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As a lover of Celtic culture and someone who has Irish
ancestry, there are things that people say and do that irk me. They may seem
insignificant, but they get on my nerves when people do or say them, as they
come from a place of ignorance that can be changed.
Thinking “Zombie” by the Cranberries is a Halloween song
I remember the first time I heard “Zombie” on the radio on
Halloween. I did not know the entire history of the song, but I did know enough
that it was actually a serious song about a tragic event that happened. Hearing
it played as I now know the full meaning, and even thinking back to that first
time makes me mad. I did not hear it on Halloween in 2025, but it was a part of
a radio contest where the radio host either played it really quickly or played
it in reverse. When he gave the clue, he mentioned that the title was “Halloween
vibes,” which is not the best, but it was still better than calling it a
full-on Halloween song.
Celtic concerts are concentrated in March or September
I am a huge fan of Celtic music. From Celtic Thunder to the Red
Hot Chilli Pipers and many, many other bands, I love seeing these musicians
live in concert. However, a lot of Celtic music gets condensed to March for St.
Patrick’s Day, even if they are a Scottish band, or for September to celebrate
halfway to St. Patrick’s Day. This
leaves me craving this music the rest of the year for the most part. When these
months do come, I am often left with having to spend a huge amount of money and
having to decide who I feel is worth seeing as schedules overlap.
Lack of Irish pubs in my small town
I live in a small town outside of Philadelphia. There used
to be a pub in a neighboring town and another a bit further out. Now, I have to
go more than half an hour away if I want to go to an authentic Irish pub. In
the meantime, several sit-down restaurants near me are closing and are being
bought out for things like gas stations and dentist offices. If I had the means
to make my own pub, I would. Unfortunately, I do not have the knowledge or the
resources to make this, nor do I know anyone who does.
“Fake” Irish Pubs
Not only are there no Irish or Celtic pubs near me, but the ones
that claim to be Irish pubs are not authentic. There is one about half an hour
from me that I have yet to go to that seems genuine, but it is further away
than the inauthentic pubs. These “fake” pubs don’t have any authentic music
playing or food to offer. They put a few Irish-like decorations on the wall and
call it a day without aiming for real authenticity.
Those who have been to Ireland (or any other Celtic
nation) before me and without me
I have been longing to go to the Celtic nations since I was
a kid. When I was a child, I distinctly remember having a dream that I was in
Ireland, and as I stood at the bottom of a hill, a whole herd of sheep came
running towards me. Most kids would have been afraid, but I was unafraid. If
anything, it made me want to visit Ireland more. However, I know of family
members and friends who know this about me and went without me. Of course, this
gives me a chance to ask their advice on what to see and do when I do get there
someday, and I am thrilled they got to experience it, but I can’t help but be a
bit jealous at the same time.
Related Articles
-New Hope's Dubliner on the Delaware To Close: https://kiltedowl.blogspot.com/2025/11/new-hopes-dubliner-on-delaware-to-close.html
-Concert Review: Red Hot Chilli Pipers: https://kiltedowl.blogspot.com/2025/09/concert-review-red-hot-chilli-pipers.html
-Irish Pub Review: Harrigan's: https://kiltedowl.blogspot.com/2025/08/irish-pub-review-harrigans.html