Australian Celtic Festival. Glen Innes April 30 to May 3, 2015

Glen Innes is the site of the remarkable Australian Celtic Standing Stones and a testament to the importance of the Celtic people in Australian life and history. In the Celtic lands of north west Europe standing stones are a feature of the landscape. Of huge significance to the ancient ancestors of the peoples of Brittany, Cornwall, Isle of Man, Ireland, Wales and Scotland they were an essential part of ceremonial and spiritual life. They were aligned to reflect significant features of the landscape, the stars and the winter and summer solstices.

The creation of the Australian Standing Stones at Glen Innes came some 3,500 years after the originals. Aligned to recognise the same points of importance as those in the Celtic lands so far away. This is no accident, for the Australian Standing Stones were erected as a monument to Australia’s Celtic Pioneers. The three central stones are:

• The Australia Stone representing Australia and the link between the new and old worlds.
• The Gaelic Stone represents Scotland, Ireland and Isle of Man.
• The Brythonic Stone represents Wales, Cornwall and Brittany

The general outline of the stones was inspired by the Ring of Brodgar in Scotland's Orkney Isles (Scottish Gaelic: Arcaibh). The Australian Stones comprise 40 granite monoliths. The standing stones have a circle of 24 stones representing the hours of the day, four cardinal stones marking true north, east, south and west and seven stones marking the longest and shortest days of the year at the winter and summer solstices.When looked at from above, the four cardinal stones and Melling family stone in the circle form the Southern Cross; the constellation of stars that can be clearly seen from the southern hemisphere. A Celtic Cross can also be seen when looking down at the four cardinal stones within the 24 stone circle. There are stones representing all of the six Celtic nations of Brittany, Cornwall, Wales, Ireland, Isle of Man and Scotland.

Every year during the first weekend of May the annual Australian Celtic Festival is held at the site of the stones at Glen Innes. Each year participants from all Celtic backgrounds participate with a particular country being featured. This year it is Wales and the festival takes place from April 30 to May 3, 2015 at Glen Innes, New South Wales. See their website for details www.australiancelticfestival.com.

http://www.celticcouncil.org.au/

https://www.gleninnestourism.com/