History remembered at Celtic Concert

Alycia Douglass
History remembered at Celtic Concert
The SD&G Highlanders kicked off the Celtic Concert. Stock photo.

SOUTH STORMONT, Ontario – The Celtic spirit was alive this Saturday, Aug. 26 as the South Stormont Community Centre played host to a Celtic Concert in support of the Canadians in the American Civil War monument.

“We decided to go with a Celtic theme because of the vast majority of settlers who landed in our area,” said The Lost Villages Historical Society President, Jim Brownell. “And everybody loves Celtic music.”

With pipe and drum performances by the SD&G Highlanders, as well as fiddlers, pianists, and Gaelic singers, the entertainment made for a lively event.

Of the estimated 3,500,000 who served in the American Civil War, roughly 40,000 of them were Canadian. For Brownell and many others, marking this historical contribution was essential.

“We’re erecting this monument to recognize a piece of history that has not been told,” said Brownell. “Just like the British Home Child movement, we’re hoping to shed some light on these stories”

Brownell says the project, itself was the brainchild of Stewart Irvine of the Grays and Blues of Montreal – a highly-esteemed Civil War reenactment society.

“The Grays and Blues were looking for a site close to the border to build the monument, and settled on the Lost Villages,” said Brownell.

The monument is set to be unveiled at Ault Park on Saturday, Sept. 16, and Brownell says that he’s pleased to finally see this legacy honoured .

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