A few of us have known this was coming for a while:
- As soon as Anto started signing his Celtic Piper CDs at the start of the Homecoming Tour, just as Mairead Nesbitt had suddenly started marketing her Raining Up CD during the Destiny tour, I knew something was up.
- I suspect that the dress changes during the tour may have, at least in part, because of Sue's changing needs.
- There was a little slip-up in May on social media when one of Sue's relatives let the cat out of the bag early.
- During the last show of the Homecoming tour, there was a note on the set list for Susan:
"Have a great last show. Will miss you so much Susan! Love Fang."
- Sue didn't post anything about the Johnstown Castle show or about recording the new album with Celtic Woman (whether or not she's part of the album, we'll soon know).
- When Celtic Woman performed The Parting Glass with The High Kings as a tribute to David Kavanagh, one of the members of the High Kings asked her on stage if she was ready to share the news.
- She was showing a bit late in the tour, but for a while, in spite of all the other clues, I wasn't sure until more recently. She just kept on looking beautiful.
- Sue and Anto were finding increasingly creative ways to cover up her belly in pictures over the past few months to keep us in suspense.
There were lots of signs this was coming.
When I saw her at the Meet and Greet in spring, I gave her a letter saying everything I wanted to say to her in case I didn't get another chance to say it. I told her how special a performer I thought she was and that I felt every note she sang. I wrote that during the hardest time in my life, that she had been my Sky, my Dawn, and my Sun. I let her know how very lucky I was to be one of her fans.
My favourite Susan McFadden moment came during the Homecoming tour. Before Celtic Woman, From a Distance was once my favourite song. To hear one of my favourite singers sing that song that I asked Sue to sing was truly special and is something I'll never forget.
I probably wouldn't be on social media today if it wasn't for Sue. I was really late getting involved in the public social media scene and one of the main reasons I finally got into it was a cool interaction on Twitter I had with Susan and Anto.
Every Celtic Woman member that has left over the years has taken a piece of my heart with them. Chloë's departure was probably the most devastating for me, because I hadn't gone to any shows before she left and I thought I'd missed my last chance to ever see her live. For Sue, the blow has been softened a bit because I knew it was coming and because I had taken advantage of my opportunities to see her while I had the chance. I only got to see her 6 times and to meet her twice, but those will always be among the most special shows I will ever see.
With Sue, Mairead, and Eabha, the group found an astonishing harmonic balance. Their voices blended so well! Whoever takes over for Sue will have the difficult role in maintaining that balance or establishing a new sound for us all to love.
Sue, thank you for all your lovely music, for your warm presence on stage, and for being so nice to me at the Meet and Greets. Soon you're going to be the Sky, the Dawn, and the Sun for someone opening their eyes on the world for the first time. As you get ready to welcome that new life, I want to thank you, from the bottom of my heart for changing mine.
Congratulations to Susan and Anto!
