The New World Celts (NWC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that dedicates itself to promoting the contributions and history of Celtic peoples and supporting Celtic culture in the New World. Its mission is to ensure that the Celtic legacy is not forgotten, to offer a place where Celts can come together and to be a vehicle for charitable donations in support of their culture.
The NWC has eight chapters in Florida, with one being in Brandon. The Brandon chapter meets every third Thursday of the month at O’Brien’s Irish Pub & Grill, located at 701 W. Lumsden Rd. in Brandon. Through this chapter’s close community, members can together better understand and keep alive their heritage, including music, dance, clothing, foods, athletics, reenactments and all else that make up Celtic culture.
Jessie Fitzgerald, the vice president of the Brandon chapter, said, “For me, it’s our lineage, it’s our heritage. We had ancestors — our great-great-grandmas and grandpas — and they lived a rough life. I researched my lineage, and we fought for the invisible line of Scotland for 400 years. I mean, that just tells you something. These people were tough, and then they got on a boat with no air conditioning, no engine, to go over to the Americas and the New World.
“There was a lot of death that was involved. … It wasn’t easy just coming over here, not knowing what you were going into and how you were going to settle. … It’s important to keep their heritage going, it’s important to understand that they really sacrificed for me to be here today, and my children to be here today, and us to just excuse it and ignore it is almost an insult. So to me, I feel like being a Celtic person is important.”
The NWC has and participates in many events, such as the renaissance fair, music festivals, and barbecues, and it collaborates with other Celtic organizations in supporting its causes.
For more information about the NWC or to become a member, visit www.newworldceltsinc.org. You don’t have to be Celtic; everyone is welcome to join in and offer their support. Donations can also be made via the website, which will help support participants in Celtic arts, including bagpipers, drummers, Celtic dancers, Highland games athletes and cultural reenactors.
For more information about the NWC Brandon chapter and its events and meeting dates, visit www.facebook.com/newworldceltsbrandon or email brandon@newworldceltsinc.org.
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