Blogs

Recently Tourism Ireland announced that 2017 has been the “best year ever” for overseas tourism to Ireland. The country attracted around 10.65 million visitors generating roughly €5.78 billion in revenue. Ireland has been innovative in exploiting its rich cultural history and great natural beauty over the years. 

Loch Carron (Scottish Gaelic: "Loch Carrann") is a sea loch in western Ross in the Scottish Highlands. It has now been discovered that it is home to an extensive bed of flame shells. Much larger than a similar feature in Loch Alsh (Loch Aillse) which been previously thought the biggest. Flame shells are a small, scallop-like species, which has numerous neon orange tentacles that emerge between the creatures' two shells. They group together on the sea bed and their nests create a living reef that supports numerous other species.

If you're looking for something a little different during the festive season, there's an excellent opportunity to participate in a number of long standing Manx events which will give an insight into the unique cultural identity of the Isle of Man.

This year's Mollag Ghennal will be returning to Douglas, setting up at the Manx Legion Club on Market Hill, but promises a great line-up of singers, dancers and musicians as well as a tantalising supper from the Mollag Kitchens.

Despite a suspended self-government, opposition from the media, military threats from Madrid, a candidates in exile and in prison and continued intimidation from Spain, the latest elections in Catalonia have resulted in pro-independence parties winning a majority in the Catalan parliament. The Madrid government stripped Catalonia of its autonomy and called the election after declaring an October independence referendum illegal.

At this time each year, we remember eight brave Cornishmen:

Trevelyan Richards (56) – coxswain, James Stephen Madron (35) – 2nd coxswain/mechanic, Nigel Brockman (43) – asst. mechanic & fisherman ,John Blewett (43) – emergency mechanic & telephone engineer, Charles Greenhaugh – landlord of the Ship Inn, Mousehole, Barrie Torrie (33) - fisherman, Kevin Smith (23), Gary Wallis (23)

“Truly the eight bravest men I’ve ever seen.”

There is something special about living on an island, particularly one where the population density is kept under control. That's also the case in Scotland where a new study has shown that islanders have the best quality of life. Orkney, Shetland and the Outer Hebrides came in the top three respectively in a Bank of Scotland survey. A number of factors contributed to the result including including health, low pollution levels, employment, low crime rates, nature and wildlife, low population density and the beauty of the location.

Kernow

16 Mys Kevardhu 2017

Grand Bard Speaks Out!

All sane folks must surely support the words of the Grand Bard, Dr Merv Davey reported in Cornwall's very own bespoke newspaper 'Cornish Stuff'.

Link here:

In both Ireland and the Isle of Man there is a debate underway in regard to the legalisation of abortion. There are very strong opinions held on all sides of the disussion. However, for different reasons, concerns are being raised in regard to the type of interventions that are coming from abroad and designed to impact upon the democratic decisions being made in both countries. Interestingly, those causing the consternation come from both sides of the issue.

A discovery of a second 4,000-year-old Bronze Age grave in Drumnadrochit is adding to already increasing evidence that this area of Scotland was a site of significant ceremonial importance in prehistoric times. The latest grave contained a decorated Beaker pot which archaeologists believe may have held an offering to the person who was buried in the cist (ancient coffin or burial chamber).

Thousands of acres of blanket bog are to be restored across the island of Ireland and Scotland. European Union funding is going towards the five-year Co-operation Across Borders for Biodiversity (CABB) project, which is worth 4.9 million euro (£4.3 million) and is managed by the SEUPB (Special EU Programmes Body).