Blogs

From The Celtic Language News

The Scottish National Party has liad out plans to secure the future of Gaelic by exploring the creation of a recognised Gaelic-speaking area. 

The party said it will work to ensure Gaelic flourishes throughout the country as well as in its traditional heartlands.

Happy St Yves' Day today 19th May. St Yves Day (Breton: Gouel Sant-Erwan) is widely celebrated in Brittany and around the Breton world. Saint Yves was born on 17th October 1253 at Kermartin, near Tréguier, Brittany (Breton: Landreger, Breizh). He graduated in civil law and became a lawyer and judge who was famous for defending the poor without taking payment. Saint Yves was ordained in 1284 and when he retired from law in 1287 became a preacher. The feast day marks the date of his death on 19th May 1303 at Louannec, Brittany (Breton: Louaneg, Breizh).

Nicola Sturgeon First Minister of Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: prìomh mhinistear na h-Alba) and Leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) has today (18th May 2021) once again been elected as Scotland's First Minister. The Scottish Parliament (Scottish Gaelic: Pàrlamaid na h-Alba;) had the option for voting for three candidates and the votes were Nicola Sturgeon 64, Douglas Ross 31, Willie Rennie 4, Abstentions 28. Voting went along expected  party lines. 

Over the last week demonstrations have been seen across Ireland, Scotland and Wales in protest against the bombing of Gaza by Israel. Yesterday the Palestinian death toll in Gaza climbed to 212, including 61 children and 36 women, according to local Health Ministry officials. Two days ago Ireland's Minister for Foreign Affairs, Simon Coveney speaking at a UN Security Council said the international community has to intervene in a bid to stop the escalating violence in the region.

The Ballymurphy Massacre took place in August 1971 when during a British army operation 10 people were shot dead in Belfast. On May 11th 2021 a judge-led inquiry found that British soldiers unjustifiably shot or used disproportionate force in the deaths of nine of the 10 innocent people killed. Mrs Justice Siobhán Keegan also criticised the lack of investigation into the 10th death, that of John McKerr, and said she could not definitively rule who had shot him. It has taken fifty years of campaigning by the families of the victims to get some kind of justice.

The National Monuments Service has confirmed that two logboats, which could date from medieval times, have been found in the River Boyne (Irish: An Bhóinn or Abhainn na Bóinne). They were seen by citizen archaeologist Anthony Murphy using a drone, along with an an already identified third boat, on a stretch of the river close to the town centre of Drogheda (Irish: Droichead Átha). In a statement the National Monuments Service at the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage said it "can confirm that of the three logboats imaged by Mr Murphy, two are new discoveries."

We are sad to announce the sudden passing of John Dudding of Falmouth.

John was heavily involved in the Cornish cultural scene and worked tirelessly to build on the already strong relationship between the Cornish and Bretons during festivals such as Aberfest.

Everyone who met him instantly liked him and John helped instigate and run many of Cornwall’s often eccentric and anarchic feast day events including Montol, Golowan, Mock Mayor days, Candlemass, May Horns and many others.

On 6th May, 2021 and as a result of receiving the votes of 15.2% of Cornwall's electorate, a Conservative party administration was installed at Cornwall Council.

Noting that the Conservative Westminster Government has breached the requirements placed on it to properly fund the Cornish language and passed responsibility for funding to Cornwall Council, there are now rumours that the Conservative controlled Council will cut language funding after the current round.

As a result of the recent elections to Cornwall Council held on 6th May, 2021, 15.2% of the electorate in Cornwall voted Conservative and put in place a Conservative administration at Cornwall Council.

Already, in an act of inward looking malice so typical of her political party, Cllr Linda Taylor the new leader of the Council, has announced the closure of Cornwall's office in Brussels.

The Cornish campaign group has written to Cornwall Council and its Leader in the following terms:

Kernow

11 Mis Me 2021

Sirs and Mesdames

Medieval Cornish plays that could not be suppressed!

(4th September 2021 to 18th September 2021)