Something to believe in: Twenty years later, past and present members of Celtic Woman celebrate

Nov. 25—Lisa Kelly will never get used to hearing the music of Celtic Woman on the radio.

It's even weirder when her son hears the music.

"My son works in a store and last year, Celtic Woman songs were being played," she recalls. "He told me one of Celtic Woman's songs was playing inside the store and it is still so weird."

Kelly was one of the originating members of Celtic Woman in the early 2000s. The group was catapulted to international fame with its first PBS special.

The new and old members reunited for a performance called "Celtic Woman: 20th Anniversary Concert," which will air at 2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 25, on New Mexico PBS, channel 5.1. It will rebroadcast at 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 26, on channel 5.1. It will also be available to stream on the PBS app.

Filmed in The Helix, Dublin, Ireland — the very same venue where the first Celtic Woman PBS special was filmed 20 years ago — this spectacular show includes brand-new arrangements, Irish classics, contemporary songs and stirring originals, continuing a 20-year legacy of uplifting performances packed with breathtaking harmonies and instrumental virtuosity.

Returning to the group is soprano Mairéad Carlin, a former member who returns for this very special anniversary.

Joining her are fellow soprano Muirgen O'Mahony, fiddle and Irish harp maestro Tara McNeill, as well as the newest member, the multi-talented Emma Warren, who has toured with "Riverdance," "Heartbeat of Home" and most recently performed in "Les Misérables," in London.

The show also features some very special guests. Original members Kelly, Chloë Agnew, Máiréad Nesbitt and Méav Ní Mhaolchatha join the show for this one-off event, performing some familiar songs including "When You Believe," "Caledonia" and "Dúlamán."

Kelly was honored to be asked to take part in the anniversary performance.

"Celtic Woman was a huge part of our lives," she says. "It's hard to explain what Celtic Woman meant. It was something we all got into because we believed it. We never expected the group to explode the way it did. Through it all, we remained authentic, and I think that's what connected with audiences."

Kelly says because Celtic Woman's repertoire consists of Irish songs, it was difficult to sell a culture.

"We had to believe in ourselves," Kelly says. "We really did, and we loved each other and the music that we sang. To go back and do it after 20 years, there were some nerves. The girls now are carrying on the legacy. I was worried about them being there and either one of us being overshadowed. I wanted us to complement each other."

Kelly says a lot has changed in the two decades since Celtic Woman being touring the world.

"We all grew into a small family," she says. "We were on this ride together and didn't know what to expect. It was challenging and we made it happen. I look back at the time and realize how surreal it all was."

When Kelly left Celtic Woman, it was her time to go.

She was about to have her fourth child, and touring with four children seemed unimaginable.

"My time with the group helped me grow into who I am today," she says. "I'm a vocal teacher in Georgia now. I have students all over the world, and having this opportunity to celebrate with the women was amazing. In 20 more years, they will probably have to call it Celtic Grandmas."