Thursday, August 07, 2008

Dance stage part of the Northeast Louisiana Celtic Festival, presented Oct 25 - 26 in West Monroe by Doyle Jeter


Dancing on Air
Originally uploaded by renoir7777
Amazing music maven Doyle Jeter, proprietor of Enoch's Irish Pub in Monroe, never stops scheming about bringing vivid music to Louisiana. Thus he created the Northeast Louisiana Celtic Festival some 4 years ago.

Held October 25 - 26 at the Hamilton Expo Center, West Monroe, Jeter presents "performances by some of the world’s most renowned Celtic musicians and storytellers; workshops on Celtic language, instruments and history; a dance stage and children’s stage; Highland games; Celtic wares and exhibitors; food and beverage, and more!"

He continues, "As founder of the festival, I am constantly asked why we feel a Celtic festival should be held in Northeast Louisiana. More often than not, this question is asked by someone who has grown up in our region, and who has a surname like Kelley, Murphy, Collins, Whatley, McKeithan, Riley or Sullivan! My answer is: “Have you ever looked in a local phone book or visited one of the cemeteries in our area? Are you not aware, man, that your name is Irish?!" After a bit of ribbing, I go on to explain that at least 76% of our area can claim Scots-Irish, Irish, or Welsh heritage, and that Northeast Louisiana was actually listed on an 1851 map as "Celtic Louisiana"!"

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