Blogs

News from Mannin Branch of the Celtic League:

The Isle of Man will celebrate a unique UN award next week when the Secretary of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere programme formally inaugurate our status as part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

At an event at the Manx Museum on Tuesday, Mr Han Qunli will present Chief Minister Howard Quayle MHK with a certificate marking the island’s achievement.

The International Co-ordinating Council of the Programme on Man and the Biosphere announced the island’s acceptance into the world network in March 2016.

News from Kernow Matters To Us:

Dear all

Please find attached below a copy of the programme for the day. You will see that it is varied - music, poetry, singing, speeches - and we must thank the Bards of Gorsedh Kernow for their hard work.

We have enquired as to why there are no speakers from the Conservative Party and have been assured that several invites have been sent out without response. Perhaps any of our members who have affiliations to the Conservatives could look into this.

The Deskford Carnyx was found at a farm in Deskford, Banffshire, (Scottish Gaelic: Deasgard, Siorrachd Bhanbh) in the North East of Scotland in 1816. The Celtic Iron-Age trumpet dates from between 80-200AD. Now the Carnyx will be shown at The Treasures of Historic Banffshire exhibition which opens to the public on Saturday 29th October at Duff House in Banff (Scottish Gaelic: Banbh) and will run until the end of February 2017. 

Aberfoyle (Scottish Gaelic: Obar Phuill) is a village that lies inside the Lomond & Trossachs National Park (Scottish Gaelic: Pàirc Nàiseanta Loch Laomainn is nan Tròisichean). Seen as a gateway to the Trossachs, Aberfoyle is situated on the River Forth (Abhainn Dubh) at the foot of Craigmore. Loch Ard (Loch na h-Àirde) , Loch Chon, Loch Arklet and Loch Lomond (Loch Laomainnare) to the West, Loch Katrine (Loch Ceiteirein), Loch Achray and Loch Venachar (Loch Bheannchair) to the North and the Lake of Menteith (Loch Innis Mo Cholmaig), to the East.

First Published October 2012:

The ancient Celtic holiday of Samhain (Halloween) was the start of the Celtic New Year. This is when the Druids lit bonfires marking a period of great danger to mortal souls. The bonfires were a warning that the laws of nature were suspended and the barriers between the natural order of things and the Celtic Underworld were dissolved, when the Underworld became visible to the living and the Fairies and the Dead would come forth.

News from Breizh-Amerika

Brexit : Quelles conséquences sur l’Irlande et sa relation à l’Union européenne ?

News from Kernow Matters To Us:

24 Mis Hedra 2016

Cornwall Council appoints QC as part of the fight to save Cornwall

In a commendable act taken on behalf of the Cornish people and indeed the people of Cornwall, Cornwall Council has announced that the Duchy would be well served by five MPs rather than the proposed six where one is shared with Devon up in England.

A South Jersey Tale of Halloween:

It is said that the power of the Sidhe, as the Fairy Mounds appearing anywhere the ancient tongue has been spoken are called, is unleashed only on one night a year. That night is Samhain. Samhain, the Celtic Feast Day of the Dead, the night known as Halloween.

Under current rules there is nothing to stop people living outside of Wales standing as a candidate for the Welsh Assembly. The National Assembly for Wales (Welsh: Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru) is a devolved assembly with power to make legislation in Wales. The rules as they stand are an anomaly in the Government of Wales Act 2006 and need to be corrected. This has been recognised by two former Welsh Secretaries of State, Peter Hain and Paul Murphy. They want to change the law to ensure all candidates are on the Wales electoral register.

News from Kernow Matters To Us:

We thank Cornwall Councillor Dick Cole for this information.

Plaid Cymru supports funding for Cornish language!

'It is fantastic to see the Plaid Cymru Conference (taking place at Llangollen) unanimously backing a motion in support of funding for the Cornish language. As a long-standing member of Plaid - going back to my college days in Lampeter - I am once again delighted to see the Party of Wales support for Cornwall and its culture.