Irish dancers are turning the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts into a holiday stage this weekend, with A Celtic Christmas by A Taste of Ireland set to take over downtown on Saturday. The show blends championship-level step dancing with live music and storytelling, promising a festive night out in downtown.
The performance is scheduled for Saturday, November 14, running from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. at the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts, located at 300 Water Street, according to Downtown Jacksonville. A separate local report from 95.1 WAPE also lists the show starting at 7:30 p.m. the same evening. Downtown Jacksonville describes the production as the work of the internationally acclaimed A Taste of Ireland Company, presenting its holiday spectacular for local audiences.
The station's report notes the show combines breathtaking Irish dancing, live music, storytelling, comedy, and traditional Irish pub songs into one night of entertainment. Per the same account, the story follows a young man from Tyrone and a spirited woman from a wealthy family in Athenry, giving the dance numbers a narrative thread. The production's cast includes World Champions Mary Conway and Clara Sheppard, along with six-time World Champion Barry Teague, the report states.
Lead Dancers Share World Champion Credentials
Two of the show's lead dancers, Callum O'Neill and Emily Grace, joined the Morning Show to preview the performance and demonstrate their world champion fancy footwork, according to News4JAX. The company's own biography page for the cast backs up O'Neill's championship pedigree, describing him as a World Champion who has also claimed North American National, Great Britain, British National, and All Scotlands titles, according to A Taste of Ireland.
Grace's own background with the company runs deep as well. The company biography states she has toured with A Taste of Ireland for the last two years and recently traveled to Taiwan to perform with Lord of the Dance, lending extra star power to Saturday's downtown engagement.
What to Expect at the Performing Arts Center
For Jacksonville audiences, the show offers a rare chance to see multiple world and national champions sharing one stage in a single holiday production. Between the storytelling, comedy, and traditional pub songs described in the WAPE report, organizers are positioning the night as a full-scale seasonal event rather than a simple dance recital. Doors open at the Jacksonville Center for the Performing Arts on Water Street ahead of the 7:30 p.m. start time.
