Blogs

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

The Corrib Gas field started to pump gas on to shore at the North Mayo terminal built by Shell.

The project one of the largest undertaken in the Irish state was also one of the most contentious. Protest initially passive eventually turned to violence and that violence was on both sides but with an overwhelming emphasis on Shell its security staff and the Irish State. Large numbers of police were deployed and in the end also the military to confront those in the small community who opposed the project.

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

On the 14/15 January 2016 the French National Assembly rejected a proposal put forward by Breton ecologist parliamentarian Paul Molac supporting regional languages. Last year, France refused to ratify the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. The European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (ECRML) is a European treaty aimed at protecting and promoting historical regional and minority languages in Europe.

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’.

The Highland Council has unveiled the winning design for a new Caithness flag. Caithness (Scottish Gaelic: Gallaibh)  is in the far northeast of the Scottish mainland with the Orkney Islands to the north. The Caith part of the name Caithness comes from Cait or Cat, which was a Pictish kingdom (25–871 AD) that was located in this area. The other part of the name -ness, comes from Old Norse which means "headland".

The annual Arrane son Mannin (Song for Mann) competition, which provides the Island entry for the Pan Celtic Festival Song Contest held in Ireland each year, was held at the Masonic Hall in Peel.

It was a successful event, which brought a number of Manx traditional musicians together to entertain an appreciative audience, prior to the competition itself and as the judges made their appraisal.

Despite an array of contemporary entertainment, the annual Oie'll Verree in Kirk Michael still attracts a full house to the Ebenezer Hall, situated in the centre of the village.

Many, but not all, of these concerts have fallen by the wayside in recent years, although this particular event continues to grow in popularity. Now organised by members of Michael Heritage Trust, the evening follows a tried and tested format which draws people from all walks of life; and indeed from various parts of the Island.

Featuring Celtic Musical acts, Irish Dance and a Friday night Ceili (Gaelic for Party), the Savannah Irish Festival will be held February 19th thru 21st at the Savannah Civic Center.  The Festival boasts a full line of entertainment including performances by the Irish Dancers of Savannah, the Atlanta Ceili Band and the Savannah Pipes and Drums.

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

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

I never had contact with Veronica Guerin the murdered Irish journalist mentioned in an earlier post but as General Secretary and Director of Information (a role I finally relinquish in March this year) over the years I got to know a good few journalists in newsroom in Belfast and Dublin and farther afield.