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A new opinion poll carried out by Ipsos MORI for Scottish Television's STV News, shows that independence for Scotland is now backed by half of voters. Support for autonomy is now five points higher than in the September 2014 referendum. This will give added impetus to those calling for a ballot on Scottish independence to be held in the Autumn of 2018. It also provides a boost for the Scottish National Party ahead of their spring conference in Aberdeen next week.

News from Kernow Matters To Us:

ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON THE FRAMEWORK CONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF NATIONAL MINORITIES

COUNCIL OF EUROPE*

Fourth Opinion on the United Kingdom - Strasbourg, 27 February 2017

International opinion on the UK Government's policies towards National Minorities including the Cornish.

With daffodils raising their heads well above the parapet, in a seasonal surge of expectation and solidarity, it's a sure sign that the festival season is about to spring into life.

Manx performers will be entertaining audiences both at home and abroad, including the Welsh inter-Celtic festival Cwlwm Celtaidd, headlined by Jamie Smith's Mabon, which includes talented locally based musicians Jamie Smith and Paul Rogers, along with Welsh band Calan who performed in Peel last year.

Despite its title, this book has little to do with Norse mythology, but one of its meanings, 'fearful destruction', is a perfect epitaph of the life-changing consequences of what was termed the Great War.

The effect of war is, by its very nature, manifold, but in her new book Patricia Skillicorn reveals the true picture of how the Island fared during World War I and what became of it at the cessation of conflict; including some valuable first-hand accounts.

Scotland's First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is to formally open a new museum and archive on Lewis (Scottish Gaelic: Leòdhas). Lewis is the northern part of Lewis and Harris (Leòdhas agus na Hearadh), the largest island of the Outer Hebrides (Na h-Eileanan Siar), an island chain off the west coast of mainland Scotland. The islands are rich in history and were once part of the Norse kingdom of the Suðreyjar, known as The Kingdom of Mann and the Isles.

At 64.8% turnout. the highest since the first election to the northern assembly in 1998, after its establishment under the Good Friday Agreement. The results of the ninety seats being contested were as follows:

28 - Democratic Unionist Party

27 - Sinn Féin

12 - Social Democratic and Labour Party

10 - Ulster Unionist Party

8 - Alliance Party of Northern Ireland

2 - Green Party

1 - People Before Profit Alliance

1 - Traditional Unionist Voice

1 - Independent unionist

News from Kernow Matters To Us:

St Piran

with grateful thanks to CRAIG WEATHERHILL

St Piran is the third in a succession of patron saints of Cornwall, after St Petroc and St Michael the Archangel.  Originally, he was the patron saint of tinners.

News from the Celtic League:

“The Stormont Executive has failed in its legal duty to adopt an Irish language strategy, a High Court judge ruled on Friday.

Mr Justice Maguire held the administration to be in breach of a requirement imposed under decade-old legislation.

The challenge was mounted by Irish language group Conradh na Gaeilge.
The body issued judicial review proceedings over a failure to comply with a St Andrews Agreement pledge.

News from the Celtic League:

The National have sent us a preview of tomorrow’s new magazine launched in conjunction with the independence supporting web site Bella Caledonia.

It’s an interesting development in that what was initially a social media blog has now gone main stream.

Other independence sites like ‘Wings over Scotland’ are also flourishing. Wings recently raised way above its fundraising target of £45,000 within hours of the appeal being launched.

BERNARD MOFFATT
Public Relations Officer Mannin Branch

News from the Celtic League:

“The formal recognition of Irish Travellers as an indigenous ethnic minority by the Republic of Ireland has been hailed as a "historic" day.

Members cheered and applauded in the Dáil (Irish parliament) on Wednesday as Taoiseach (Prime Minister) Enda Kenny made the announcement.

There was a standing ovation as he gave status to the "distinct ethnic group".
He said the statement of recognition would go some way to ensuring they have a "better future with less negativity".

'Momentous'