Blogs

Irish-language manuscripts are the focus of a major exhibition underway at Trinity College Dublin (Coláiste na Tríonóide Baile Átha Cliath). Trinity Library has a collection of over 200 medieval and early modern manuscripts written in the Irish language. Covering over a thousand years of Irish literature and learning, the collection is seen as one of the most important collections in the world. 

Well, the time when many local folks go into forced hibernation is fast approaching, as the annual invasion will soon be upon us. Many say that Cornwall depends on tourism. That comment is often arrogantly rammed down our throats by people from elsewhere in an attempt to say that 'we are dependent on them and their English pounds'. (We read it so many times as well. Soon too we shall again witness undersized England football shirts stretched across oversized bellies as we are constantly reminded that their football team just about won a cup in....1966......yawn!) 

With much talk in Mann lately about realising a tourism dividend from Cruise ship traffic one small town in Co Donegal Ireland is already realising the potential. This weekend the large Cruise ship Queen Victoria docked at the town and as this report from Highland Radio indicates the town is realising real benefits from such passing tourism trade (link):

http://www.highlandradio.com/2018/05/21/tourists-in-their-thousands-desc...

One of the more unusual aspect of my two decades plus working as a Union official for the old Transport and General Workers Union was dealing with support to foreign seafarers who found themselves in difficulty in the Isle of Man and had for example to be repatriated because of a domestic crisis in their home country.

I also met regularly with the Isle of Man Shipping Register officials and pressed them to ensure good standards for foreign crewed Manx registered vessels (I wonder does the Manx TUC still do that - I doubt it!).

“Of course the Manx government are right and we need to get our electronic communications up to speed even if in my case its just so the links between the Celtic countries are further cemented.”

Today, 21st May, is the feast day of Saint Collen. Saint Collen was a  monk born in c.600 and the Welsh town of Llangollen takes its name from him 'gollen' being a mutation of "Collen". He is said to have arrived in Llangollen by coracle and to be descended from the Kings of Gwent. St Collen died on 21 May, at sometime in the early 7th century and was buried in his chapel, which for many centuries was located immediately to the west of the present medieval church of St Collen in Llangollen.

Nicola Sturgeon First Minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party  has said that the debate on independence of Scotland will restart in the coming weeks. Her comments were made ahead of the publication of the report of the growth commission, set up in 2016 and due to be published next week, it will make recommendations on monetary and other policy options for an independent Scotland. 

Waldo Williams (30 September 1904 – 20 May 1971) was born in Haverfordwest (Welsh: Hwlffordd). He was one of the leading Welsh-language poets of the 20th century, a Christian pacifist, anti-war campaigner, and Welsh nationalist. He used his bardic name Goronwy. His early childhood was spent in Mynachlog-ddu, where his father was the head teacher of the primary school.

On May 17th members of the infamous Spanish Civil Guard undertook action in the Southern Basque Country to seize the property and possessions of former Basque prisoners.

The operation is sanctioned by the Spanish Courts with much hyperbole about continuing a crackdown on persons linked to the now disbanded ETA armed liberation movement.

However of the fifty persons targeted only 10 had any links to ETA and the others had been convicted of offences such as street protest.

The Battle of Ballon took place on 22 November 845 when Breton forces led by Nominoë, Duke of Brittany defeated the Frankish army of  Charles Le Chauve (13 June 823 – 6 October 877) who was the King of West Francia and grandson of the Emperor Charlemagne. Nominoë (d. 7 March 851) was the first Duke and later King of Brittany from 846 to his death and is also known as Tad ar Vro ("father of the country").