Alastair Kneale's blog

News From The Celtic League:

The current shameful episode in relation to the failure of the Manx government to include the definition ‘Manx’ on the census form reminded me we have been here before.

News From The Celtic League:

In his WEE GINGER DUG blog, Paul Kavanagh takes a caustic look at the obsessive media coverage of the Queen’s birthday saying:

“You may have noticed the wall to wall gushing sycophancy in lieu of news on the telly today. It’s hard to avoid it, deliberately so. You’re not allowed to avoid it because you’re a peasant who needs to learn how to respect your betters and the way you’re taught to respect them is by having Nicolas Witchell waffle insulting nonsense on the Six O’Clock news.”

He goes on:

Media Release From Culture Vannin:

First Kaneen Bursary scheme enables two young, talented students to attend

Irish language courses in Donegal

Culture Vannin is delighted to announce the first two recipients of a bursary scheme for young fluent speakers of Manx that will enable them to attend a summer school in Irish language and culture run by Oideas Gael in Donegal during the summer of 2016. Two bursaries will cover travel and accommodation costs to the selected summer school.

News From The Celtic League:

‘NATIONALITY is more than a flag, more than a culture, more than a language – it’s also having the courage to run your own affairs and not be in some other countries pocket”

A petition has been started to get Manx included as an option on the census form. It’s a long shot the forms are out now and probably people will have to improvise if they feel sufficiently animated by the issue to register a protest.

Most people I’ve spoken to (and that’s quite a few) have indicated they will just put MANX in the ‘Other’ option slot.

News From The Celtic League:

The Interceltic Festival of Lorient will celebrate the Centenary of Ireland's 1916 Rising.

Irish people joining the celebration include:

• Lorcán Mac Mathúna - 1916 Visionaries and their words
• The Actress Elaine O’Dea
• Íde Nic Mhathúna, Martin Tourish, Daire Fougère, Eamonn Galdubh will play some tunes

Also, Erwan Fouéré, Irish Diplomate, member of Centre for European Policy Studies, and will talk about "Ireland, 100 years after 1916 Easter Rising"

Bunscoill Ghaelgagh is a Manx-language primary school in St John's, Isle of Man (Manx Gaelic: Balley Keeill Eoin, Mannin). The school, which is a previous winner of the annual Reih Bleeaney Vanannan award for its work in preserving and promoting Manx language, culture and heritage, has grown from strength to strength since it opened in 2001.

News from the Celtic League:

As we exclusively indicated earlier today the Canadian authorities are to launch a crackdown on tax evasion and the Isle of Man is one of four jurisdictions to be specifically targeted.

Additional staff and resources will be deployed according to Revenue Minster Diane Lebouthillier (pictured).

This is obviously going to be a major effort as over $400 are to be expended as part of the crack down and 100 additional tax auditors hired by the CRA (see story):

Exclusive Breaking News From the Celtic League:

It is looking likely that the Canadian Government may launch a probe into the Isle of Man and its use by Canadians of a KPMG Canada tax planning arrangement.

Pressure has been building since CBC the National broadcaster broadcast a series of expose documentaries.

Celtic League has reported this as it unfolded and also urged the Manx Treasury to take action.

The situation was compounded when new of a secret deal between Canadian Revenue Authorities and KPMG was leaked to CBC.

News From The Mannin Branch Celtic League:

Interesting to see the FCA in the United Kingdom went on the offensive when the Panama leaks broke and asked banks to declare any links to Mossack Fonesca.

I bet a penny to a pound there was no such action taken in the Isle of Man by the FSC.

Still its not to late and perhaps the FSC given Chief Minister Allan Bells boast that the Island is squeaky clean and ahead of most other jurisdictions we could go one step further and ask all banks, accountancy firms, csp and legal practices to come clean about any links with MF.

News From Mannin Branch Of The Celtic League:

Mossack Fonesca is the gift that keeps giving!

Jeremy Corbyn today suggests that the United Kingdom should impose direct rule over the British Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies including Mann (see link):