For one weekend, children living ’down under’ could visit the fairy bridge, climb Tynwald Hill and hunt the wren.

The Isle of Man was one of the ’host’ nations at the Australian Celtic fringe festival, held last weekend in New South Wales.

Along with the fellow host nation, Ireland, the festival featured events, music and activities from the island. These included a life-size recreation of the Fairy Bridge with all the help needed for children to learn how to say ’hello’ to the little people in Manx as they crossed, a craft marquee for children to learn more about Manx folklore and a chance to have a go at the traditional hunt the wren dance.

The Three Legs of Man flag was paraded by representatives of the Queensland Manx society and a speech of Manx greeting from Alastair Kneale, President of Yn Cheshaght Manninagh Lunnin, the London Manx Society, who was prevented from travelling to the festival because of Covid restrictions, was also read out.

Organiser Rhonda Bombell said that the Isle of Man was very well represented throughout the two day event.

’We had an Isle of Man flag raising ceremony on our own Tynwald Hill’, said Rhonda.

’Our visitor information centre imported items from the Isle of Man to sell in the festival marquee and this was very well received. ’We used Manx words around the area to educate the children and had a storytelling dedicated to Manx Fairytales, The Moddey Doo of Peel Castle, How the Manx Cat lost her Tail, how the Wren became the King of the Birds and folk tale ’The Lazy Wife’.

’Also, the local men’s shed collective made a Fairy Bridge that the children had to walk over, replicating the original Isle of Man Fairy Bridge sign which guided the children to say hello to the fairies or little people or "moghrey mie mooinjer veggey". We had excellent numbers and the positive feedback keeps flowing in.’

The festival was a smaller affair than is usually held.

The organisers cancelled last year’s and decided to hold the much smaller event this year.

It is held each year at the Australian Celtic standing stone monument at Glen Innes, and celebrates each of the Celtic nations.