Blogs

There has been a huge amount of British media publicity given to the forthcoming wedding of the grandson of the Queen of England. However the effort to engender a mood of patriotic fervour appears to have failed in  North Wales, where there seems to be a distinct lack of enthusiasm for the event. An example of this has been the lack of take-up for the idea of holding a royal wedding street party, where local residents organise an event held out of doors in a street or other public area.

Every year, hundreds of thousands of Bretons and friends of Brittany gather, in Brittany and all over the world, to celebrate the culture and heritage of Brittany. Fête de la Bretagne - Gouel Breizh takes place on the days before and after the 19th May, which is the date of the feast of St. Yves (Breton: Gouel Erwan).  Saint Yves was born on 17th October 1253 at Kermartin in Brittany. 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.

News from the Celtic League:

As the Isle of Man government were given the go ahead by Tynwald to secure the sealink to the United Kingdom via a purchase of the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company a new fast craft sea link between the Celtic countries was also secured.

The Irish Times this week reported on the new ‘Dublin Swift’ HSS which  entered service last month and will link Dublin Port with Holyhead in Wales - a sailing of just two hours:

News from the Celtic League:

The value of the Council of Europe (CoE) and its statements are called into question in this report on BBC Northern Ireland:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-44116786

A delegation of language experts from the  Council of Europe (CoE) is visiting Belfast (Irish: Béal Feirste) this week. The head of the delegation Dr Aleksandra Oszmiańska-Pagett has renewed calls for an Irish Language Act during the visit. The council is Europe's top human rights watchdog with 47 member states and reports on how states comply with the European Charter for Regional and Minority Languages.

Simon Coveney, Ireland's Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) and Foreign Minister has summoned the Israeli ambassador to a meeting to express Ireland’s “shock and dismay” after the killing of 59 demonstrators with more than 2,700 wounded during protests along the Gaza border yesterday.

News from the Celtic League:

Figures released by the Police Service of Northern Ireland prove conclusively that 50% of investigations into ‘legacy killings’ are targeted at republicans.

There has been a major furore in recent months stoked by military figures. Some British politicians including Ministers and retired senior army figures are suggesting that cases against former soldiers were being pursued disproportionately. These ‘lobbyists’ want a dispensation or limitation on prosecution so that alleged British Army murderers can get of the hook.

News from the Celtic League:

If there is one thing Ireland is noted for its rainfall the Atlantic westerlies make sure the country gets a good drenching. Consequently when it was suggested over a decade ago that water might need to be piped from the River Shannon in the West to supply Dublin City most people thought it was an elaborate hoax.

However the project is still live and indeed it seems that serious consideration is being given to piping water - using huge pipes the largest ever used in Ireland - from ArdnaCrusha on Lough Derg all the way to Dublin.

Two important proposals are now being looked into following concerns raised by locals and groups supporting them in regard to the replacement ferry service to the island of Toraigh. Toraigh, is 14.5 kilometres (9.0 miles) off the north-west coast of County Donegal (Contae Dhún na nGall) in the north-west of Ireland. The people of Toraigh had mounted a very high profile campaign against a 40 year old vessel, Queen of Aran, becoming the replacement ferry imposed on them by the Department of the Gaeltacht. Significant safety and reliability concerns had been raised.

News from the Celtic League:

Earlier this month Ireland's Defence Secretary. Paul Kehoe attended two events over a four day period that could not have been farther removed from each other.