Celebrating your heritage and keeping traditions is important for so many reasons. Traditions not only maintain a sense of identity within a family or community, but they also connect us to our heritage which allows us to honour our ancestors’ values and what they stood for. In some cases, they also help you to meet new people who come from similar backgrounds and therefore extend friendships.

This is what I found; by celebrating my Irish heritage and keeping traditions from this heritage, I made new friendships that I value dearly.

I joined an Irish dance class when I was 4 years old, and 10 years later, those dance classes at The Brian Boru class are still having a positive impact on me. Learning how to dance allows me to appreciate the traditional Irish ways, to value the practices that my mum was raised with and which shape the community in which I live. It also helps me to understand my roots and identity and provides me with a sense of belonging as everybody there has a common goal: 'to promote Irish history, culture, music, and dance', as is stated on The Brian Boru’s homepage.

Whilst I have chosen the medium of traditional dance to celebrate my heritage, many others learn other traditions such as playing traditional instruments or learning Ireland’s national language, Irish Gaelic. The Brian Boru is central to celebrating these Irish traditions with the likes of ceili dancing, music fleadh, St Patrick’s Day parades and ancestry groups.

Understanding and appreciating your own cultural heritage also allows you to show consideration towards others, and therefore promotes tolerance and awareness of other people’s differences. This is turn leads to a more welcoming and inclusive society; surely something to be celebrated!

Overall, celebrating heritage and keeping traditions enriches your life and contributes to an understanding of different people and the world around you.