ABOUT CCC

Mission Statement

The Celtic Cultural Center is organized to operate a charitable center for the benefit of the Celtic Community and to act as an umbrella organization to house and support local Celtic groups. The Corporation will endeavor to promote and preserve the history, music, art, dance, language and literature of the Irish, Scottish, and Welsh immigrants of the United States and their generations. The Corporation will specifically highlight the many contributions these cultures have given the United States, through education and performance.

Organizational History

The Celtic Cultural Center of Texas was a special project founded by Donnelle McKaskle in the year 2002. The CCC became a federally recognized 501C3 non-profit in the following year. The CCC's main focus is to raise funds to build a Center in Austin to house the rich cultural heritage of the Irish, Scots and Welsh groups who were so vital to the discovery, development and success of Texas and America.

This project is on a 5 to 8 year course. Now in its second year, it has secured the services of noted Austin Architect, Chris Noack, to begin the programming phase of the building. Over the last two years, Donnelle McKaskle and the Board of the CCC have worked to solidify their vision with other Austin Cultural groups, including the Austin Celtic Association, the Texas Highlanders, the Gaelic League of Austin, the Renaissance Austin Theatre Company, the Austin Scottish Country Dancers, the Irish Dance Center, the Scottish Country Dance Alliance, and the Hill Country Highland Dancers, who will all one day be given a home at the envisioned Celtic Cultural Center.

The CCC maintains regular contact with the Mayor's office and other community leaders as it builds, not just Celtic community support, but infrastructure and developmental support from the City of Austin and the State of Texas.

As the CCC continues to raise funds for the project, the organization exists as an umbrella to other Celtic entities, including the Texas Highlanders and individual artists from the community. The CCC also gives support to the local Celtic community by lending non-interest funds for major events like the Austin Celtic Festival and for helping with CD production costs for local musical groups. The CCC contributes to the success of the community by sponsoring or finding sponsors for local programs like "Keep It Celtic" that encourages local pubs and businesses to hire Irish/Celtic bands to celebrate Celtic holidays such as St. Patrick's Day, Bloomsday, Burns Night and May Day.

Working with local producer and activist, Donnelle McKaskle, The CCC has partnered with many great businesses in the last couple of years to help produce some of Austin's most spectacular events including:

• The Cajun Celt Show
• The Rites of May Celebration
• The Irish Come Down From the Mountain Music Showcase
• St. Patrick's Day Celebrations (several all over the city)
• Finnegan's Wake
• Mother Egan's Summer Ceili
• Celtic Christmas at St. Mary's Cathedral
• A Night of Scottish Poetry
• An Evening of Irish Poetry

In addition, the CCC has worked with other local producers and organizations to help produce:

• "Mary Queen of Scots Got Her Head Chopped Off" - Renaissance Austin Theatre Co.
• "Under Milk Wood" by Dylan Thomas - Renaissance Austin Theatre Co.
• "Macbeth" - Renaissance Austin Theatre Co. (currently in production)
• Texas Highlander's Night at "How Late It was How Late" performed by the Rude Mechanicals.
• Texas Highlanders Present: Scottish Novelist Ian Rankin
• Robert Burns Supper and Celebration - Texas Highlanders
• Tartan Day - Texas Highlanders
• The Austin Celtic Festival - Austin Celtic Association (currently in production)
• Saturn Na Gael - The Gaelic League of Austin
• Celtic Reels - The Gaelic League of Austin

The CCC works with the State Departments to host international dignitaries including:

• From Scotland:
  • Brian Taylor - Head of BBC Scotland
  • Best Selling Scottish Author - Ian Rankin
• From Ireland:
  • Mr. Victor Brownlees, CEO, Armagh City Council
  • Mr. John Condon, County Secretary, Mayo County Council Mr. Liam Hannaway, Development Director, Banbridge District Council
  • Mr. Richard Lewis, CEO, Moyle District Council
  • Mr. Aidan Maher, Senior Executive Officer, Dublin City Council
  • Mr. Daniel McLoughlin, County Manager, Leitrim County Council
  • Mr. Philip O'Neill, Director of Services, Kilkenny County Council
  • Mr. Trevor Polley, CEO, North Down District Council

Once built, the Center will provide the state of Texas with the hospitality and spirit of celebration for which the Celts of various nations are famous, as well as with the following benefits:

• First rate entertainment to all citizens of and visitors to Austin
• An attraction for tourists showcasing the rich cultural traditions of the Celts
• A cross-cultural gathering place for the people of Austin, where the commonality of a variety of cultures can be explored, enhanced, and celebrated.
• A year round interpretive center with:
  • Exhibits from private collections around Texas (furnishings, art, tapestries, libraries, artifacts)
  • The story of Celtic contributions to Texas culture focusing on:
    • the Irish-Mexican Land Grants of south Texas
    • the Scots-Irish immigration from Appalachia and the Southern States to north and east Texas; and
    • the Celtic influence on Deep East Texas
  • Celtic connections in the Austin Community and the contributions of those families
  • A considerable collection of Celtic music from all over the world (Brittany, Cornwall, Wales, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, and the U.S)
  • The writings of W.B. Yeats, Robert Burns, James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, and others
  • The story of Americans of Celtic lineage such as Stephen Austin, Sam Houston, David Crockett, Andrew Jackson, and many others.
• A performance center which will accommodate:
  • Weekly dances, music performances, and poetry readings
  • A showplace for traveling exhibits, musicians, theatre groups, and dancers (In the past, the Celtic Community in Austin has hosted performers from Brittany in France, Ireland, Scotland, Australia, Canada, and all over the US).
• Office Space for local Celtic Organizations