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The Scottish island of Barra (Scottish Gaelic: Barraigh, Eilean Bharraigh), is an island in the Outer Hebrides (Na h-Eileanan Siar). The area of Barra is approximately 23 sq ml (60 square kilometres), 11 miles long and 6 miles wide. The main village is Castlebay (Bàgh a' Chaisteil). Now Barra has joined many other places in Scotland with its own flag. Although the island has used the the green and white Nordic cross for many years, now after a community campaign the flag of Barra has secured official recognition.

A bronze replica of a statue of Irish writer and journalist Pádraic Ó Conaire (28 February 1882 – 6 October 1928)  has been unveiled in Eyre Square, Galway (Irish: An Fhaiche Mhór, Gaillimh) in the west of Ireland.  Irish President Michael D Higgins performed the ceremony. The original statue, by sculptor Albert Power, was removed for preservation eleven years ago and the replica was made using original drawings by the sculptor and a caste from a mould of the existing statue, which is now located in Galway City Museum (Irish: Músaem Cathrach na Gaillimhe).

In Gaelic mythology (Irish, Scottish and Manx) Cailleach is a creation goddess. She is commonly known as the Cailleach Bhéara and in Scotland also as Beira, Queen of Winter.  In partnership with the goddess Brìghde, they rule the seasons. Cailleach governs the winter months between Samhainn (1 November ) and Bealltainn (1 May), while Brìghde rules the summer months between Bealltainn and Samhainn. It is said that Cailleach carries a staff that freezes the ground.

There is some good news for Gaelic for a change.

The Joint Committee on the Irish Language of the Oireachtas (Irish Republic Legislature) have called on the Minister of Education to give equal status to Gaelic in the procurement and distribution of school text books at all grade levels and in all subjects. If implemented this change will equalize funding for Irish and English. The result will be Gaelic language text books in all subjects available to all students.

A painting at Penrhyn Castle, Llandygai, Bangor, in North Wales has been found to be a lost masterpiece by Spanish artist Bartolome Esteban Murillo (December 1617 – April 3, 1682). The painting is of Spanish writer Don Ortiz de Zuniga (1636 -  September 3, 1680 ) and has hung in the Welsh castle for 150 years. It was long thought to be a copy but has been verified by Spanish art scholar Benito Navarrete as an original work after he visited north Wales earlier this year.

Despite objections, Westminster Government refuses to stop English Heritage quango/charity publicly funded £4 million 'bridge' at Tintagel Castle

Conservative Cornwall Councillor Barry Jordan backs the plan stating: "When I was standing in the main hall I was feeling like I was where King Arthur was standing. I think everybody should be able to have that feeling."

Its been a good year for the reappearance of beaches on Achill Island (Irish: Acaill, Oileán Acla). It is an island off the coast of County Mayo (Irish: Contae Mhaigh Eo) in the West of Ireland. Earlier this year, after an absence of 33 years, sand returned to a beach near Dooagh. The sand had been washed away during storms in 1984, and then this year high tides deposited the sand back. 

CeltiKup will come to the Nautic Paris Boat Show on Sunday, December 10, 2017. Information about the CeltiKup will be presented by Le Centre Nautique du Pays de  Lorient (CNPLorient). The Nautic Paris Boat Show is held annually in December. It brings together all sectors of the watersports industry and will be held from Saturday 2 to Sunday 10 December 2017. 

Gerry Adams announced at the Sinn Féin Ard Fheis (annual conference) this weekend that he is stepping down as president of Sinn Féin in 2018 and also confirmed that he will not seek re-election to the Irish parliament, the Dáil, in the next general election.  Gerry Adams has been the president of the Irish political party Sinn Féin since 1983. From 1983 to 1992 and from 1997 to 2011, he was an abstentionist Member of Parliament (MP) for the Belfast West constituency of the British parliament.

News from BreizhEire:

Demat d'an holl/ bonsoir à tous / dia dhaoibh uilig / Hi everybody