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Thank God, because the resurgence of all things Celtic is long overdue, and I’m loving it!

And since today is St. Patrick’s Day, now is a good time for this post.

The Romans, Saxons, Vikings and others all made attempts at conquering, controlling and subduing the Celts, pushing them right to where Europe ends and the Alantic Ocean begins.

They almost succeeded. Almost.

The Celts hung on and survived. There’s a great article in the most recent issue of National Geographic that goes into a bit more detail on this story. Here’s a terrific link to the online audio-visual presentation on the article. It includes some incredible imagery and fascinating commentary by photographer Jim Richardson.

What is it about the Celts that captures our imagination, even across the pond here in the United States? I think it’s because they have a passion for life that can only be admired and seem to have slightly more than the usual human sensitivity to the natural world.

They maintain a keen awareness and respect to the cycle of the seasons. They are haunted by the changing light of the year and absorb the laws of nature in all that they do and create. They feel most at home in those areas of the world where there is a distinct difference from summer to fall to winter to spring.
Birth, death, re-birth. For the Celts life is a never-ending circle to be danced upon and rejoiced through the wailful call of the pipes and the racing rhythm of the fiddle. The Celts are your original nature lovers. But when aroused in a fit of anger or threatened, well, like my Dad is found of saying, “Katie bar the door.” You see, they are also natural born soldiers. Author James Webb makes this point quite clear in one his best-selling books, “Born Fighting.”

The Celts also thrive at being the underdogs. Almost always outnumbered, outgunned and outmanaged, the Celts will put-up a glorious fight that almost always translates into tactical defeats. Contrary to popular to belief regarding the Confederate forces of the American Civil War, Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Viriginia consisted largely of the Sotch-Irish of Appalachia, not slave-owning plantation owners as usually depicted on film. In running the risk of being politically incorrect and labled a racist, I can’t help but admire what these soldiers were able to accomplish in such small numbers with so very little in the way of supplies, all the way to the very end.

Conversely, the hardest fighting units of the Union Army, as well as their most successful leaders, also were largely of Scotch-Irish ancestory.

Perhaps this why the carnage of the American Civil War still looms so heavy over our identity as Americans, as does the passion of its’ combatants in fueling our imagination, some 140 years later.

But a Celt will only thrive in a regimented life for so long. Eventually the call back toward individual pursuits and freedom will cary him back home.

When it comes to religion one can’t help but notice that Catholicism is quite dominant amongst those of Celtic heritage. Their conversion took place just a few short centuries following the birth of the Catholic faith. But like everything else Celtic, there’s more here than meets the eye. Truth be told I never considered it a full “conversion,” but rather a gradual melding of the basic tenets and beliefs of the Christianity with the Celtic respect and worship of the natural world.

The Celtic Cross is proof positive of the point I’m trying to make. I keep one (pictured above with the Shamrocks) directly behind me on my bookshelf. I’ve also included my photograph of the monument to the Irish Brigade at Gettysburg. And yes, that is a Irish Wolfhound sitting at the base of the cross.
Granted the Catholic Church is far from perfect, and God knows we’ve taken our lumps recently, but the Irish continue to be some the most devoted Catholics.

It can’t go unnoticed the continued parallels between some of the most famous works of those writers and directors with Celtic backgrounds with the very foundation of Christian beliefs and faith - the story and sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the ultimate “underdog” who would go on to claim the ultimate victory. (oops, there I go again out on those politically incorrect branches)

Want proof of this “parallel.” No problem. How about the works of C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien. What have been some the most popular and best-selling movies in the last five years - The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and The Chronicles of Narnia.

What is Celtic is new again.

Our should I dare mention Hollywood’s favorite target of ridicule, Mr. Mel Gibson. Take a second look at Braveheart and the story of William Wallace. Then watch Gibson’s Passion of the Christ.
And speaking of those two writers and this particular actor turned director, the Celts are also a highly creative and artistic group. Just look at the number of truly great musicians, actors, poets and writers that have originated from that small isle of my ancestors - Ireland.
I’m proud of my Celtic heritage. I thank my Dad for it. I also thank him for the gift he gave me in appreciating my Irish heritage.

And here we are on this Saint Patrick’s Day.

I’ve never been much for the crowded bars and green beer celebrations. Actually, the Irish aren’t either. Don’t get me wrong. The 17th of March is a special day for the Irish, as it should be for all of us, but in Ireland it is recognized with a bit more reverence toward the holiday’s origins. It’s also a time of changing light and changing seasons. The beginning of nature’s renewal and rebirth. The first signs of the “greening” of our natural world.
I actually celebrated Saint Patrick and all things Celtic this past the Monday evening. I journeyed to the Oregon District of Dayton to listen to the Glengarry Bhoys at the Dublin Pub. I had a few pints of Guiness with a friend at the bar while this band played some wonderful Celtic music. At one point their piper stood-up on the bar as he worked the wind through his bag with incredible talent. Before I left I bought one of their CD’s. I’ve been listening to it ever since.

There’s something about this music that reaches into my soul and gets the spirit of my imagination running. It’s hard to explain, but I truly love it as I do with all things Irish and all things Celtic.

So on this Saint Patrick’s Day think of the Celts and become a part of their celebration of life, spirit and nature. No matter what your background or heritage, you will always be welcome to join in the dance. But be careful, for once you do set your foot to the tapping of that Irish rhythm of life you will never stop. The Celts like it that way.