A CELTIC CHRISTMAS to Bring Irish Dancing to Jacksonville

 A Celtic Christmas by A Taste of Ireland, featuring turns by a roster of World Champion Irish dancers including stars of Riverdance and Lord of the Dance, will come to Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday, November 14, 2026 at 7:30pm, as part of its international tour. A follow-up to the company's worldwide hit A Taste of Ireland, this yuletide extravaganza offers a blend of storytelling, live music, breathtaking dancing, and Irish warmth that invites all ages to join in the spirit of “Nollaig Shona” (Happy Christmas). 

A Taste of Ireland returns for this holiday tour fresh from performances in London's West End, where its production EIREANN earned five stars from critics, and last season's hit run of A Celtic Christmas in New York, which also garnered five stars. In A Celtic Christmas, the curtain rises on a cozy Irish pub at Christmas, where a band strikes up and from the first pint, the audience becomes part of the party. The dance floor explodes as World Champion dancers tear through reels and jigs with an all-star ensemble. Live tap battles ensue, crooners give voice to the great Irish pub ballads, and lighthearted comedy gives way to an Irish sing-along that turns a theatre full of strangers into one enormous Christmas revel. At the heart of this festive treat is a love story between a humble lad from Tyrone and a spirited young woman from a wealthy Athenry family, whose chance meeting under the mistletoe turns into a star-crossed romance beset by trials. All ends well during a lavish Christmas ball, where the lovers reunite in a dramatic finale that captures the joy of the holiday season.

The cast features World Champions Mary Conway and Clara Sheppard and six-time World Champion Barry Teague, alongside a full company of champion Irish dancers, singers, and a live band. (NOTE: Casting subject to change.) 

“Most Christmas shows ask you to sit back and watch. Ours pulls up a stool for you at the bar,” said Director and Producer Brent Pace. “We bring forward World Champion dancers at the height of their talents, with all the excitement of live taps, the charm of great pub ballads, some laughs, and a love story. And by the end, the whole theatre is singing. We took this company to the West End and to New York, and now audiences will see what people around the world are raving about.”

“Some half million people follow this company on social media, amazed at what these dancers can do,” said Producer Ceili Moore. “It's one thing to admire their work on a screen, but there's nothing like seeing this company live. Sitting beside people you love, with the whole room singing along, and the floor shaking under the dancers' feet – this is the kind of night that becomes a holiday tradition.”

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