You may have noticed that this edition is a few days late. In Spring, along with all the bulbs, and flowers, and baby animals comes hay fever season. I couldn’t see my computer screen last week! But I’m back now. So here’s the October edition.
Tie the Knot, Celtic Style
at The Australian Celtic Festival, 4th to 7th May 2017
The Australian Celtic Festival Committee is looking for a couple to “Tie the Knot” in an Irish-inspired wedding ceremony at a unique setting, in front of a large crowd.
One fortunate couple will win the opportunity to “tie the knot” in a traditional Celtic style, 100% legal wedding on Saturday 6th May 2017, at The Australian Celtic Festival. The Festival Committee are excited to bring back this popular element of the Festival following its successful introduction in 2016.
Bob and Naomi Blair, with their wedding party – Celebrant Mel Lindsay
Newcastle Celebrant Julie Muir has been chosen to perform the ceremony, ensuring that the lucky couple not only have a unique Celtic marriage ceremony, but also on that meets Australian legal requirements.
Julie Muir is a young Celebrant who loves nothing more that collaborating with couples to create personalised and meaningful ceremonies. Being Irish herself, and having grown up in Dublin, the birthplace of the famous Irish poet William Butler Yeats, she is well positioned to create something memorable for all involved. With the 2017 Festival focussing on Ireland, this is particularly appropriate.
There is an abundance of wonderful traditional Celtic readings, rituals, vows and blessings for which the Irish are famous, that might be potentially incorporated into the ceremony.
The winning couple will be married within the circle of the Australian Standing Stones, an array of spectacular granite monoliths like those around which the ancient Celts danced. All the Festival visitors are invited as guests to witness the ceremony.
Couples who are genuinely interested in getting legally married in a traditional Celtic ceremony with an Irish theme can find more information or enter online. Applications close on 15th January 2017.
Peace Train 29th October 2017
Darren Coggan presents his acclaimed retrospective of Cat Stevens’ music at Glen Innes & Districts Services Club. Doors open at 7.30 pm. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased by calling 02 6732 1355.
Go to this link – www.peace-train.com.au. I did and enjoyed the music so much that I immediately booked my ticket! Cat Steven’s music really was the soundtrack to my life.
Arabesk
Arabesk have been bringing their special brand of intoxicating global grooves to audiences around Australian since 2003. In 2011 Arabesk won best instrumental track at The Australian Songwriters Awards and that year were invited to perform at Takatsuki Jazz Festival in Osaka, Japan for the first time. In August 2016 they released their third album ‘Mr Fi’ and have spent the last two years touring and playing festivals in Australia and Japan including the 2015 Takatsuki Jazz Festival and 2016 Sumida Jazz Festival in Tokyo. Recent Australian festival highlights include Blue Mountains Music Festival and Wangaratta Jazz Festival in 2015 followed by Clarence Jazz Festival, Hobart and Palm Creek Folk Festival, Townsville in 2016.
The music of ARABESK follows many paths at any one time. Like a river it is fed from many different tributaries to form the whole, drawing upon strong jazz influences… Django Reinhardt, Wes Montgomery, Eastern European Gypsy and Classical music, on a backdrop of heavily African and Arabic influenced rhythms. At any moment it will swing hard, only to drop into a thick funk pumped bassline, all the while the violin floating above it. The drums hammer and thunder beats reminiscent of Motown, Blue Note and Afro Cuban jazz. With a wealth of musical experience it is little wonder ARABESK are such a powerhouse of invention and innovation.
String Loaded
Gala Spectacular Concert, Adamstown Uniting Church Newcastle, 13th November
Woodford Folk Festival, Woodford QLD, 27th December 2016 to 1st January 2017
Friends of The Australian Celtic Festival
Supporting Celtic Heritage
- Renew or join as above and get free entry to see The Abbeys at Land of The Beardies Museum on 26th November 2016. This is a spectacular small museum with lots of local exhibits.
- Buy a Friend of The Australian Celtic Festival polo shirt for $27.50. This is a great way to show off at the Festival! These polo shirts are only available for Friends.
To book for 26th November or to order your Friends Polo Shirts, contact Barbara on 02 6734 5189 – barbara.saxonge@gmail.com or Mary (Tuesday to Thursday) on 02 6730 2410 – mhollingworth@gisc.nsw.gov.au.
And watch this space for an exciting announcement about a Toowoomba event in February 2017.
Lorin Nicholson
Internationally acclaimed vocalist, Patrice Arkins from the Les Miserables musical, along with renowned guitarist and motivational speaker Lorin Nicholson, are pleased to announce the release of their brand new Christmas single “Christmas All Year Long”. This brand new Christmas song co-written by legendary Nashville songwriter and composer Ed Kee and Randy Kartchner, will be released for the first time here in Australia on November 4, with pre-launch copies already available through the iTunes store.
This beautiful recording has been captured in studios all around the world, featuring the stunning vocals of Patrice whilst on tour in London, then flying across the Atlantic to Nashville for bass, drums, percussion, keyboard and the lovely piano of Randy, then overland USA to the mid-west for the Utah string ensemble, followed by the long trip over the Pacific to Brisbane Australia where Lorin recorded his fine acoustic guitar, before finally circling back around the world to Nashville for the final mixing and mastering session ready for Christmas.
In a world filled with war, contention, hate and heartache, Christmas All Year Long shares an important message of peace, hope, kindness and compassion, lasting not only throughout the Christmas season, but all year long.
Lorin will be performing in the following locations.
19th to 21st October
Christmas Island District College WA. Several performances and workshops. Main motivational performance 9 am Wednesday 19th Graduation and awards evening Friday 21st at 6:00pm. All community are welcome to attend any performance.
Monday 31st October
Glen Innes Public School NSW 12:00noon. All parents and community welcome.
Friday 4th November
The Westport Club, Port Macquarie NSW, A series of motivational performances and workshops. Private event.
Monday 7th November
National Disability Awards night held in The Great Hall Parliament House ACT 6:00-10:00pm. Lorin will be appearing as a guest VIP performer, alongside Tony Dee, the Australian vocalist for the Para-Olympics Super Humans television commercial. Private event.
Tuesday 15th November
Roma State High School QLD 9:00am. Senior graduation motivational performance. All parents and community welcome.
Monday 28th November
St Joseph’s College Albion Park NSW 12:00noon. Senior graduation motivational performance. All parents and community welcome.
Tuesday 29th November
Henry Kendall High School Gosford NSW 11:40am. Senior graduation motivational performance. All parents and community welcome.
Gone Molly Album Fundraiser Concert!
The girls from Gone Molly (Sally Harris and Rebecca Wright) are planning an album and would dearly love your help! They’re holding an album fundraiser concert at Magda’s Community Artz on Sunday 23rd October with special guest appearances, a concert, raffle and more! Afternoon tea and refreshments will be available for purchase.
Tickets are available now from Trybooking. Adults $20. Concession $15. Kids Free.
Hope to see you all there! www.facebook.com/gonemolly
Celtic Journey
26th and 27th November
Central QLD Conservatorium, Mackay. 10th Triple Threat Theatre Academy production featuring soloists, ensembles and groups from the Academy, Molly Armstrong & the Cape Byron Celtic Dancers (Australian Celtic Dance Champions), and the debut of a new all-male group of singers, in the vein of Celtic Thunder plus Principles Petar and Jessica Grulovic.
Murphy’s Pigs
| Saturday 19th November | 4pm, O'Malley's Irish Pub, Brisbane. |
| Sunday 20th November | 2pm, Harrigan’s Drift Inn – Jacobs Well |
| Sunday 4th December | 4pm, Caloundra Power Boat Club |
| Saturday 10th December | 4pm, O'Malley's Irish Pub, Brisbane |
| Tuesday 20th December | 7.30pm. Irish Gala Concert (heaps of artists). Gold Coast Arts Centre |
| Friday 23rd December | 7, 8 and 9 pm. Main stage, Queen St Mall, Brisbane |
Platform 9 ¾
4th, 5th, 6th November Beechworth Music Festival
What’s on in Glen Innes??
October 22th
2CBD Grand opening of their new studio at 131 Church Street, 8.30 am to 3.30 pm. The studio will be formally opened by Deputy Prime Minister and Member for New England Barnaby Joyce. Guided tours of the studio, BBQ, meet your Presenters. Family friendly day out.
October 29th
Peace Train – Darren Coggan presents his acclaimed retrospective of Cat Stevens’ music at Glen Innes & Districts Services Club. Doors open at 7.30 pm. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased by calling 02 6732 1355
October 29th and 30th
Vintage Truck, Machinery & Steam Show. Showgrounds. www.truckandautoparts.com.
October 29th
The Annual Glen Innes Trivia Night with a “Halloween theme” – 6pm at the Masonic Lodge Hall Glen Innes. BYO Picnic Dinner. Dress in your favourite spooky character – or just wrap yourself up in cobwebs, bandages or Dracula like costumes! $10 per person and you can book a table of up to 6 people. Tickets from Carelle’s @ 250 Grey Street, Glen Innes or pay at the door – but you still need to book your seat! All proceeds of the Night go to Glen Innes VRA.
November 26th
4.30 pm. The Abbeys at Land of the Beardies History House. $15 pp including light refreshments.
November 26th
Drumming Competition at the newly renovated historic Deepwater Inn (1865), New England Highway, Deepwater. For details call 02 6734 5111.
The String Family
5th and 6th November
Australian National Busking Championships, Cooma. The String Family is defending their title.
Mark Cryle and Carmel Newman
Woodford Folk Festival, Woodford QLD, 27th December 2016 to 1st January 2017
woodfordfolkfestival.com
Clan Celtica – New Zealand
| 11th November | Clout in The Cloud |
| 19th November | Auckland Highland Games |
| 19th November | Glen Eden Christmas Parade |
| 19th November | Mangere East Cultural Festival |
| 20th October | Vector Arena, Auckland |
Every month I sit down to put together Celtic News and wonder if I will have enough to make an edition. Not this month! Lots of things coming in from lots of wonderful people. Please continue with your submissions.
I hope that you enjoyed this edition of Celtic News.
Barbara McLennan
Editor
Celtic News
02 6734 5189
barbara.saxonge@gmail.com