Cherish the Ladies Celtic Christmas
12-12-2025
Celebrating an incredible milestone of 40 years, Cherish The Ladies have captured the hearts of audiences around the world with their exhilarating blend of traditional Irish music, breathtaking vocals, and propulsive step dancing. As The Boston Globe raves, “It is simply impossible to imagine an audience that wouldn’t enjoy what they do!”
This Emmy Award–winning and Grammy-nominated ensemble has blazed a trail as one of the most acclaimed groups in Irish music, leaving an indelible legacy with 18 critically acclaimed albums and thousands of performances across the globe—from the great concert halls of the world to the Olympics and the White House.
Led by the charismatic Joanie Madden—flute and whistle virtuoso and recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts’ National Heritage Fellowship - Cherish the Ladies deliver a spectacular showcase of virtuosic musicianship, stunning vocals, and world-class step dancing. Their enduring success stems from their unique ability to weave the very best of Irish culture - its music, song, and dance - into a vibrant, heartwarming, and joy-filled celebration.
This holiday season, Cherish the Ladies present their beloved Celtic Christmas program—a festive, family-friendly concert filled with holiday cheer and Irish spirit. The show features their signature Celtic sound on timeless carols including “Angels We Have Heard on High,” “The First Noel,” and “Silent Night,” all beautifully arranged to highlight the band’s lush harmonies, traditional instrumentation, and dazzling step dancing.
This cherished holiday tradition has inspired four acclaimed albums: On Christmas Night—chosen by The New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, and USA Today as one of the top Christmas albums of the year—along with A Star in the East, Christmas in Ireland, and Christmas Live from County Clare.
The concert features an outstanding lineup of 14 world-class musicians: Joanie Madden (flute, whistles, vocals), Mirella Murray (accordion), Nollaig Casey (fiddle), Hannah Collins (piano), Mary Coogan (guitar), John Madden (percussion) and Max Morden (trumpet, brass). Joining them are the mesmerizing voices of Kate Purcell, Don Stiffe, and Bruce Foley, each bringing their own distinctive artistry to the group’s rich tapestry of sound.
Adding to the magic, the extraordinary step dancers bring the stage to life with breathtaking athleticism and artistry. This year’s lineup features World Champion James Greenan, Principal Lead Dancer of Riverdance; two-time World Champion Tyler Schwartz, Joe Harrison, alumnus of Riverdance and Lord of the Dance and Canadian Champion dancer and Chieftains alumni, Nathan Pilatzke,
Together, they create an unforgettable evening of music, song, and dance—a joyful celebration of the season that will lift your spirits, warm your heart, and have you singing along to your favorite Christmas classics.
"The five women who form the Celtic band delivered a thoroughly engaging performance brimming with spirit, wit and soul ." - The Washington Post
"Expands the annals of Irish music in America…the music is passionate, tender, and rambunctious." - The New York Times
Celebrating an incredible milestone of 40 years, Cherish The Ladies have captured the hearts of audiences around the world with their exhilarating blend of traditional Irish music, breathtaking vocals, and propulsive step dancing. As The Boston Globe raves, “It is simply impossible to imagine an audience that wouldn’t enjoy what they do!”
This Emmy Award–winning and Grammy-nominated ensemble has blazed a trail as one of the most acclaimed groups in Irish music, leaving an indelible legacy with 18 critically acclaimed albums and thousands of performances across the globe—from the great concert halls of the world to the Olympics and the White House.
Led by the charismatic Joanie Madden—flute and whistle virtuoso and recipient of the National Endowment for the Arts’ National Heritage Fellowship - Cherish the Ladies deliver a spectacular showcase of virtuosic musicianship, stunning vocals, and world-class step dancing. Their enduring success stems from their unique ability to weave the very best of Irish culture - its music, song, and dance - into a vibrant, heartwarming, and joy-filled celebration.
This holiday season, Cherish the Ladies present their beloved Celtic Christmas program—a festive, family-friendly concert filled with holiday cheer and Irish spirit. The show features their signature Celtic sound on timeless carols including “Angels We Have Heard on High,” “The First Noel,” and “Silent Night,” all beautifully arranged to highlight the band’s lush harmonies, traditional instrumentation, and dazzling step dancing.
This cherished holiday tradition has inspired four acclaimed albums: On Christmas Night—chosen by The New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, and USA Today as one of the top Christmas albums of the year—along with A Star in the East, Christmas in Ireland, and Christmas Live from County Clare.
The concert features an outstanding lineup of 14 world-class musicians: Joanie Madden (flute, whistles, vocals), Mirella Murray (accordion), Nollaig Casey (fiddle), Hannah Collins (piano), Mary Coogan (guitar), John Madden (percussion) and Max Morden (trumpet, brass). Joining them are the mesmerizing voices of Kate Purcell, Don Stiffe, and Bruce Foley, each bringing their own distinctive artistry to the group’s rich tapestry of sound.
Adding to the magic, the extraordinary step dancers bring the stage to life with breathtaking athleticism and artistry. This year’s lineup features World Champion James Greenan, Principal Lead Dancer of Riverdance; two-time World Champion Tyler Schwartz, Joe Harrison, alumnus of Riverdance and Lord of the Dance and Canadian Champion dancer and Chieftains alumni, Nathan Pilatzke,
Together, they create an unforgettable evening of music, song, and dance—a joyful celebration of the season that will lift your spirits, warm your heart, and have you singing along to your favorite Christmas classics.
"The five women who form the Celtic band delivered a thoroughly engaging performance brimming with spirit, wit and soul ." - The Washington Post
"Expands the annals of Irish music in America…the music is passionate, tender, and rambunctious." - The New York Times