7 Places Outside of Ireland to Experience Celtic Culture

By JoAnn Bell

Many Americans feel a special connection to the Celtic traditions and nations. More than 10% claim Irish heritage and another 3% descend from Scottish or Scots-Irish ancestors. And while Ireland may be the most concentrated destination for Celtic heritage, there are lots of other countries and regions around the world where the Irish, Scots, Welsh and Celts have left their mark on the local culture.

Perhaps you have Celtic ancestry and are looking to connect with your roots. Maybe you’re looking for a taste of Ireland a little closer to home. Or maybe your voracious curiosity in Celtic culture is craving as much knowledge as possible about the influence of the Celts on the world. Whatever your fascination with Celtic heritage, read on to find out where you can learn about Celtic culture, Gaelic languages, bagpipes, Highland games and more around the world.

Who are the Celts?

The Celts are a group of people from the Iron and Medieval Ages with roots in what is now Austria. They spread their language, Druid religion and culture across Europe beginning in 279 BC. With the Roman expansion, Celtic culture became restricted to Ireland, the UK and coastal France, but a Celtic Revival emerged in the 19th and 20th centuries to recover Celtic traditions.

1. The United Kingdom

It’s not surprising that four of the six members of the Celtic League are a part of the United Kingdom, given its close proximity to Ireland: Scotland, Wales, the Isle of Man and Cornwall, England. Celtic culture and language abound across these four regions: see Early Medieval Celtic art and learn about ancient Celtic chieftains in Wales, and hear the Manx Gaelic language on the Isle of Man, an island named for a Celtic sea god. Listen to Cornish Celtic music, learn about Celtic Christianity and look for Celtic crosses in Cornwall. Attend Celtic culture, music and media festivals across the UK.

Outside of Europe, Canada may be the country most influenced by Celtic culture. Saint John in New Brunswick is nicknamed “Canada’s Irish City,” as 150,000 immigrants arrived to this coastal Canadian city between 1815 and 1867—30,000 of those escaping the Great Famine. Newfoundland has been called “the most Irish place in the world outside Ireland.” Accents, family names and the Catholic religion have survived the generations. Visit Tamworth, Ontario, the only Irish Gaeltacht (a place where the Irish language is actively promoted) outside Ireland so you can hear Gaelic being spoken by locals. Gaelic is also spoken on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, where a scenic drive along the Cabot trail and a visit to the Highland Village Museum will make you feel like you’re on the Emerald Isle across the sea.

3. The U.S.

Between 1845 and 1855, more than 1.5 million Irish refugees arrived in America, escaping the Irish Famine. Experience Irish culture in pubs and at St. Paddy’s Day parades from Chicago to Boston to Philadelphia. One particularly Irish neighborhood in New York City can be found on the border between the Bronx and Yonkers. But the area of the U.S. where Celtic culture has had the largest influence is the Southern Appalachian region. Seventy percent of early settlers to the Appalachians came from Scotland, Ireland and Wales, and the cultural influence can most notably be found in Appalachian music and storytelling.

4. Brittany, France

Just across the Celtic Sea from Ireland, the region of Brittany in France boasts a glorious blend of French and Celtic culture. It is recognized as one of the six Celtic nations — regions of western Europe where Celtic traditions have survived. You can hear a Celtic language, Breton, spoken among locals, or listen to Celtic harp music. Celebrate Celtic culture at Festival Interceltique de Lorient in August, learn about the Celtic remains in the capital of Rennes or visit Carnac, home to the world’s greatest collection of megalithic sites built by the pre-Celtic people of Brittany.

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