Springhouse Celebrates with Celtic Christmas Concert
-The following was first published at Floyd Times on December 23, 2025.
Attendees of the Celtic Christmas Concert, held at Springhouse Community School on December 17, were treated to a spirited selection of traditional songs and carols from Ireland, Scotland, England and Brittany in celebration of Christmas, Winter Solstice and the New Year. The talented concert ensemble of acclaimed musicians featured Katherine Wiley on fiddle, cello, rebec; Julie Kinn on vocals, bodhran, whistle; Josh Kinn on vocals, bouzouki, octave mandolin; David Scheim on Celtic harp, piano and Geoffrey Saur on pipes, whistle.
Springhouse’s co-founder and executive director Jenny Finn welcomed the crowd before introducing the musicians. “The concert is a fundraiser that we’re grateful for,” she said, reviewing the school’s foundational mission “to envision, practice and share ways of living that contribute to a world where all life thrives.”
“We have a K-12 school and adult programming. Our economic model is that we turn no one away. It’s important that we creatively raise funds for what we’re doing here, and this is part of what we do,” she added.
The two-hour program included Celtic lore, storytelling and poetry, along with a wide range of soulful airs, fiery dance tunes and a hot cider intermission.
Some tapped their feet and sang along to recognizable tunes, such as the 17th century English Christmas carol, I Saw Three Ships… “O they sailed into Bethlehem / On Christmas day / on Christmas day / And all the bells on earth shall ring / On Christmas day in the morning…”
Other program titles included A Christmas Jig, O Come, O Come Emmanuel, The Sheep Under the Snow, Over the Moor to Maggie reel, Gloucestershire Wassail and Don O’iche Úd I mBeithil (That Night in Bethlehem), which was sung in Gaelic.
Wiley gave some historical background before the performance of The Wren, which was included in a medley. The ancient Irish Wren tradition is still practiced today on St. Stephen’s Day (December 26th) in Ireland. It includes a costumed parade, singing and going door to door to collect money for charities.
The concert concluded with a moving rendition of The Parting Glass, which preceded Auld Lang Syne as the most popular parting song… “So, fill to me the parting glass / And drink a health what’er befalls / And gently rise and softly call / Good night and joy be to you all.”
The audience responded with rousing applause. – Colleen Redman