Celtic Nights...

St. Patrick's Day was a really nice day this year... The celebrations began the night before with a Celtic festival. Representatives from all the Celtic nations (and even some from the USA) came to the city for a night of parades, traditional music, and dancing. It was amazing to see them all proudly dressed in their traditional dress. The evening began with the different nations playing in different areas of the city. The Irish band went from group to group and invited them to join in a celebration. Slowly a small parade formed and then wound its way through the medieval streets until it came to the old courthouse square. It was there that the different groups each performed a short exhibition of music and dance. The crowd was surprisingly small, but it created a very intimate setting. I stood there next to a 6 1/2 foot Scotsman (who was wearing a kilt) watching Britons dance around in a long snake pattern. The night was amazing! I've included a picture of a young Briton from Brittany, France proudly displaying his Celtic heritage by carrying his nation's flag.