Members of the Irish folk group Celtic Woman, from left, Máiréad Nesbitt, Susan McFadden, Lisa Lambe and Chloë Agnew pose for a portrait in New York on Thursday, March 15, 2012. Celtic Woman, an all-female musical ensemble, will be performing at Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, Conn., on St. Patrick's Day. (AP Photo/Carlo Allegri)
NEW YORK, N.Y. - The ladies of Celtic Woman are impressed by the spirited way Americans celebrate St. Patrick's Day, even if it isn't an official holiday like in their native Ireland.
"The decorations in the bars and restaurants and the buildup makes us very proud to be Irish," Susan McFadden, the newest member of the musical group, said Thursday.
"The green beer and dyeing your rivers green — we don't even do that (in Ireland)," violinist Máiréad Nesbitt said, adding: "(I love) the fashion. ... All the great hats and really, really cool-looking stuff that go with it."
Currently touring the country in support of their seventh album, "Believe," the popular group, which is a blend of classically inspired Irish and adult contemporary music, will play a St. Patrick's Day concert Saturday in Wallingford, Conn. The state's governor, Dannel P. Malloy, has declared it "Celtic Woman Day" in the state.
"It's very exciting for us, and it's definitely in the top five highlights of my career in Celtic Woman. It will definitely be a St. Patrick's Day to remember," Chloë Agnew said.
John Carucci, The Associated Press
Mar 16, 2012
570 News
Kitchener, Ontario