Celtus, a Irish pop‑rock group formed in 1996 by brothers Pat McManus (guitar, bouzouki, violin, backing vocals) and John McManus (lead vocals, flute, cornemuse), emerged after the death of their brother Tommy; the duo had previously gained recognition with Mama's Boys. The band’s first breakthrough came with the 1997 release of the album Moonchild, featuring tracks such as "Brother's Lament" and "Love Turns to Dust", which showcased a shift from hard rock to Celtic‑influenced folk rock using traditional instruments. In 1999 the group issued Portrait, containing songs like "Two Worlds" and "Science of Love"; despite a strong musical direction, the album failed to achieve commercial success, prompting Sony to drop the band. Subsequently Celtus self‑produced Rooted (2000) and performed live recordings such as Live 2000 (2001), with keyboardist Dan Axtell joining the lineup; the final studio effort, What Goes Around … (2001), included titles like "What Goes Around" and "Breathe". After a brief touring circuit that saw performances at the Royal Albert Hall and London Palladium, the group disbanded, with Pat McManus later joining the Irish rock outfit Indian and John McManus collaborating with Dan Axtell on the album Rivers of Time.
