Halifax Celtic Festival Too
Halifax Celtic Festival co-founder Brian Doherty may be a man of few words (and he calls himself an Irishman!) but he is one of much action. Along with his involvement with this year’s inaugural event in the provincial capital, he is also the proprietor of the Old Triangle Irish Alehouse, one of Atlantic Canada’s premier pubs. Recently he spoke with us about today’s festivities.
What is your own ethnicity / heritage?
Born in Ireland.
When and why did you get involved with this event?
A couple of years ago a few of us got together and thought that Halifax needed a Celtic Festival.
What are the challenges of being involved?
Raising enough financial support to ensure that all aspects of the Festival are covered.
What are the rewards?
Working with a group of dedicated people and celebrating a common culture.
Why is it an important event for the community here?
There is a large group of people in the Halifax area with Celtic roots and the festival will highlight this as well as showcasing our culture to other cultures.
What can attendees expect this year?
A celebration through music, song and dance.
How else are you involved with the Celtic community here?
I’m the Honorary Consul General of Ireland in Nova Scotia and past President of the Charitable Irish Society of Halifax.
Are we doing enough to preserve and promote Celtic culture generally?
I believe more can be done as we have a wealth of Celtic culture in the Province and visitors arrive with an expectation that they will experience some of this richness.
What can we be doing better?
We can encourage more people to participate and get involved with the organization of events. We should highlight and encourage more promotion of our “living tradition” to the world at large.
What does the future look like for the event?
I’m hoping the event will grow in size to a three day celebration of all things Celtic.
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