Blogs

There's a fresh, new name on the festival calendar, but behind it a rich background of history and social enterprise.

Celtfest Isle of Man has been organised by Yn Chruinnaght (a group of like-minded individuals who love all things Celtic) and promises to invigorate mid-summer with a selection of new ideas and trusted favourites.

News from the Celtic League:

The events of the last few days and the loss of an Irish Coastguard helicopter with all crew members highlight that search and rescue is a vital but perilous task in the waters around these Islands.

In relation to both Ireland and the United Kingdom it was traditionally undertaken by the military although that situation changed in Ireland over a decade ago and in the UK more recently.

Media release from Culture Vannin

Kaneen Bursary scheme for young fluent speakers of Manx Gaelic

Culture Vannin is delighted to announce its 2017 bursary scheme for young fluent speakers of Manx between the ages of 18 and 25 that will enable them to attend a summer school in Irish language and culture run by Oideas Gael in Donegal this summer. Two bursaries will be available which will cover travel and accommodation costs to the selected summer school.

With the success of a local campaign to raise funds for a permanent gravestone at the burial site of one of the Island's unsung heroes, there was an opportunity for some of those involved with the project to view the finished stone before transportation to New York.

Trustees of the William Kennish Memorial Trust, Robert Stimpson and Roy Moore (a descendant of the Kennish family) invited those who had donated to this unique marker along to Manx Memorials in Peel, where Matthew Gregson, who worked on the stone, was on hand to answer questions, together with the trustees.

Peat, also called turf, is made from partly decomposed plant material and forms in waterlogged conditions. Lack of oxygen means the plants do not rot completely and peat is unique to natural areas of peatlands and bogs.  It takes thousands of years for peatlands to develop and there is an estimated 1.7 million hectares of peatland in Scotland. It's ecosystem is the most efficient carbon sink on earth and peatland plants capture the CO2 which is naturally released from the peat.

News from Kernow Matters To Us:

No to a cross-Tamar “Devonwall” parliamentary constituency

A second petition to sign and share please

Link to petition here: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/188271

Ireland's President, Michael D Higgins, has said his thoughts are with the family of Captain Dara Fitzpatrick who died after an Irish Coast Guard helicopter crashed in the early hours of this morning. Three crew members of Rescue 116, named as Mark Duffy, Ciarán Smith and Paul Ormsby, are still missing. The Dublin based helicopter had gone to provide cover for another Coast Guard helicopter which had been helping an injured crewman on a fishing boat 150 nautical miles west of Eagle Island in Co Mayo.

Scotland’s Bòrd na Gàidhlig has published the draft of the National Gaelic Language Plan 2017-2022 for public consultation.  The purpose of this is to lay out the policy for Gaelic in the near future. The language Plan aims to strengthen the language at both the local and national levels for the next five years. Bòrd na Gàidhlig chief executive Shona MacLennan is quoted in “Holyrood Current Affairs” as follows: “What the plan does is set out the overarching aims for ensuring that Gaelic has a secure future in Scotland.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon caught most people on the hop this morning by her announcement that a new Scottish referendum on independence is being sought. It was her timing more than the announcement itself that caused surprise, as most thought it would come at the Scottish National Party’s spring conference at the end of the week. She said that she wanted the referendum to be held between the autumn of 2018 and the spring of 2019.

Turkish President Erdoğan is becoming increasingly dictatorial. Ever since being elected he has worked to trample on Turkish democratic rights, consolidate his powers and promote his Islamic agenda. Turkey’s remaining secular and democratic pillars, established by the Republic of Turkey’s founder Mustafa Kemal Ataturk in 1923, are being dismantled. Erdoğan's ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party have pushed through a referendum, to be held in April, that if successful will pool power in the hands of the president and dramatically reduce his accountability to parliament.