6 Classic Moments from the Missoula Celtic Festival
Missoula’s annual Celtic Festival is more than just steady punk beats of Celtic Rock, “Kiss Me, I’m Irish” t-shirts, and electric bagpipes (see #5). It is a taste of traditional Celtic culture – but with less blood and politics. For those of you who missed it, here are six classic moments you can vicariously treasure forever.
1. Everyone was wearing kilts
They say that a man in a kilt is a man and a half. “They” being the kilt-manufacturers, I’m assuming, because that makes for a catchy campaign slogan. And I thoroughly believe them. If you wish to add a little Celtic magic to your everyday lifestyle, here are some instructions on how you can casually wear a kilt. Explain that one to your boss.
2. The marching band members wore daggers in their socks
They are called the Celtic Dragon pipe band, and I’ve seen them once or twice before. The guy featured above is a tenor drummer who twirls his big, fluffy red mallets for visual effect. Members wore the classic “sgian-dubh” dagger (it’s a well-known fact that the traditional Gaelic hated proper vowel sounds) tucked into their right socks with the hilt visible.
While traditionally used for slicing meats, cheeses, and fruit, the Celtic Dragon drum line uses these daggers to fend off excessive bagpipe players.
3. Big Dipper had Highlander Beer flavored ice cream
Big Dipper, the sensational Montana ice cream chain famous for its Cold Smoke Ice Cream whipped up a batch of Highlander Beer flavored ice cream for Missoula’s Celtic Fest; and it wasn’t half bad. As far as wacky ice cream flavors go, we can at least guarantee it is better than poo flavored fro yo.
4. This young boy was saved by Rock ‘n’ Roll
Celtic Fest headliners the Young Dubliners got a surprise in the middle of their set. Someone made an announcement that a little boy with a red shirt had gone missing. Lo and behold, moments later the boy appeared at the front of the stage and Young Dubliners front man Keith Roberts invited him up.
If anyone has ever been in doubt about the power of rock ‘n’ roll, let it be known: Celtic Rock brings families back together (and gives kids the most frightening three-and-a-half minutes on their lives — imagine looking out on a crowd of a thousand Missoulians).
5. The bagpipe player from Braveheart and the Titanic played an electric bagpipe solo
His name is Eric Rigler, and while he plays with the Young Dubliners by night, by day he is a world-renowned bagpipe, Uillean pipe, and tin whistle player for a number of Hollywood movies, including Braveheart, those songs you love in the Titanic, and a bunch of others. There were also rumors that he was featured in an episode of Spongebob. I can’t remember where I heard it, but if I had a guess, I’d say he’s somewhere in the Band Geek episode in its final, epic moments.
Don’t quote me on that… It is more of a “pipe-dream,” if anything. Hehe.
6. This guy won the award for the greatest Celtic dance
There are always those guys at festivals. You know, the guys that drink a bit too much and start scaring children. Only me? Well then. There is this guy too, I guess.
Great music, great moments, and an overall well-timed event (just when I was in need of a little Celtic-magic). Congratulations, Missoula, on maintaining the title of greatest, most interesting and culturally inclined city in all of Montana.
This post was written by Spencer Ruchti. Spencer is janitor by night, English major by day (yeah, probably the kind you don’t like). You can follow him on Twitter @spencerruchti, where he mostly posts about comic books, pop-punk music, and James Joyce. If you’d like to contribute to the Montana Mint, email us at hello@montana-mint.com.
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