January 2004


Launch of the Celtic and Irish Cultural SocietyThe Celtic and Irish Cultural Society was launched on 15 January 2004 to help foster Celtic cultural heritage and arts in the heart of England’s southeast.

With a history of organising and promoting eight successive and successful Crawley Irish Festivals, His Worship the Mayor of Crawley, Brian Quinn, invited the organising committee of the Crawley Irish Festival to extend its remit: to facilitate greater community collaboration and to encourage year-long events to be established in the area.

The Society committee, developed from the existing Crawley Irish Festival, laid the groundwork for a weekend of Saint Patrick’s celebrations at the launch. More events are planned as the society grows including those celebrating the Celtic traditions of Scotland, Wales and Celtic Britain.

As the name suggests, the society aims to expand traditions of the peoples living throughout the southeast of England. In order for us to meet the challenges ahead, we require the support of like minded individuals of Celtic origin to assist and organise events throughout the year.

The Celtic and Irish Cultural Society launched in January 2004 at the Holiday Inn, now Clarion Hotel. The CICS was launched with the hope of establishing new Celtic and Irish themed events. Local councillors and business leaders were amongst those invited to the launch of the new group.

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