Celtic Life International

It’s hard to believe that Celtic Life International is now in its 40th year of publication. For some of us, forty years ago seems like just yesterday. In March of 1987, Irish supergroup U2 released The Joshua Tree to worldwide acclaim - included on the album were the iconic singles With or Without You and I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For, each dominating the international music charts for months. The world of 1987 seems all-too-familiar to the one we inhabit today, marked with global unrest and divisiveness; 4 decades ago, the Iran-Iraq war was intensifying and the apartheid government in South Africa was using increasingly repressive tools to control dissenters. Upon this backdrop, Celtic Life International - originally called The Clansman - published its inaugural issue in May…

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Aithbe damsa bés mora; sentu fom-dera croan; toirsi oca cía do-gnéo, sona do-tét a loan Ebb-tide to me, the custom of the sea Old age has made me sallow Though I may grieve thereat Happily it comes to its food. I met with a friend recently who wants to study Scottish Gaelic. We were discussing setting up some ceilidhean - relatively informal get-togethers for music, dancing and storytelling - when he commented that, before committing to something like that, he wanted to get past the feeling of being an ‘outsider.’ “You are very much on the inside, while I am looking in from the outside.” This is a familiar sentiment that evokes sympathy in me, having first heard the Gaelic language on The Movie, the final track of Aerosmith’s 1987…

1 Scottish Musical A new musical about Jacobite heroine Flora MacDonald is set to premiere in Inverness this coming spring. Simply titled Flora, the musical was written by Belle Jones and is a biographical piece of theatre intended to bring MacDonald’s life out of the shadow of Bonnie Prince Charlie. Actors Karen Fishwick and Annie Grace will respectively portray MacDonald in different periods of her life, backed by an ensemble cast. The show’s music is inspired by Scottish traditional tunes with a contemporary twist, composed by AJ Robertson and John Kielty. Flora is scheduled to debut at the Eden Court Theatre in March. 2 House of Guinness A recent Netflix series is the first on the streaming platform to have Irish language subtitles. House of Guinness, a historical drama about…

Julian Thomas Welsh bookbinder Julian Thomas is a master of the art. Starting in 1969, Thomas served a four-year apprenticeship in bookbinding at the National Library of Wales and then held various positions at the library (including Manager of the Conservation Treatment Unit) until his retirement in 2010. Also during his time at the National Library, Thomas trained a total of 47 students in bookbinding and conservation. He has been accredited through the Institute of Conservation since 2001, and has received multiple accolades over the course of his career, including the MBE (Member of the Order of the British Empire) for Services to Conservation Science and Bookbinding. His work can be found in multiple libraries across the United Kingdom, and his books have been displayed in exhibitions such as Kyffin:…

Tallahassee Highland Games February 7 & 8, 2026 Tallahassee, FL www.tallyhighlandgames.com "The Field Is Calling Again!” Now in its fourth year, the Tallahassee Highland Games at Apalachee Regional Park has quickly established itself as the Celtic heartbeat of northwest Florida. For 2026, the 2-day gathering invites both Celts and non-Celts to enjoy an array of amazing events, including Heavy Athletics, the U.S. Caber Championship, and Stones of Strength, showcasing both Men’s Masters Over 40 - America’s Strongest Stone Lifter, and Women’s Masters Over 40 - World’s Strongest Stone Lifter. Athletes will be competing for $7,500 in cash prizes. Also on the agenda are three stages with live musical performances, Highland dance exhibitions, kid’s activities, vendors showcasing Scottish/Irish wares and fares, and more. At the core of the weekend festivities are…