Anglo&Celtic magazine December 2023

Welcome to the December 2023 edition of Anglo&Celtic magazine. You can read or download the magazine using the tools above. It is free to download but please consider making a donation to support us.

We were running a story about Irish music icon Shane MacGowan and how the EPIC Irish Emigration Museum had arranged a special tribute to his classic Christmas song Fairytale of New York, when news broke last night of his death. Shane was born in Kent, England to Irish parents and his lyrics reflected the experiences of many growing up in the Irish diaspora. He revolutionised Irish folk music, adding punk to the mix and grabbing attention with his unusual appearance. Some dismissed Shane as a drunken rabble rouser but he was far more than that, he was a poet, a masterful songwriter. EPIC Irish Emigration Museum was due to open an exhibition on Shane and The Pogues today. They also arranged for an NYPD Choir to be formed and for them to sing Galway Bay, reflecting the lyrics of Fairytale of New York. What a beautiful parting gift to Shane. May he rest in peace, ar dheis Dé go raibh a h’anam.

This is a bumper Christmas edition of Anglo&Celtic and it’s packed with ideas for what you can get up to to celebrate Christmas in Australia, from floating trees to Santa on water skis. There’s also a feature on strange and unusual New Year’s traditions back home.

Our beautiful family cover photo comes from the Perth Kilt Run. You’ll find a picture spread in this edition of the recent Armadale Highland Gathering and Perth Kilt Run, WA. Give our friends at City of Armadale a follow on social media, they do an amazing job of sharing cultural news and events.

You’ll also find a picture spread from the recent FinnsFest at Finn MacCool’s Fortitude Valley in QLD.

We have a competition in this issue to win two tickets to see Belinda Davids perform The Greatest Love of All, a tribute to Whitney Houston. Details are on page 8.

We have a two-page feature on the Summer Solstice at the Australian Standing Stones in Glen Innes, and a feature on Woodford Folk Festival which is celebrating its 35th anniversary. We also have another jam-packed Gigs and Reels event guide to keep your fingers on the pulse of what’s happening in the entertainment scene.

This is our sixth monthly edition and we wish to thank our advertisers for supporting us in 2023. We look forward to continued friendship and collaboration in 2024. Thank you to all who have helped with stories, pictures, and spreading the word about Anglo&Celtic.

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