Emmett McIntyre's blog

In its 38th year the Central Florida Highland Games is an impressive event. The popularity of the Festival has fueled year to year growth in attendance. Event organizers estimate that 25,000 will attend the two day festival in 2015. This year the Festival boasts two of the top Celtic bands on the North American Festival Circuit. In addition, there are an array of events and exhibitions including a traditional Highland Games athletic competition, amateur Highland Dance Competitions, Scottish Country Dancing, Pipers and Bands competition and the obligatory Whiskey tasting.

 The 2015 North American Celtic Festival season kicks off in January with an impressive calendar of events.  First out of the gate is the 12th Annual Boston Celtic Music Festival (BCMFest) held at venues in and around Cambridge’s Harvard Square January 9th through the 11th.  The BCMFest features a three day program starting with an “Urban Ceilidh” with Celtic social dancing from the Irish, Scottish and Cape Breton traditions.

The UK Sunday Express reports that The Faery Investigation Society of London is in the process of conducting a worldwide census.  Under the headline “Forget the Tales, Now its Fairies with an Attitude”, the Express reports that the census, initiated in November, has logged over 450 respondents reporting on various Faery populations. The link to the census form is posted below.

It is time for Dublin to create a single Department within the government whose only task is to preserve, protect and promote the Irish Language. 

The Sub-Committee on the 20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language and Related Matters of the Irish Parliament (Oireachtas) met with Meri Huws, Welsh Language Commissioner, on Tuesday, 25th November 2014. The purpose of the meeting was for the Committee to consult with Commissioner Huws so as to benefit from the experience of Wales in the implementation of the Welsh language (Wales) Measure 2011.

The Nova Scotia Highland Village Society has announced its inaugural scholarship award as part of its Treasures of Youth (Stóras na h-Òigridh) program. This program is another sign that the struggle to restore Scots Gaelic to its rightful position in Nova Scotia is gaining steam. The Society’s scholarship fund was created to ensure that cultural skills based on Gaelic traditions continue to flourish with youth in Nova Scotia

Florida’s Tampa Bay area hosts the Dunedin Celtic Festival this Saturday, November 22, at the Highlander Park on the Gulf Coast.  Transceltic contacted Alan McHale, President of the Organizing Committee, who shared the following: “We have expanded the show this year to a second and third stage, the second stage will feature local folk and Celtic folk performers as well as the Middle and High School Pipe Bands.  The third and smaller stage will be used as filler between the main bands and will feature the Tampa Bay Highland Dancers.

Ffred Ffransis, spokesman for the Welsh Language Society (Cymdeithas yr Laith Gymraeg), has acclaimed the results a poll commissioned by his organisation which shows that  63% of the people surveyed agreed that schools “should teach all pupils to communicate effectively in Welsh” thus ensuring graduates enjoy a command of the Welsh tongue upon graduation.  

The Ulster city of Doire, the fourth largest city in Ireland, is home to a unique initiative which aims to create a Gaeltacht Quarter in the city where the language of daily commerce is Gaelic. The focal point of this effort is the Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin, a purpose-built Irish language, cultural and enterprise center based in the Walled City's historic Great James Street area.  The Cultúrlann Uí Chanáin is intended to act as a hub for Gaelic cultural groups and has been hailed as a catalyst for Celtic language enthusiasts. 

Paris may refuse to take the Celtic language of Brittany seriously but it now seems that Facebook do.  The web page “The Local – France’s News in English” is reporting in an article by Ben McPartland under the title “Facebook Recognizes Breton Language - It Only Took Three Years of Fighting", that Facebook has made the Breton language the 121st language medium endorsed by the media giant.