Yass Valley didn’t let the rain stop them as the community gathered at Riverside Park to enjoy the Irish and Celtic Markets and listen to great music. Among the markets were a range of Irish and Celtic stallholders as well as local small businesses.
‘The House of Tartans’ stall was decked out in a range of tartan products with historical and cultural significance to both Scotland and Ireland.
Owners Betty and Brad Johnston have been in the tartan industry for some 34 years.
“We import everything directly from Scotland where it’s all produced. We liaise directly with the mills, we have an eighth generation tanner who’s a leather merchant, the jewellery company started in 1728 and it’s still going today,” said Brad.
He emphasised the importance of multiculturalism and restoring history to the descendants of many Scottish and Irish families who faced hardships.
“Every day we handle history, and tartan is historic and symbolic about this country. We had what was called the highland clearances. Our ancestors were kicked off their land, and so they had to go somewhere. A lot went to South Africa, Canada, and New Zealand and Australia,” Brad explained.
“If you start looking at names, they’re symbolic to their career or what they did. If you happened to be a Fletcher, they’re the guys who made feathers for the arrows. Names are relative to occupation.”
Brad said that tartans were used to determine which family one belonged to because back then very few could read or write. Families were distinguished by unique colours and patterns worn by their members.
“Scottish history is rich with great explorers, great doctors, great inventors. The Romans couldn’t contain them, they built Hadrian’s Wall! They called them the red shanked barbarians,” said Brad.
One stall over, a glittering display of Celtic jewellery drew in customers to ‘Seemyshop2’, selling unique Celtic and vintage-inspired pieces.
Stall owners Dianne and Adrian Duncombe provided customers with information about the various ancient symbols depicted in their jewellery. These include the Celtic Eternal Knot dating to the 5th Century and symbolic of eternity and friendship. Also of interest were Claddagh rings and jewellery, with hands symbolic of friendship, a heart symbolic of love, and a crown symbolic of loyalty.
Robbie Ladbrook from ‘Ladbroken Distilling Co.’ has a Gaelic family history that she has intertwined with her gin crafting business.
“We’re based up in Tumbarumba in the high country. I make the gins and our gin brand is called ‘Eliksir’ because it’s my little elixir of life. Up in the high country, we have all the ingredients and alchemy to make the perfect gin using local ingredients,” said Robbie.”
“I’ve got an unusual spelling in our Eliksir brand, and we’ve gone with the Gaelic origins of that spelling because we are from that part of Great Britain.”
Robbie explained one of the gin stills is called ‘Ragnar’ and the other still is called ‘Uhtred.’
“We did a lot of looking at history of our family background of East Anglia and Scotland when we started the distillery, so we’ve tried to weave in all of that as well. We’re just high crafting in the high country!”
Kimberley Delavere from ‘The Bowning Tea Co.’ said she loves setting up stalls at the Celtic Music Festival to enjoy the music.
I love the fact you can dance in public and have a bit of a jig. I reckon that’s always a bit of fun.”
Kimberley lives in Yass and owns a block of land in Bowning, inspiring her tea business. She has been selling tea for almost two years.
“The names and the flavours reflect the flavours of this area, of the Yass Valley Shire. It’s a beautiful day to be here, and good to be a part of the community,” she said.
“I would say my favourite blend here is the Bowning Bedtime, it’s really beautiful and floral. Then, I don’t think you can go past the Shearer’s Smoko because that’s my English Breakfast and a really robust all-rounder black tea.”
Kimberly comes up with most of the tea names by herself, but for inspiration chats with all her girlfriends, who are very creative.
“I give them the flavours, and we sit around. They’re really handy, sometimes you’ll run out of ideas and go ‘okay girls, it tastes like this and this!’”
Across the park and bursting with colour was another small business, ‘Funky Frog Boutique,’ where owner Janell Jolley sat sewing as customers admired her beautiful handmade children’s clothing.
“All Funky Frog Boutique creations are all cut, sewn and lovingly handmade by myself. I started making clothes for my then 1 year old granddaughter,” said Janell.
“In 2015 I decided to start making clothes to sell. At first it was by word of mouth, then by 2016 I started selling at local markets. Funky Frog Boutique has continued to grow since and is now my full-time job and I’m loving every minute.”
Janell explained she spends a lot of time sourcing the right fabrics for her work between sewing, which is evident from the amazing variety of prints, characters, and animals exciting children at the festival. Ella and Lara Crook were both delighted by their new carefully sewn butterfly sun hats.
As the day became wetter and chillier, festival-goers were grateful for the hard work of the ‘Sylvie and Bruno’ Coffee Van, which is actually shaped like a coffee bean and run by a talented and creative family who love spending time with each other. Since owners Siobhann and Paul sold their home in the Blue Mountains and bought a coffee van, they have been loving the family time spent working alongside their four children.
Southerly Jones
