User:Bobbie jeal/sandbox

Barbados
It is perhaps not widely known that not just Africans, but large numbers of Celtic people, mainly from Ireland and Scotland, were sent to Barbados in the 17th and 18th centuries as indentured servants. The earliest of these mass transportations occurred in 1649 at the conclusion of Oliver Cromwell's successful invasion of Ireland and included an estimated one-third of the indigenous Celtic population of Ulster (1)(2).
 * Celtic Festival Barbados in Barbados, Caribbean

Since those days, there has been large-scale intermarriage between the African and Celtic populations on the island, many of whom live today in the "Scotland district" of Barbados.

The Celtic Festival Barbados celebrates the culture of these early Barbadian settlers. At the end of May each year, Barbadians join with Celts from all over the world in sharing the heritage and language of this fascinating area of the world.

The Celtic Festival Barbados is a week-long festival of music, culture and food featuring the pipes and drums, singers, dancers and fiddlers in numerous locations throughout the island.

In previous years, performers have included Eddi Reader, the Peatbog Faeries, Killin Thyme, the Mackenzie School of Dance from far-flung Nova Scotia and Ireland's Alan Kelly Gang - quite a prestigious line-up.

Another popular regular at the festival is Edinburgh chef Paul Wedgwood who creates stunning fusion dishes that bring together a little Celtic cuisine with a Bajan kick!

The Festival has a website at http://www.celticfestivalbarbados.com.

(1) Higman, B. W. (1997). In Knight, Franklin W. General History of the Caribbean: The slave societies of the Caribbean 3 (illustrated ed.). UNESCO. pp. 107,108]. ISBN 978-0-333-65605-1. (2) (1) Higman, B. W. (1997). In Knight, Franklin W. General History of the Caribbean: The slave societies of the Caribbean 3 (illustrated ed.). UNESCO. pp. 107,108]. ISBN 978-0-333-65605-1. (3)