Alastair Kneale's blog

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

Looks like KPMG just can’t stay out of Court in one jurisdiction or another.

We had the CBC revelations about KPMG Canada that’s currently in the Courts there although all has gone quiet since we heard the Canadian Revenue Commissioners were trying to do a backroom deal. That provoked our ire and a series of letters to the Canadian High Commissioner which weren’t answered until we politely told him he was a cheeky bugger!

Then there was that KPMG Northern Ireland linked episode (see link):

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

All quiet at the Lubyanka (aka the Central Police Headquarters) despite the assertion by an MHK in response to the ‘TURNERGATE’ affair that many years ago people used to turn up to banking institutions on the Island with suitcases full of money.

At the time in the mid/late eighties when the Celtic League or Mec Vannin suggested such things went on at Island banks we were, to put it mildly, lampooned.

‘There’s no evidence’ said the powers that be ‘show us the evidence’.

In a recent article in The Isle of Man Today Nigel McFarlane makes some interesting points when he talks of his journey in learning the Manx Gaelic language and its importance to the Isle of Man/Mannin:

"In an increasingly globalised world, the beauty of individuality is often hidden and all too often lost.

The language connects us, I believe, to the heart of our island home.

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

Manx Radio reports on strange happenings in the skies near Kirk Michael could the aliens be back after over 50 years?

The report below is from the Galloway Gazette (a Johnson paper same as the IOM Newspapers) in September 2009.It recounts the so called West Freugh incident in 1957 when mysterious objects were tracked by several sources off the N W Coast of Mann.

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

Support for an independent homeland is core to the aspirations of Celtic peoples beliefs. This year Celtic people throughout the Six Celtic Nations of Alba, Breizh, Cymru, Éire, Kernow, Mannin and beyond celebrate the the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising (Irish: Éirí Amach na Cásca), the armed rising in Ireland. In the most significant uprising in Ireland since the rebellion of 1798 Irish republicans mounted the rising to end British rule in Ireland and establish an independent Irish Republic.

Press Release from Culture Vannin

Free Public Lecture:  'In search of the beginnings of Manx Literature'

Chapel, Stable Block, Nunnery, Old Castletown Road

Saturday, 23rd January at 2pm

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

I bet Canadian citizens will not have been raising a glass over the festive season to the good news that John Aspden has acquired himself a New Years honour courtesy of ‘Elizabrit’ Windsor.

John of course is the former Chief Executive of the Isle of Man Financial Supervision Commission (FSC) and was in post at the FSC when all that ‘tax planning’ was being undertaken several years ago on behalf of Canadian clients by KPMG Canada. The Canadian Revenue authorities allege this cost Canada many millions in lost revenue.

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

“With the economy still growing, unemployment low, our international reputation heightened and public finances on track to be rebalanced, the island is in a better position than Allan Bell envisaged when he first became Chief Minister.”

So it all seems fine then our growing economy must have made us better of. Yet most people you meet say they are or feel worse of!

This years Illiam Dhône commemoration took place on 2nd January 2016 on Mannin (Isle of Man). The event is co-organised by the Manx branch of the Celtic League and Mec Vannin, the Manx Republican Nationalist Party. This years speeches were given in Manx Gaelic by Isla Callister and in English by Peter Crellin. The wreath in memory of Illiam Dhône was laid by Manx musiciam Tom Callister with opening and closing remarks to the ceremony being made by Bernard Moffatt, Director of Information of The Celtic League.