woman: Songs from the Heart are the five albums produced under the Celtic Woman moniker. The band has performed on a number of international tours. Celtic Woman's albums have sold more than 6 million copies worldwide.
The success of singers like Enya and Clannad, as well as theatrical productions like Riverdance and Lord of the Dance, laid the groundwork for Celtic music's appeal outside of Ireland and Europe. Celtic Woman has been compared to Riverdance in terms of vocals.
Celtic Woman was filmed in front of a sold-out audience at The Helix in Dublin, Ireland, on September 15, 2004, for PBS television.
This performance, organized by producer Sharon Browne, Chairman & CEO Dave Kavanagh, television producer, and director Avril MacRory, and musical director and composer David Downes, was the first broadcast on PBS in the United States in March 2005, and within weeks, the group's eponymous debut album, Celtic Woman, reached number one on Billboard's World Music chart, eventually breaking Andrea Bocelli's long-standing record.
The album spent a total of 81 weeks at the top of the Billboard World Music chart. The tremendous PBS coverage the group received during 2005 is attributed to much of the group's success in America. Along with the studio CD, a DVD of the live performance at The Helix was published.
Celtic Woman: A Christmas Celebration, their second album, was released on October 19, 2006, knocking their previous album off the top of the World Music list. Celtic Woman played in Slane Castle in County Meath, Ireland, on the 23rd and 24th of August 2006 in preparation for their third studio album, with the concert broadcast on PBS in December 2006.
Celtic Woman: A New Journey, the studio album, was released on January 30, 2007. The live performance, like their debut, was released on DVD at the same time.
This album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and Billboard World Music charts, knocking their previous two albums down a notch and securing the group's top three spots on those charts.
PBS televised a special concert of Celtic Woman performing again in The Helix Theatre, Dublin, Ireland on 7 December 2007, in reaction to the success of the performance in Slane Castle in 2006. Celtic Woman: A Christmas Celebration, the group's second album, was included in this performance.
Celtic Woman has completed three tours in the United States, with additional appearances abroad. In 2005, the band performed live in over a dozen US locations in support of their debut album. With Celtic Woman: A New Journey, the ensemble toured the United States twice, visiting 88 locations in 2007 and nearly 75 cities in 2008.
Early in April 2008, it was revealed that The High Kings will be the group's opening act from April to June 2008.
