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The Irish Government is reported to be working on a proposal to establish a new bank holiday for St Brigid’s Day on 1 February. The St Brigid’s Day bank holiday is to be permanent and to take effect in 2023. Saint Brigid (Irish: Naomh Bríd) is one of Ireland's patron saints, along with St Patrick and St Colmcille and is the only woman patron saint. There has been a debate for many years on the origins of Brigid. She shares her name and a number of the same attributes as the Celtic goddess Brigid. There are many supernatural events, legends, and folk customs associated with her. 

Discovered by a volunteer archaeologist in Brandenburg state in northeastern Germany. An ancient hoard of Celtic coins that were minted more than 2,000 years ago. The coins are curved  and are the first known Celtic gold treasure in Brandenburg. Wolfgang Herkt initially discovered some of the treasure near the village of Baitz in 2017 and reported it to the Brandenburg State Heritage Management and Archaeological State Museum (BLDAM). BLDAM archaeologists then uncovered more coins bringing the total hoard to a total of 41.

Media release from Culture Vannin:

CULTURE VANNIN CELEBRATES ITS 40th ANNIVERSARY

13 January 2022

Throughout 2022, Culture Vannin will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of the founding legislation which has helped it celebrate Manx culture and cultural heritage in the Island and across the world.

The cultural charity, based in St Johns, is celebrating 40 years of the founding legislation that created the Manx Heritage Foundation that is known as Culture Vannin today.

The Witches of Scotland are undertaking a campaign for a statement from the Scottish government making a public apology to those accused of witchcraft in Scotland between the 16th and 18th centuries. The campaign seeks a legal pardon for the estimated 2,500 people convicted and executed under Scotland's Witchcraft Act. The law was in force from 1563 until 1736. It has been estimated that of the 4,000 accused of witchcraft over that period 85% were women. 

Hunterston B nuclear power plant in North Ayrshire, Scotland has been shut down for the final time. Construction of Hunterston B began in 1968 and reactors 3 and 4 began operating in February 1976 and March 1977. It has been generating electricity for 46 years which is two decades after its anticipated lifespan. Plans had been made to operate Hunterston until 2023, however hairline cracks found in graphite bricks prevented this. Each of the two reactor cores is made up of 3,000 bricks.

Over one million people have now signed a petition to have ex-British Prime Minister Sir Tony Blair stripped of his knighthood. He was given a Knighthood last week. There are however, also plenty of people who believe the whole honours system as it stands in Britain should be abolished, seeing it as a relic of feudalism. Suggesting that Knighthoods and all other royal accolades be replaced with a civic award of some description. 

Tree of the Year 2021 winner is a hawthorn tree that stands alone on the coastline of the Solway Firth (Scottish Gaelic: Tràchd Romhra) in Kippford, Dalbeattie in Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland. The annual competition is organised by woodland conservation charity The Woodland Trust. Their aim is to highlight how trees for are vital for our landscapes and essential in the fight against the climate and nature crisis we are facing.

Shared via the Celtic League. Christmas and New Year card greetings in all the Celtic languages. Issued by the Breton branch of the Celtic League.

Michael Yellowlees from from Birnam in Perthshire, Scotland, along with his Alaskan husky Luna, have trekked the width of Canada from the Pacific to the Atlantic to raise money to rewild the Scottish Highlands. They started their 5,000-mile journey in March and have so far raised over £40,000 for Moray-based rewilding charity Trees for Life. The money will go towards planting trees and restoring the natural habitats of the ancient Caledonian Forest, which once stretched across Scotland.

Talking of his journey Michael said:

The article below was published by the Celtic League followig the recent Inquest conclusion in regard to the sinking of the Breton fishing boat Bugaled Breizh:

"FAMILIES REMAIN UNCONVINCED BY BRITISH INQUEST CONCLUSION SINKING OF BUGALED BREIZH AN ACCIDENT