Articles

• Frequently Asked Questions
• Aliens and Irishmen!
• Attack of the Plastic Patty's
• Beyond Green Beer and Leprechauns
• Celebrating the Saint of Ireland - St. Patrick
• Celtic Cats - Magical Mystery Purr!
• Celtic Love, nothing short of Epic!
• An Interview with a Faerie in the 21st Century
• Five Miracles of Storytelling
• Halloween, the Celtic American Holiday!
• Irish Standard Time
• Kerns + Galloglass. Scariest Team on Earth!
• One old Biddy you don't mess with
• The Problem with Fairies.... NEW!
• Saint Preserve Us
• Shaggy Dog Stories - a Celts best friend!
• St. Patrick's Day: A story of celebration and survival
• Storytelling for Kids
• A Tough Act To Follow - Mystic, Legend, Saint,… Patrick.
• Tying the Knot, Celtic Style

Beyond Green Beer and Leprechauns!

"That's Another Story, a column by True Thomas"

We are blessed in the storytelling and folk music community. The spirit of the Celts lives in the stories and songs of the Celtic isles. From the skirling notes in the pennywhistle tunes, to the many leveled stories, there is a certain indefinable magic in the Celtic influences. Yet, as a nation, people surround themselves with plastic hats, and shamrocks, and make the obligatory jokes about drinking and pots of gold. This in way is part of the Irish and Celtic character- a dark humor, and in the case of the Irish, a pretty good example of how a nation that went through hell can have a brilliant, creative soul.

If you think about it, what other culture would allow themselves to be held up to such a stereotype? The crazy thing, is that the USA is a nation of Celts! Although the demographics are changing, the population many of us are of European descent. And most of Europe, under the veneer of nations and a lot of history, was at one time covered by Celtic tribes. London was named after the Londinii, and Belgium after the Belgae. Our culture is full of veiled Celtic connections…Halloween (Samhain) is a fine Celtic holiday, our civil legal system was influenced by Irish brehon laws, and so forth. If you know where to look, Celtic influences are everywhere. And nowhere do we find a stronger sense of that magic than in the the stories and songs. After the surge of Irish rock/folk bands (everything from U2 to Enya,) there have been a lot of "newcomers" to the living tradition of the Celts. People who want to make the connection, but are'nt quite sure where to find it. That's where we come in. For the next couple of months, when you play a tune that has a Celtic influence, talk about it. If you are doing a ballad (say Paddy's Lament) it might be worth while to mention that in Chicago, bricks were called "Irish Confetti!" and the connection the Irish Famine had with the workforce that helped build the nation and span the continent. And if you know the history of the "Kerry Recruit, you could talk about the history of protest songs, and the fine art the Irish made of protest (on either side) with songs and satirical wit. Point them towards your favorite Celtic singers and groups. For more current media, I certainly recommend the movies, "The Secret of Roan Inish" (a traditional Selkie tale), My Left Foot, the Commitments, and Into the West, a little known movie with a strong dose of mythic, involving the Travellers (Irish Tinkers). And of course the Irish tower in the field of writing with greats like George Bernard Shaw, Jonathon Swift, and W.B. Yeats. I encourage all storytellers to incorporate music into their storytelling concerts, and likewise, if you are having a hoot, a session, or a concert, please bring in a storyteller.

Archaeology tells us that the Celts were in large part, a traveling people. Quick to move on, quick to incorporate influences from other cultures. As populations grew, they migrated across Europe, and finally to America. It might be genetic, this urge to move ever onward, a gift from our Celtic ancestors, a gift of fury, humor and eloquence. It would not surprise me at all, that someday, as we set foot on other planets, that those future explorers might have a pennywhistle in the luggage. So beyond the Leprechauns and the Green Beer, we can inspire, educate, and enjoy our heritage, and help others find that note that raises the hair on the back of neck. And that's another story.