Welcome to the Celts in the Cotswolds
The annual Celtic music festival held each February in Shipston-on-Stour, South Warwickshire, UK.
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The 2006 festival might well have been the last. Because of this Rob Collins has set up a Celts in the Cotswolds Internet Group. This is so that festival goers can stay in touch, exchange news, views and photos. To log on this group just click on the link.
Celts in the Cotswolds is an annual festival of Celtic mus ic held each February. Bringing together music from Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall and Brittany to celebrate this rich and diverse tradition over two nights of music and dance. On both Friday and Saturday nights there are concerts and dances. During the day on Saturday there are workshops in a variety of instruments such as fiddle and bodrhan, as well as dance displays. The event is held at the Norgren Centre, Shipston-on-Stour, Warwickshire.
The festival was started in 1996 by a group of friends from Scotland, England and Brittany who decided to meet up to play tunes over a weekend. The Cotswolds were chosen as the venue for their weekend as it was half way between Scotland and Brittany and also the home of one of the friends, Keith and Sue Finlay, who organise the event each year. The event soon evolved into a festival but still retains the feeling of friends meeting together to play music and to listen to concerts.
Celts in the Cotswolds
The event will take place at Norgren Hall, Shipston-on-Stour, on 22/23 February 2008. During the day there will be a craft fair and music sessions. The evening will consist of a concert followed by a ceilidh. Bands booked so far include Mabon, Gwelloc'h, The Park Bench Social Club, The Little Biggar Band, Calum Stewart and Lauren MacColl, Sarah Northcott and Matt Smith, Silver Bough Band, Sian Phillips, Ros Gasson, and Wilmcote Fiddle Group.
Also Kick the Bucket Appalachian Clog and others tbc.
Friday concert: doors open 7pm. Silver Bough Band, Calum Stewart, Park Bench Social Club and ceilidh with the Little Biggar Band
Day time events: 10am to 5pm. Workshops for fiddle, bodhran, guitar, accordion, flute, composing for beginners, Breton Dance, Appalachian clog plus others tbc. Also includes craft and music stalls, story telling, real ale bar. Open stage concert with Sian Phillips, Ros Gasson, Wilmcote Fiddle Group (contact the organisers if you would like a slot).
Saturday concert: doors open 7pm. Matt Smith and Sarah Northcott, Kick the Bucket Appalachian Clog, Mabon and Gwelloc'h
Norgren Hall, Shipston-on-Stour, South Warwickshire
Weekend tickets £35 (if paid by 1 February) £37 (after 1 February)
Weekend plus workshops tickets £45 (if paid by 1 February) £47 (after 1 February)
Friday concert only £16 (if paid by 1 February) £17 (after 1 February)
Saturday concert only £21 (if paid by 1 February) £22 (after 1 February)
Children half price but must be accompanied by an adult - workshops for children are free
Click here to find out how to buy your ticket
For more information telephone 01608 661157
or email sue.finlay12@btinternet.com
The Big Gathering
The event took place at Shipston-on-Stour High School, Darlingscote Road, Shipston-on-Stour, on 24 February 2007. During the day there will be a craft fair and music sessions. The evening consisted of concert followed by a ceilidh. Bands booked so far include Da Hooley (Edinburgh) and The Movement (students from the Folk Music Degree Course, Newcastle). The Movement consist of Will Lang on Bodran and percussion, Aidan Curran on guitar and vocals, and Kieran Szrisris on Bohm flute. Will,one of the most promising young Bodhran players on the scene, made his debut at CiC in 2006 with Park Bench Social Club, currently recording their new CD. He also plays with 2005 BBC Young Folk Awards finalists Chillum and has recently been recruited to Mabon. Aidan, a talented young Canadian, also appeared with PBSC last year. He got hooked on the guitar after his Grandpa (who played the banjo in dance bands around the prairies way back when) taught him the three-chord trick. Kieran is a graduate from Newcastle, who combines playing with teaching the next generation of musicians,
Also supported by local young traditional musicians
10am to 12pm
Shipston-on-Stour High School, Darlingscote Road, Shipston-on-Stour, South Warwickshire
For Session, Stalls and Open Stage Concert; 10am to 4pm. Tickets£5 (if paid by 6 February) £6 on door
Concert and Ceilidh; 7.30 'til late. Tickets £10 (if paid by 2 February) £12 on door
Full Day Ticket £14 (if paid by 2 February) £17 on door
Afternoon: Open Stage Concert • Sessions • Stalls
Evening: Real Ale Bar• Show Case Concert • Late Night Ceilidh
Click here to find out how to buy your ticket
For more information telephone 01608 661157
or email sue.finlay12@btinternet.com
The 2006 Festival (10th anniversary)
The
2006 festival took place on Friday 17 and Saturday 18 February and
kicked off with a concert in the main hall. Bands booked so far include,
from Scotland, The Robert Fish Band - who were
responsible for the very first Celts in the Cotswolds
- Anne Postic
(Brittany), students from the Folk Degree Course,
Newcastle, Gwelloc'h (Brittany), Ruairidh
Macmillan
(Scotland) and headliners on the Saturday were the amazing
Shooglenifty* (Scotland) who were BRILLIANT!
*Note that this is a change from the original programme
Various events took place during the day on Saturday such as workshops
for fiddle, whistle, bodhran and melodeon, as well as Breton Dance
and Appalachian clog dancing. The was asessions in the bar and a small
craft fair and trade stalls. The evening there concert included a
a piece of music entitled The Celts in the Cotswolds Suite. This music
was especially written for the 2006 festival by Sarah Northcote. Shooglenifty
headlined the concert, followed by a dance.
The event finished on Sunday with a session and small concert by The
Night Olw Jug Band at The George, Brailes.
The 2005 Festival
Various events will took place during the day on Saturday such as workshops for fiddle, whistle, bodhran, and melodeon, as well as Breton Dance, Appalachian clog dancing. There was asessionsin the bar and a small craft fair and trade stalls in the main hall. The eveningkicked off with a concert by Silver Bough and friends, Celtish (Welsh/Irish/Scottish) then Gwelloc'h (from Brittany).
The
weekend finished with a Sunday lunchtime session in the barn.
The 2004 Festival
The 2004 festival took place on Friday 20 February and Saturday 21
February 2004. Unfortunately Ian Lowthian, who was booked to appear
on Friday night, is unable to attend this years festival due to ill
health. The festival kicked of on Friday night concert which include
performances from; Bim (Cornwall), Mabon (Wales) and Xim
(England–but play French music) followed by a ceilidh (dance).
Saturday workshops included: fiddle workshop (beginners) with Marion
Morgan, fiddle workshop (intermediate) with Sarah Northcott and fiddle
workshop (advanced) with Joe O'Donnell. Whistle workshop (beginners)
with Graeme Horne. Whistle workshop with Xim. Melodeon workshop with
Xim. Bodhran workshop with Jonathan Harris. French music workshop with
Xim. Appalachian clog workshop with Kick the Bucket.
Also was also a craft fair which included music stalls. There was a
‘meet the bands’ session during the day, and as previous years,
there was a music session in bar.
Saturday night concert included performances from: Joe O'Donnell (Ireland)
with his band Shkayla, Sarah Northcott and Matt Smith (Scotland), Da
Hooley (Scotland) followed by a ceilidh (dance). Sunday lunchtime there
was a survivors session in 'The Barn'.
The 2003 Festival
The 2003 festival took place on Friday 21 February to Saturday 22 February and included concerts by sensational Shetland fiddler Catriona Macdonald who performed a superb concert on Friday evening with her trio. Other artists who performed during the weekend were Meet on the Ledge (Midlands) who played a stunning acoustic set, Snap (Scotland), Slainté (Gloucestershire), Ben Edom (Scotland), Silver Bough Band (Warwickshire), Mark Harmer (Oxfordshire) and Appalachian dance side Kick the Bucket (Warwickshire).
Various events took place during the day on Saturday such as workshops. There were three fiddle workshops, one taken by Catriona Macdonald,one taken by Marion Morgan (Meet on the Ledge) and another taken by Sarah Northcott (Snap). There was also a bodhran workshop taken by Jonathan Harris, as well as a guitar workshop taken by Ben Edom and a whistle workshop by Graham Horne. There was an Appalachian dance workshop taken by Jane Chapman, in addition there was also a story telling session. During the afternoon there was a small craft fair and trade stalls. In the evening there was a concert followed by a Ceilidh (dance).The weekend finished with a Sunday lunchtime session in The White Lion, Tredington.
Shipston-on-Stour is just 12 miles from Stratford-upon-Avon (which has the nearest railway station), 30 miles from Oxford, 16 miles from Warwick and 25 miles from Cheltenham and is assessable by public transport.
Click here to go to a web site containing a list of accommodation in and around Shipston-on-Stour.
Click here to go to a map of the area.
Buying your ticket
Weekend Tickets £35* (if paid by 1 February) £37* (if paid after 1 February)
Weekend plus workshops ticket £45* (if paid by 1 February) £47* (if paid after 1 February)
Friday concert only £16* (if paid by 1 February) £17* (if paid after 1 February)
Saturday concert only £21* (if paid by 1 February) £22* (if paid after 1 February)
*Children half price if accompanied by an adult
Make cheques payable to 'Celtic Spirit'
Tickets available now from:
K Finlay
Rowborough Farm
Stretton-on-Foss
Morton in Marsh
Gloucestershire GL56 9RE
For more information telephone 01608 661157
or email sue.finlay12@btinternet.com
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