What the council cites as a “talk fest” will involve oral presentations – speech – from people who feel they have interesting things to say. It’s not clear how prepared the speech has to be – can it be off-the-cuff or must it be scripted?

The Celts are known as talkers so the organisers hope contributions will be informative.

As the council puts it: “What they are seeking is presentations on anything Celtic with a broad appeal such as Celtic history, arts, culture, religion. Presenters can have up to thirty minutes on the soapbox”.

The council says: “Here's your opportunity to shine and be famous!

“You have to do is submit your proposal with content outline by March 1. The full version if you are selected will be called for by April 14. The program of selected presentations will be announced on March 14 and posted on the Festival website.”

The number of events relating to the Celtic background to this part of the country is expanding rapidly. 

Earlier in the year, on March 16, 17 and 18, the Glen Innes and District Historical Society will hold a conference where many of the speakers will address the theme, particularly Scottish history – the Scots, mostly, settled the land, though there is some evidence through place names that the Welsh had some input (Llangothlin and Gwydir are both Welsh words, albeit slightly corrupted in the case of the former).

And there’s a plan for a new category of cooking in the Glen Innes Show, with a traditional recipe from the country being honoured.

Some favourites are Irish stew, Scotch Broth, Cornish Pasty and Welsh Rarebit (sometimes called Welsh Rabbit, though it’s a cheesy, beery substance rather than a furry one). 

Of this year’s featured lands, Bretons eat artichokes, octopus is a Galician staple and in Asturias bean stew.