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News from Kernow Matters To Us:

The Charter for Cornwall (issued by the Charter for Cornwall team)

The Cornish countryside is disappearing at an alarming rate.

Our landscapes are being degraded and urbanised and the character of our towns and villages is changing forever.

Tranquility, the environment and our heritage are ruthlessly ignored.

Our young people are finding it more and more difficult to find an affordable home yet, meanwhile, housing continues to be sold off as second 'homes'.

An extensive crowd gathered at Hango Hill, situated between Castletown and Derbyhaven, for the annual ceremony commemorating the execution of William Christian (Illiam Dhone) on the 2nd January, 1662 (or 1663) for his part in the Manx rising of 1651 against the Derby family, who held the Island for the Royalist cause.

News from Kernow Matters To Us:

As will be widely known, 2016 saw the end of the Westminster Government's return of a rather paltry £150,000 a year of our tax money to support the continued growth and development of the Cornish language. 

This occurred despite the Government's signing of the language charter in 2002 and formal recognition of the Cornish people in 2014. 

Accordingly, a Freedom of Information request was lodged with the relevant Westminster Department seeking background material to cast light on this spiteful decision.

The long-running Mollag Ghennal has been a favourite crowd puller at a variety of venues, but this year the annual event was held in the Masonic Hall in Peel, retaining its winning formula of providing some of the best acts in both traditional and new music.

Under the Druidical traditions of Celtic Ireland, Gaelic law was passed down orally and was first captured in writing beginning around 450 AD as the Christian scribes began their work. This collection of oral and written laws is known as the Brehon Laws. The Brehons were the jurists of Celtic culture and it took a lifetime of study to become a true proficient. Today the Brehon Law Academy seeks to preserve the ancient Celtic Laws.

North American Celtic Festivals kick off at the 4th Annual Florida Keys Celtic Festival held January 6th through 9th.   The festival will take place in Marathon situated half way between the mainland and Key West.  The 2017 Festival will include Celtic Rock and Traditional music, Irish & Scottish Dancing, Pipes and Drums and Highland Athletics.

Archie McGeachy was born in Cambeltown in 1932. He was aged 14 years when identified as someone with promising bagpipe talent and given the gift of a set of Henderson pipes. Using the pipes Archie played at the Queen's Coronation in 1953 at the age of 21 and went on to become a world champion piper. He emigrated to North America  where his interest in piping continued, playing with other talented musicians and as a member of Pipe Bands. He also formed a band in Ontario Canada called Kintyre. Sadly, Archie McGeachy died at the age of 83 years at home in Ontario in November 2015.

News from the Celtic League:

Report here from Wales online about what appears to be the start of a direct action campaign by some members of Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg (the Welsh Language Society) to have broadcasting devolved to Wales (link):

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/…/tv-licence-fee-strike-launch…

The Welsh tradition of the The Mari Lwyd was a custom performed during winter celebrations around the dates of Christmas and New Year. A horse-figure, that in the past was often made from a horses skull, was mounted upon a pole. Which was carried by a person hidden under a cloth from door to door. Accompanied by a group of singers the Mari Lwyd knocks on the door and the first verse of a traditional song is sung. This would in turn be answered in song by the person in the house.

The following editorial appeared in Ireland's Leinster Express.  Nothing can be added to this eloquent testimonial to the Celtic tongue of Ireland.

There has never been a period in the past thousand years or more when it has not been spoken and written. Even at the worst period of anglicisation and national catastrophe, before and after the famine of 1847, it remained the language of the great mass of the people outside the Pale.