The Women of Ireland, an exciting and innovative group of world-famous performers straight from the Emerald Isle, raised the roof at Luhrs Performing Arts Center Thursday (date?) night, captivating an enthusiastic and interactive crowd of around 800.

Watching the show, it was easy to see how the various company members have successfully booked shows with numerous world leaders, famous artists and other high profile clients all over the world, including three U.S. presidents.

The troupe showcased the remarkable skills and talents that can be found in the culturally rich and musically oriented country of Ireland. Their style depicts the simplistic and pure elements of traditional Irish music, even when performed in contemporary settings.

Women of Ireland is composed of various accomplished musicians, dancers and singers from many walks of life.

The tantalizingly beautiful O’Neill sisters, Fiona, Naomi and Evangeline of Kerry County, Ireland, are the heart and soul of the company and excel in dancing, singing and playing musical instruments. Their mother and aunts, members of a musical group themselves in the ‘70s, trained the sisters in the arts from young ages. The sisters began composing musical pieces while they were still children and even recorded their first traditional Irish album in 2005.

Niamh Gallagher of Jonesborough, Ireland, exhibited fiddle playing at its finest, havingtaught the instrument since she was just 14 years old.

Producer Eric Cunningham out of Galway, Ireland is a musician himself, and sports a long résumé‎ of music related accomplishments including having played in support for the “Rolling Stones” rock band.

The group’s principal choreographer, Anthony Fallon of Dublin, toured with the “Riverdance” show for years and has founded music schools in three countries.

Other notable company members include Ciaran Connolly, the movement director, and choreographer Cian Boylan, who also functionsas the musical director and arranger.

From the opening number the troupe captured the audience’s attention. Throughout the show the artists had audience members clapping to the beats of catchy Irish tunes and sitting spellbound through hauntingly beautiful vocal solos, trios and instrumental masterpieces.

The show featured interactive light displays, visual displays of scenic Ireland and some of the most popular music that Ireland has to offer.

Women of Ireland also performed more popular songs such as “Danny Boy” and “Green Fields of France,” as well as dance numbers like Le Cheille which featured step dancing to upbeat Irish music.

Well before the show was even half over, the company had completely captured the audience; partway into the catchy tune “Blarney Roses” the audience spontaneously began clapping to the upbeat melody.

Women of Ireland was a show that exceeded expectations, with its exquisitely executed program that truly brought the essence of Ireland to life in a small town thousands of miles from the rolling green hills of the Emerald Isle.

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