Strange Wonders - The Wexford Carols Vol.2 brings together folk, classical and traditional music luminaries to present Ireland’s greatest Christmas music.

Produced by Ethan Johns, featuring vocals by Caitriona O’Leary, Seth Lakeman, John Smith, Clara Sanabras and Stile Antico with instrumentalists Alison Balsom, Olov Johansson, Simone Collavecchi and others.

The Wexford Carols are Ireland’s greatest Christmas music and perhaps the most important body of Christmas carols in English yet to be introduced to the public. In 2014 Heresy Records released The Wexford Carols to international acclaim. The album reached no.1 on both the Billboard and Amazon charts. The first Wexford Carols release focused on the well-known episodes of the Christmas story and took a stylistic approach that integrated Irish traditional music with Americana.

Strange Wonders - The Wexford Carols Vol.2, presents the highly anticipated follow-up to the previous album. The new album features 11 carols from the Waddinge and Deveraux collections that focus on the spiritual and mystical aspects of the Christmas story and also some less familiar aspects of this narrative including carols about the lives of saints whose feast days fall within the 12 days of Christmas (24 December–6 January). These includes carols on St Stephen, St John, St Sylvester and the Holy Innocents.

Producer Ethan Johns has adopted an intimate interpretation of these remarkable and moving carols that integrates early music, folk music and classical styles.

For Strange Wonders - The Wexford Carols Vol.2 singer/arranger Caitriona O’Leary and producer, Ethan Johns brought together an ensemble comprised of leading virtuosi from folk and classical music including, Seth Lakeman (voice, fiddle, viola), Clara Sanabras (voice, baroque guitar), John Smith (voice, guitar), Stile Antico (Choir), Alison Balsom (trumpet), Olov Johannson (nyckelharapa), Simone Collavechi (lute), Deirdre O’Leary (clarinet), Mel Mercier (percussion), Ethan Johns (harmonium), John Hearne (baroque bassoon).