The Celtic Republic of Appalachia Newsletter
	Imbolc 1999

IMBOLC by Kathleen Dupree

"Candlemas, occurring on February 2nd, is in the calendar of the Church, the celebration of the purification of the Virgin Mary. Americans may be more familiar with February 2nd as Groundhog Day. But, before Groundhog Day and before Candlemas there was an older celebration that took place around the beginning of February among the Celtic peoples of Europe. This day was known among the Irish as Imbolc or Brigid's Day, Lá Fléile Bríd."

CELTIC MUSIC IN APPALACHIA
Part 3 of a series by Charles H. Ball

Charlie has returned from Hawaii, and brings us the final installation of his series. The evolution of the original Celtic music into more modern forms was not a simple, linear process.... Certainly the dance music was an important original element. But another early tradition was of equal importance -- song.

A TRULY REGIONAL SEISIÚN by Mark Warford

"Was it a planetary anomaly? ...synchronicity? Whatever the case, on Thursday, January 21st, Patrick Sullivan's Saloon saw the gathering of great players from Kentucky, North Carolina, and Tennessee cookin' up the craic at that night's seisiún."

A VISIT WITH CERNUNNOS (HERNE) by Tom Crotty

"In the near distance, a stag's antlered head was silhoutted against the sky. One of my party exclaimed and the stag leapt into the air and, I don't know how he did it, bounded out of our sight down the steep slope leading to the river."

KING OF THE FOREST... IN THE CITY by Kathleen Dupree

"In a modern city such Atlanta, one does not expect to find a great deal of history left, much less legend. It was therefore a great surprise for us to discover recently, in the wilds of this great city, a legend in the making."

THE SEISIÚN SPY by Wendy Smith

"The time was three p.m. Sunday afternoon. The place was Jack of the Woods pub in Asheville. Mark Warford and I were in North Carolina on a mission. The mission? To check out a new seisiún."

CELTIC MISCELLANY by Tom Crotty

THE ROCKY ROAD TO DUBLIN Special event report by Wendy Smith

The Celts are Coming! The Celts are Coming! Seanachie Irish Pub is delighted to announce The Rocky Road to Dublin, a three day music event featuring some of the best independent and unsigned Celtic music acts from the United States, Canada and around the globe.

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