Blogs

Edinburgh International Film Festival 2017 opened today (21st June) in Scotland's capital and the film God's Own Country features at the opening night gala. The festival ends on 2nd July. Established in 1947, it is the world's oldest continually running film festival and shows a range of feature-length films, documentaries, short films, animations and music videos. Information about this years event are on the festival website.

Today, Wednesday 21st June, celebrations are taking place in the Celtic nations to welcome the summer solstice. The summer solstice is the longest day of the year and in the northern hemisphere it can fall on different dates from year to year between 20 and 22 June. In the southern hemisphere it is between December 20 and December 23. The winter solstice which is the shortest day of the year falls between 20 and 23 December in the north.  In the Celtic homelands in 2017, this will be on 21st December.

With Cyclefest in the can and the British Cycling National Road Championships looming on the horizon, it's a fitting opportunity to remember the Island's first gold-winning Commonwealth Games medallist who set the pace in cycling during the 1960s, but died tragically in the midst of his ongoing success.

Peter Buckley was born in Peel to Joan (née Quayle) and Louis Buckley, a member of the Peveril Camp Guard, and although he later relocated to Oldham in Lancashire he always maintained he was proud to be a Manx man; returning regularly for training.

Seven years in to the “20 Year Strategy for the Irish Language 2010-2030", the Gaelic League have condemned the action of the new Irish Prime Minister’ to downgrade the Gaeltacht in a move that has set off alarm bells amongst supporters of the Irish Tongue. Conradh na Gaeilge (Gaelic League) have expressed “Serious Concern” that “Gaeltacht” is no longer specifically mentioned in the title of the state department with responsibility for Gaeltacht and Gaelic Language affairs.

WHAT IS CORNISH CULTURE?

An opinion piece by Craig Weatherhill

 I WAS once asked to define Cornish culture and the only realistic answer I could give was this:  “Read the three-part work Cornwall and Its People, written by A.K.Hamilton Jenkin between 1932 and 1934.  Read every word and, once you’ve got through its 487 pages, you will have at least scratched the surface and given yourself a general idea of what it is.

Submitted by Padrig Morin

Breton Saint: Sant Ronan - Saint Ronan

Sant Ronan (also called Reun in Breton) was born in Ireland in the 5th century from pagan parents. He travelled to Brittany where he landed in Pors Liogan in Leon province circa 500. there an angel requested him to go and live in Breton Cornwall ( village of locronan) to save his soul. He may still have been weak in his new faith at the time. His pagan parents were converted by Sant Padrig (Saint Patrick) .

The National Assembly for Wales (Welsh: Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru) is set to be renamed the Welsh Parliament / Senedd Cymru. After a public consultation sixty-one percent of nearly 3,000 responses agreed to a change of name as the best option. The assembly was given the power to rename itself under the 2017 Wales Act. Last July Assembly members had unanimously backed the idea and subsequently it was put out to public consultation. Legislation on assembly reforms, which will include the change of name, are to be published by the Assembly Commission in 2018.

A unique collaboration between some of the brightest talent from the Royal College of Music and the Ensemble Émigré, professional soloists and a selection of young performers from the Isle of Man, highlighted an important aspect of internment on the Island during World War II and broke new ground during the process.

With performances at The Studio Theatre in Ballakermeen High School and the Erin Arts Centre, local audiences were treated to a fabulous presentation of music composed by internees housed in various camps across the Island.

News from Kernow Matters To Us:

Kernow
12th June, 2017

Boundary Commission for England, 
35 Great Smith Street, 
London, SW1P 3BQ

Dear Sirs & Mesdames

Cross border constituency - Devon & Cornwall

You may well be aware that during this last general election, something remarkable happened in Cornwall. Scores if not hundreds of extra people have now registered to vote, many of them younger people.

Catalonia (Catalan: Catalunya ) is located on the northeastern extremity of the Iberian Peninsula and is designated as a nationality by its Statute of Autonomy. It has its own language, laws and customs. Carles Puigdemont is the current President of the Generalitat of Catalonia and is elected by the Parliament of Catalonia. Last Friday, he announced that an independence referendum is to be held on 1 October, in defiance of the Madrid government. The question to be voted on will be: "Do you want Catalonia to be an independent state in the form of a republic?"