Birthday: suits!

The Chieftains' 40th birthday celebrations gather apace with the March 4th release of The Wide World Over.

Their 33rd album is arguably their most star-studded yet, with the Rolling Stones, Elvis Costello, Sting, Joni Mitchell, Sinéad O'Connor, Art Garfunkel, Diana Krall, Ziggy Marley, Linda Ronstadt and old pal Van Morrison making it into the credits.

"It's a 'Best Of' of their recent collaborations," says band spokesperson Yvonne McMahon, "plus two new tracks - a cover of 'Redemption Song' that they did recently with Ziggy Marley, and 'Morning Has Broken', which was recorded in Antarctica on Millenium's Eve with Diana Krall and Art Garfunkel.

"It's the first - and probably last! - time they've recorded on the deck of an icebreaker... and it's quite, quite wonderful."

In the meantime, the group have started a monster 28-date tour of the States which culminates in a Paddy's Day knees-up at New York's Avery Fischer Hall.