Blogs

With Cornwall's international Celtic festival, Lowender Peran, firmly ensconced in its new location in Newquay, both singers, dancers, musicians and visitors (including those from the Isle of Man) will converge on the Atlantic Hotel, for a festival which has long held ties with the Island.

As in previous years, organisers of this popular festival will shoe horn a large number of family-friendly events into a five day period, with some free time to explore the surrounding area and sample a selection of typical Cornish fare.

A special bronze plaque commemorating miners who helped found the town's community hospital 102 years ago was unveiled in the Welsh town of Maesteg yesterday (29th October). Miners from the Llynfi Valley donated a penny a week from their own hard earned wages to enable the hospital to be built in 1914. Over the years many increased their contributions to support the hospital and provide a vital health service, which continues to serve the Llynfi Valley.

The search is on to find a song to represent Ireland at the Pan Celtic International Song Contest 2017. Entries on Cd with completed entry form have to be submitted by 5pm on Friday, 20th January, 2017. Details can be obtained from the Pan Celtic Festival website. The winning song receives the National Trophy and €1,000. It will also represent Ireland at the Pan Celtic International Festival to be held in the Irish town of Carlow (Irish: Ceatharlach), on 18th-22nd April 2017.

News from Kernow Matters To Us:

Following numerous complaints received following the announcement of a less than transparent and highly unpopular cessation of funding for the indigenous Cornish language by the Westminster Government announced during April, 2016, Kernow Matters To Us (KMTU) has today written to the Department for Communities and Local Government with the following request made under the terms and provisions of the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

News from the Celtic League:

Proposed ship to ship oil transfers have been slammed by environmental groups in Scotland.

‘The proposed location is in the Moray Firth Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for bottlenose dolphin, and the proposed Moray Firth Special Area of Protection for a range of seabirds. Other European protected sites they say could be harmed by the operations include the Cromarty Firth, Inner Moray Firth and the Moray and Nairn 
‘Coast Special Protection Areas, as well as the Culbin Bar SAC.

News from Mannin Branch of the Celtic League:

The Isle of Man will celebrate a unique UN award next week when the Secretary of UNESCO’s Man and the Biosphere programme formally inaugurate our status as part of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves.

At an event at the Manx Museum on Tuesday, Mr Han Qunli will present Chief Minister Howard Quayle MHK with a certificate marking the island’s achievement.

The International Co-ordinating Council of the Programme on Man and the Biosphere announced the island’s acceptance into the world network in March 2016.

News from Kernow Matters To Us:

Dear all

Please find attached below a copy of the programme for the day. You will see that it is varied - music, poetry, singing, speeches - and we must thank the Bards of Gorsedh Kernow for their hard work.

We have enquired as to why there are no speakers from the Conservative Party and have been assured that several invites have been sent out without response. Perhaps any of our members who have affiliations to the Conservatives could look into this.

The Deskford Carnyx was found at a farm in Deskford, Banffshire, (Scottish Gaelic: Deasgard, Siorrachd Bhanbh) in the North East of Scotland in 1816. The Celtic Iron-Age trumpet dates from between 80-200AD. Now the Carnyx will be shown at The Treasures of Historic Banffshire exhibition which opens to the public on Saturday 29th October at Duff House in Banff (Scottish Gaelic: Banbh) and will run until the end of February 2017. 

Aberfoyle (Scottish Gaelic: Obar Phuill) is a village that lies inside the Lomond & Trossachs National Park (Scottish Gaelic: Pàirc Nàiseanta Loch Laomainn is nan Tròisichean). Seen as a gateway to the Trossachs, Aberfoyle is situated on the River Forth (Abhainn Dubh) at the foot of Craigmore. Loch Ard (Loch na h-Àirde) , Loch Chon, Loch Arklet and Loch Lomond (Loch Laomainnare) to the West, Loch Katrine (Loch Ceiteirein), Loch Achray and Loch Venachar (Loch Bheannchair) to the North and the Lake of Menteith (Loch Innis Mo Cholmaig), to the East.

First Published October 2012:

The ancient Celtic holiday of Samhain (Halloween) was the start of the Celtic New Year. This is when the Druids lit bonfires marking a period of great danger to mortal souls. The bonfires were a warning that the laws of nature were suspended and the barriers between the natural order of things and the Celtic Underworld were dissolved, when the Underworld became visible to the living and the Fairies and the Dead would come forth.