Attending a Celtic festival is a great way to experience all the wonders of Celtic culture, including song, dance, crafts, and food and drink.

Trying something new and reaching out to other people who share your ancestry can be really inspiring.

Creating memories and making new friends is just one facet of a Celtic festival, but it can be the very best part!

If you have a taste for Celtic music and dance, you’ll find these gatherings exceptionally stimulating. Musicians from all over the world meet to play for festival attendees, adding touches of Celtic beauty to all genres of music.

As well, there are often great activities for families at these events, including children’s crafts and games. For grown-ups, the timeless pleasures of jovial nights at Irish pubs, surrounded by friendly faces, can be a real selling point.

We’ve gathered some information about the best new festivals for the upcoming months. We hope you get a chance to participate and enjoy everything that they have to offer.

Here is a look at some fun festivals. Consider a road trip or short flight and make a holiday of it.

Michigan Irish Music Festival -

This Irish music festival takes place from Sept. 18-20, 2009, in downtown Muskegon. Fiddle virtuosos Natalie McMaster and Donnell Leahy are headlining the musical entertainment for this popular event.

Other activities include a fun Limerick “festival” and pub night, as well as inflatable rides and activities for the children.

Before you go, get in the spirit by choosing a fun and beautiful Celtic pendant to wear. The noble Shamrock Pendant is a perfect choice if your ancestry is Irish. Here’s quick look at a pretty Shamrock pendant you’ll be proud to wear.

As you can see, this perfectly crafted pendant really evokes the spirit of the occasion, and it’s highlighted by a sparkling row of diamonds.

Long after the festival ends, you’ll still reach for your Shamrock pendant – you may decide to just leave it on full-time.

Here’s a look at another great festival that will be coming up in the near future.

Milwaukee Irish Fest -

This great Irish festival runs from August 13-15th, 2009, and it takes place at Henry W. Maier Festival Park, just a short shuttle ride from the downtown core.

There is a whole roster of fun entertainment planned for the event. Musical acts such as Slide and Sean Keane will get the crowd dancing on the Main Stage. Plenty of other acts are scheduled as well.

If you love Irish dancing, you’ll enjoy watching the highly skilled McMenamin Dance Academy perform their signature, traditional dances.

A children’s area and a cultural marketplace filled with amazing, Celtic-inspired arts and crafts will allow you to get out and mingle with new friends, knowing your little ones are having a good time at well.

You can count on great Irish food and drink, served up with a smile, at The Jameson Lounge, an Irish pub that will be a popular hub during the two-day celebration.

As you can see, the options for good times are almost unlimited. Broaden your horizons with a little Celtic fun you’ll never forget.

Giving a piece of birthstone jewelry to a friend or loved one is an excellent way to show your affection for them.

Birthstones are colorful and meaningful. They always add special significance to a ring or pendant.

Gemstones have been a source of mystery and fascination for thousands of years. Each birth month has its own signature stone, and often, there are mystical properties associated with each gem.

Whether or not you believe that a gemstone can bestow good luck, health, or some other positive attributes to its wearer, you will enjoy learning about the lore and myths associated with the stones themselves.

Celtic Jewelry with birthstones packs a double punch of symbolism. The Celtic symbols you’ll find on birthstone jewelry also carry their own hidden meanings.

By choosing a mother’s pendant or silver Birthstone Claddagh ring, you can expect to give a gift with a real “story” attached.

In order to let the person you are giving to know the special story behind their ring or pendant, you can study the symbols and properties of birthstones and Celtic designs. We’ve compiled a quick guide to make it all easy.

Irish and Celtic Symbols

The most common symbol found on today’s Irish and Celtic birthstone jewelry designs is the Claddagh Symbol.

The traditional Irish Claddagh Ring is used as a token of affection. It can be a gift of friendship or a declaration of romantic devotion. The first Claddagh Ring was created by Richard Joyce, an Irish fisherman.

Joyce was working on a fishing vessel, far from his native Galway, when his ship was boarded by pirates. He was kidnapped and forced to work for a goldsmith. He left behind the only woman he truly loved, and he never stopped longing for her.

In order to show his undying faithfulness, he created a ring which featured two tiny hands, gently holding a crowned heart.

Years later, when he was granted his freedom , he returned to Ireland and found Margaret waiting for him. He gave her the very first Claddagh Ring, and she wore it always.

When you choose a Claddagh birthstone ring for someone you care about, you are expressing the spirit of friendship and love.

Birthstones

Here is a quick guide by month:

January - Garnet : Dark-red, thought to protect its wearer from nightmares.

February – Amethyst: Pale-purple, thought to bestow peace and calm on its wearer.

March – Aquamarine: Pale blue-green color. Believed to provide protection from drowning.

April – Diamond: Icy white. A symbol of purity. Thought to give strength and power to its wearer.

May – Emerald: Deep-green. Believed to assist the wearer in seeing into the future.

June – Alexandrite: Dark purple stone. Believed to bring good luck to its wearer.

July – Ruby: Crimson red. A symbol of passion and love. It is thought to bestow vitality.

August – Peridot: Yellow-green. The peridot is thought to enhance loyalty, dignity, and reputation.

September – Sapphire: Dark blue. The sapphire is believed to bestow mental clarity and sincerity in its wearer.

October – Pink Diamond: Pale pink. This pretty gemstone is thought to enhance beauty and charm in its wearer.

November – Yellow Topaz: Yellow-brown. This stone is believed to bestow intuition and mental acuity on its wearer.

December – Blue Topaz: Light blue. This gemstone is believed to enhance creativity and inspiration.

Tags: Birthstone, jewelry, Birthstones, Gemstones, Celtic, Jewelry, symbols, Claddagh, Ring, designs

Once you’ve become immersed in the symbols and lore of the Emerald Isle, you will start to recognize little touches of Ireland in the world around you. While Irish jewelry designs feature some of the most exquisite renderings of Celtic interlace and other popular symbols, they are not the only place you will discover such designs. In today’s world, these symbols can appear almost anywhere. Here is a fun guide to some examples of Irish symbolism in popular culture:

• The Harp – Guinness Draught Beer

The tradition of lively, lilting music and dance is a key component of Irish cultural history. From Medieval times onward, the Harp has been used by Irish musicians to express a prismatic range of emotions; its many strings allow for layers of nuance and a distinctive sound. In past centuries, the Irish Harp was always placed upon the left shoulder, so that it covered the heart. Today, the Irish Harp appears on every bottle of Guinness beer, the thick, dark stout produced in Dublin. Funnily enough, reports have surfaced that the barley-based brew is good for the heart.

• The Claddagh – The Best Of Simple Minds

In the Eighties, the Scottish rock band, Simple Minds, were at the height of their popularity. They rose to fame with their sixth album, Sparkle In The Rain, produced by Steve Lillywhite (of U2 fame). However, their biggest hit, Don’t You Forget About Me, was actually written by someone else. It appeared on the Breakfast Club soundtrack, and it became one of the anthems of the era. For Simple Mind’s greatest hits compilation, they chose the romantic symbols of the Irish Claddagh for their cover art. Today, the Claddagh Ring, with its signature crowned heart motif, is often used as a token and love and affection.

• Celtic Interlace – Tattoos

The popularity of Celtic tattoos featuring classical knot work has never been greater. The timeless appeal of interlace lies in its intricate beauty and its inherent symbolism. The lines of Celtic knot work have no beginning and no end. They are a symbol of life force and eternity. Many celebrities have chosen tattoos featuring interlace and other related symbols, such as Celtic Crosses. The lead singer of rock band Depeche Mode, Dave Gahan, sports a Celtic tattoo, in emerald green ink, on his left shoulder. Former Spice Girl Melanie C. also chose a Celtic tattoo design.

• Leprechauns and Shamrocks – Notre Dame Football Team Jerseys

The pugnacious Irish fellow displayed on the team blanket above is a symbol of The Fighting Irish, Notre Dame University’s football team. They also use a Shamrock motif on their merchandise. But why did an Indiana University choose the symbols of Ireland for its squad? The stories vary, but it believed that during a Notre Dame-Michigan game in the late 18 th century, one player yelled out the following admonishment to his teammates: “What’s the matter with you guys? You’re all Irish and you’re not fighting worth a lick.”

As you can see, the presence of Irish symbols is alive and well in the modern world. How many other symbols can you find in the world around you?

Tags: irish, celtic, symbols, guinness, tattoos, Claddagh, simple, minds, notre, dame

“Fear was making her steps precise, like scissors cutting paper…” Brenna Briggs, the author of the unique Liffey Rivers Irish Dancer Mysteries, has commented that “the world of Irish dancers is out of control! Families spend thousands of dollars each year traveling to dance competitions all over the world and many dancers own several solo dresses, worth well over a thousand dollars each, along with multiple hard and soft shoes.

Dancers glue their socks on, tan their legs with chemicals and wear wigs. At one time the style was to wear two wigs—one on top of the other. Most dance competitions have caps and close within hours of opening up for online registration and the Chicago Feis alone has more than 2,000 competitors. The feiseanna (competition) circuit is addictive. There is an online support group called MAIDS: ‘Mothers Addicted To Irish Dancing.’”

Briggs says that the idea of an Irish dancer who was also a girl detective evolved from the two worlds she lived in for many years. By day, Brenna worked as a paralegal in a criminal law office and after hours, she inhabited the world of her Irish dancing daughter, driving 100 miles a few times a week round trip.

Heroine Liffey Rivers is a 13-year-old Irish dancer who solves crimes and mysteries within a feiseanna framework, often taking risks. There are three books in this series so far and a fourth debuting in September. Serialized Liffey Rivers short stories also appear monthly in Irish Dance and Culture Magazine. The books are available online at Amazon.com and Amazon uk and through independent bookstores in Ireland, the UK and U.S. More information is available at: www.liffeyrivers.com

Tags: liffey, rivers, Irish, dance, book, brenna, briggs

Saint Patrick’s Day is a joyous celebration of everything Irish. If you plan on hitting a pub or a Saint Patrick’s Day parade, you are probably thinking about the best way to show your Irish spirit on March 17 th. A little touch of Irish style can make you sparkle at parties and festivities. Here are some fun, modern ways to display your pride and loyalty to the Emerald Isle on Saint Patrick’s Day:

Wearing of The Green – Of course, wearing emerald green is synonymous with Saint Patrick’s Day. The “wearing o’ the green” is a tradition based on the politics of Ireland and England through the centuries. The “green” was initially worn to show allegiance to the Society of the United Irishmen, and it was viewed as rebellion by the English rulers of the day.

In fact, the “wearing o’ the green” was a crime in the 18 th century, and those who wore Shamrocks or green articles of clothing could be hung for their acts of defiance.

Today, “wearing the green” on March 17 th is still an expression of Irish pride and loyalty, and it can be fun to indulge with a fun slogan t-shirt (Kiss Me, I’m Irish is one old standby) or even a hat in bright emerald green.

Look around websites and novelty t-shirt stores to see what’s new in Saint Paddy’s Day t-shirts and accessories for this year. Going to the pub while “wearing the green” will ensure that everyone knows you are of Irish origin.

Face Painting – If you want to go all out on the big day, consider gathering a group of friends and doing a little face painting to get into the spirit of things! Grab some non-toxic cosmetic paint from a costume shop and start with some simple shapes that are easy to do.

Shamrocks can be painted on with ease, and they can be put almost anywhere – so be creative. If you don’t want to put shapes like this on your face, consider a green “tattoo” on the back of your shoulder (if you are female). If you are wearing a tank top while you celebrate in a pub, the shamrock will look cute and fun.

If you are male, consider a Shamrock across your bicep or forearm, for a more masculine, “tattoo” effect. Also you could draw other symbols of Ireland with cosmetic paint, such as leprechauns or pots of gold.

Irish Jewelry – Once you’ve gotten your outfit for Saint Patrick’s Day organized, you may be interested in other little touches that will help make the celebration unforgettable.

A diamond Shamrock pendant is a superb way to show your style, and it will also look great in every photo taken on that day (or night)! As well, if you choose a Shamrock pendant handcrafted in Ireland itself, it will become a versatile piece that you can wear long after Saint Paddy’s Day!

In fact, Irish Shamrock pendants are exquisitely crafted out of white or yellow gold, by master artisans, and they feature inlaid diamonds that add a touch of glitz to the design. An Irish Shamrock pendant is a great choice at any time, but especially around March 17 th!

Tags: St., Patricks, Day, Shamrocks, green,pendant, kiss, me

Luckily for Americans, you don’t have to be living in Ireland to experience some terrific, authentic Irish culture. There are many Irish festivals held annually throughout the United States, and two wonderful ones are coming up on the West Coast and in the Midwest.

Irish festivals are a great way to learn more about Irish culture, whether it’s sampling some Irish cuisine (potato soup, corned beef sandwiches or Guinness tickle your fancy?), learning about Irish history, watching performers dance traditional Irish steps or listening to Irish music, these festivals have it all: all without having to leave the continent.

Mark your calendars all you West Coasters: The Irish Heritage Club of Seattle, WA is hosting its 2009 Irish Festival March 14, 15 and 17th (conveniently, St. Patrick’s Day). This event is free, so get your Irish apparel ready and your party shoes on. This festival will feature something for everyone in the family, including: booths selling Irish and Celtic products, on-going Irish music, singing, dancing, workshops, lectures, cultural displays, children’s contests and activities and more!

If you are interested in learning more about your Irish family ancestry or perhaps just about Irish genealogy in general, you may want to participate in one of the festival’s Genealogy workshops. If you have always wanted to be able to impress people with being able to speak some Irish, or perhaps you’re planning a trip to the Emerald Isle and want to have a few phrases under your belt, there will be Language workshops available for your learning pleasure.

For those who appreciate foreign cinema, there will be screening of Irish films during the Festival’s Irish Reels Film Festival. For more information, call (206) 427-3027 or visit http://www.irishclub.org/center.htm

Midwesterners need to wait a little longer for a local Irish festival, but the Michigan Irish music festival is well worth the wait. Happening on September 18-20, 2009 in downtown Muskegon, this festival is one that you will never forget. The festival boasts three days of live music on three different stages, with everything from traditional Irish folk to contemporary Irish rock.

The music will come from bands like Gaelic Storm, The Barra MacNeils, Seamus Kennedy, Fonn Mor and more. The Irish pub area will feature the Notre Dame game on a big screen, so football fans won’t have to miss a minute of the Fighting Irish.

Food galore will be served, and alcohol like Guinness, Harp, Baileys Irish Cream, Budweiser, Bud Light, Bud Select, Amber Bock, Bacardi Malternatives will be served. On the Verizon Dance state, festival go-ers can either watch performers doing traditional Irish dances, or learn them themselves.

If you are worried about missing church on Sunday to attend an Irish festival, fear not. There will be a Catholic Mass on the 14th at 9 am, and that is free to the public. Countless craft and souvenir vendors will be on hand, so have your pocketbook ready to bring home some unique Irish gifts for family and friends.

3-day pass to the festival is $20, or you can buy tickets for just one day priced at $12 for adults on Saturday and $10 on Sunday. Children ages 5-12 are $2 both days, and children under 5 years old are free. Call (231) 739-2028 or visit http://www.michiganirish.org for more information.

Attending Irish festivals are a great way to get in touch with your Irish roots. While you can certainly buy jewelry and other Irish apparel at the festivals, it is even more fun to come to the festivals wearing something you know was handcrafted in Ireland. Irishcelticjewels.com features a great variety of Celtic and Irish jewelry, everything from rings to pendants to earrings.

There is no better way to show off your Irish heritage by wearing something historically significant like a Claddagh ring or a Trinity knot necklace. People will surely notice your jewelry, and you can impress them by saying you ordered it all the way from Ireland. You may be able to find great Irish gifts at these festivals, but there’s no way to know if they are authentically Irish.

Tags: Irish, festivals, parades, St, Patrick, jewelry

Birthstones can be found in various types of jewelry from rings to necklaces to earrings, and they are a lovely way to add some color and personality to any jewelry piece. Because there is an individual birthstone for every month of the year, you can feel unique wearing anything that contains your birth month’s specific birthstone. Birthstones and their color and meaning vary from month to month, so read on to find out what makes your birthstone so special.

January: For those of you born in the first month of the year, your birthstone is the Garnet. The Garnet is very special, as it can come in a variety of colors from pink to black. The most commonly seen color is a reddish brown. Garnets are thought to protect the wear from nightmares and to offer guidance as you are traveling through any kind of dark, literal or figurative.

February: Many people think of Valentine’s Day when they think of the month of February, so it is appropriate that the purple hued Amethyst is the birthstone for this month. Amethysts are meant to symbolize tranquility, protection and peace.

March: Richly blue-green in color, the birthstone Aquamarine lives up to its name’s association with water. This birthstone for March has been thought to protect those at sea, as well as encouraging the making of new friends. It also represents love, hope and health.

April: Diamonds are more than just a girl’s best friend, and they are the ever popular birthstone for the month of April. Known far and wide as one of the most decadent of gemstones, diamonds represent love, eternity and strength. This makes sense, as Diamonds themselves are a very hardy and long-lasting gemstone. If you are looking for a gift for someone born in April, seeking out something like a Celtic diamond ring or pendent should be very easy to do.

May: The Emerald is the birthstone for the month of May, and its rich green hue makes a beautiful addition to any jewelry piece. The Emerald is thought to represent health and the curing of various ailments, as well as the ability to see into the future. Whether these medicinal and magical qualities are true or not, the stone itself does make you feel like they might just be possible.

June: A very rare stone, the Alexandrite was named for Alexander II of Russia. This haunting stone actually changes color, and is the birthstone for the month of June. Many people consider Alexandrite to be a lucky stone, while others think it brings the wearer love.

July: The richly deep red Ruby is the birthstone for July, and reminds one of royalty and sheer elegance. This birthstone has been associated with protection and harmony.

August: The Peridot in its bright lime green color is the birthstone for the month of August. Its vibrancy is thought to shine a light against evil and things that would come terrorize us during the night.

September: Beautiful blue in color, Sapphires are September’s birthstone. These popular gemstones, often featured as side stones in Celtic engagement rings, are thought to represent faith and purity, and that it helped the wearer stay honest and true.

October: Pink Cubic Zirconia is the birthstone for the month of October, and while it is not a real diamond, it shines with just as much luster and at a lower price. The pink color is perfect for anyone who favors simple elegance and a hint of love and romance.

November: The ancient Greeks loved November’s birthstone, Topaz. They thought that is was connected with strength, and also helped facilitate sanity, healing and life. Topaz can come in a rainbow of different colors, including gold, blue, pale green, pink and red.

December: The Blue Topaz is December’s birthstone, and the meaning of the word has it roots in Arabic and represents fire. Blue Topaz is thought to have healing properties and that the stone will help the wearer to be more clear sighted.

If you are looking for a unique piece of birthstone jewelry with a special Celtic flare, please visit Irish Celtic Jewels. We feature the best in Celtic jewelry that is crafted in Ireland. We have a large selection of Irish wedding and engagement rings that can help lend a distinct sentiment to your vows. We have the highest in quality customer service and superior products, and guarantee you will always find what you are looking for.

Tags: birthstone, jewelry, diamond, ring, celtic

The last drop of champagne (and anything else that was on the house) has been drunk, all of your guests had a marvelous time and in a few hours time you are off to your honeymoon.

You look down at your hand at there it is – your wedding band, it may or may not be a Celtic ring, but there it is and you have an Irish hubby to match. Your happily ever after starts right now.

But what will your happily ever after be like now that you have married an Irishman?

You will have more then just your mother-in-law to worry about – when you get married in most cases you try your best to please your new in-laws (well I said in most cases). But since the Irish are known for their big families, you may have got a bit more then you bargained for. There are the immediate in-laws, brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles and cousins twice removed. And fact remains there is no pleasing everyone.

But look at it this way – if you have managed to navigate the wedding preparations and not insult anyone by not inviting them, you are off to a cracking start. It will take the diplomatic skill of a UN’s peacekeeper but it will pay off in the long run. And there is another benefit to abundance of new family members (see number 2).

Free vacation – lets face it what with the recession and the credit crunch, vacations are becoming a luxury. And this is where all of your new relatives can come in quite handy. Never been to Co. Clare? Never visited Galway? At least now you will have a place to stay. Plus your new spouse is bound to have a few more relatives scattered all over the globe – you know how the Irish love to migrate.

The craic is always exceptional – The French have joie de vive and the Irish have the craic. And frankly I would take craic over joie de vive any day. Expect perhaps on Sundays. One has got to rest from time to time.

As it roughly translates to having a good time and it is one of the premises they live by as a nation, you can rest assured you will be amused and tickled pink.

One additional holiday – sure there is Christmas and Easter that counts as mandatory, but with the Irish you can count on at least one more holiday – St. Patrick’s Day. St. Patrick’s is the day when even the river Liffey turns green and it is not beneath the lads of Dublin to pretend they are leprechauns in a bid to chat up the girls.

Sports, sports and then some more sports – now we know that men the world over are passionate about their sports. But while most men will get their fill of football, basketball and at a stretch baseball the Irish do have a good few more. There is the soccer (of course the national team and their Irish league team), then there is the Rugby, Hurling, Gaelic football, Gaelic handball, cricket, horse racing and lets not forget golf.

Tags: marry, irish, celtic, ring, irishman, craic