Alastair Kneale's blog

This year's Illiam Dhône commemoration starts at 2pm on 2nd January 2017. It is held annually at Hango Hill which is close to the location at which Manx National hero Illiam Dhône was shot on 2nd January 1663 for his part in the Manx Rising of 1651. In heading the Manx Rising Illiam Dhône was clearly motivated to act in the best interests of the Manx people and his Celtic homeland. 

Sophia Morrison (24 May 1859 – 14 January 1917) was a Manx cultural activist, folklore collector and author. She was a founder member of Yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh (The Manx Language Society) and played an important role in the Celtic revival in her Manx homeland and throughout the Celtic world.  She was an enthusiastic collector and recorder of all things related to Manx culture, including the island's ancient Gaelic language, its folklore, tales and music. In doing so this great patriot did not view her work as just a means to preserve the past.

News from the Celtic League:

Having established that the world’s largest trawler the Annelies Ilena was operating west of the Faroe Islands near an MPA we decided to check the whereabouts of another brute of the sea the Margiris:

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News from the Celtic League:

With the recent broadcast of the documentary ‘Atlantic’ on RTE attracting considerable interest we decided to take time to check on some of the really large super trawlers such as the Annelies Ilena and sure enough its active in the North Atlantic to the west of the Faroe Islands.

Interestingly having traced its fishing pattern we find that it is trawling around what’s called the ‘Faroe - Shetland Sponge Belt’ which just happens to be a Marine Protected Area.

Here’s the description:

“Faroe-Shetland Sponge Belt MPA

Douglas (Manx:Doolish) is the capital of the Isle of Man (Mannin). It is also home to The Douglas Bay Horse Tramway (Manx: Raad Yiarn Cabbyl Vaie Ghoolish) the oldest remaining horse-drawn tram service in the world. Founded as the Douglas Bay Tramway, operations began in 1876. In January 2016 Douglas Borough Council announced that it would no longer continue operating the Douglas Bay Horse Tramway due to financial constraints. However, for the 2016-18 seasons, the Manx Government agreed to operate the horse tram service as part of its Isle of Man Heritage Railways portfolio.

At 8pm on Thursday, December 15, 2016, Jean-Pierre Le Mat will host a conference "1916-2016 - A century after ... - The Irish rebellion of 1916". As highlighted by the Breton website 7SEIZH, in 2000, he translated texts by Patrick Pearse and edited the book Patrick Pearse and the Irish rebellion of 1916. Political texts and unpublished literature which was published by Coop Breizh. 

News from Mannin Branch Celtic League:

Roy Kennaugh who has been working with a number of groups to organise a commemoration for the 2017 centenary of the death of Sophia Morrison has forwarded details of a quite hefty schedule of events for next month (14th January)

“Saturday, 14th January 2017

Commemoration of Sophia Morrison on the centenary of her death 
Event organised by The Celtic League, Mec Vannin and Celtic Congress.

1.30 Laying of wreath at Sophia Morrison’s grave (Peel Cemetery)

We recently reported on the shocking level of violence and intimidation used against the Native American community in North Dakota. Protesters from some 200 Native American nations have been objecting to the construction of a huge new oil pipeline which passes over the Missouri River less than a mile upstream from a “reservation” belonging to the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

News from the Celtic League:

The CDN web site has this story about the discovery of rare ancient coins with a Manx link in Co Down:

"Brian Morton, (43), did not immediately realise the significance of his discovery on farmland near Newcastle in Co Down but was convinced he had struck upon something special in May.

"I didn't know what they were at the time. But through time I got to know they were two extremely rare Hibernian-Manx coins.

"I was quite excited to say the least," he said.

News from the Celtic League:

We reported recently on the standoff between Native Americans and there supporters over the construction of a major pipeline from South Dakota to Canada (link):

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