Their "ambitious" and "groundbreaking" debut album The Wayward Sons of Mother Earth was released in 1990[2] with the song "The Widdershins Jig" acclaimed as "particularly significant" and "a certain first in the realms of Metal".
[3] This debut album made an impact on a young Keith Fay who had formed a Tolkien-inspired black metal band by the name of Minas Tirith.
[5] Like Waylander, Keith Fay also credits the Irish rock band Horslips as a "huge influence on Cruachan," further noting that "what they were doing in the 70s is the equivalent of what we do now.
"[4] Cruachan's debut album Tuatha na Gael was released in 1995 and the band has since been acclaimed as having "gone the greatest lengths of anyone in their attempts to expand" the genre of folk metal.
[1] Since the turn of the millennium, the genre has expanded and many bands beyond the shores of Ireland can be found today performing Celtic metal.
This includes Eluveitie from Switzerland,[11] Ithilien from Belgium,[12] Mägo de Oz[13] from Spain, Suidakra from Germany,[14] Leah from Canada,[15] Skiltron from Argentina, and Gun Ghaol - who perform entirely in Scots Gaelic - from Scotland.