Blogs

A Taste of Christmas, held at St James' Church in Dalby, attracted a capacity audience in the run up to the festive season, with a tried and tested formula providing a sparkling programme of entertainment.

Gathered around the schoolroom fire on a windswept, winter evening, amongst an atmosphere of oil lamps, candlelight and rural decoration, it was the perfect setting for the combined talents of the Manx Gaelic choir Caarjyn Cooidjagh, under the direction of Annie Kissack.

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

The former First Minister of Scotland on a visit to Ireland has said he believes Irish Unity is as inevitable as Scottish Independence.

He told an Irish newspaper such political development could only happen in the future as long as it is done democratically, peacefully and with the consent of the people, particularly those in the north of the island.

Alex Salmond said of Irish unity:

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

The Celtic League was founded in 1961 at Rhosllannerchrugog near Wrexham in northeast Wales. A group of people came together, many of whom had links to the Celtic Congress (a parallel groups that eschews politics), to establish a group that would campaign on a broad agenda including political, social and cultural objectives and promote cooperation between the Celtic Nations. Those objectives have grown as the League has developed.

Multiple media outlets are reporting on the jaw dropping pettiness of London’s cut in funding for Scots Gaelic broadcasting. The British Government’s Chancellor of the Exchequer, The Right Honourable George Osborne, will eliminate 100% of the current funding for Gaelic language television.  In the scheme of things the elimination of the £1 million in funding is not catastrophic. The monies previously allocated by the UK Department of Culture, Media and Sport represents only about 5% of the budget for BBC Alba, the BBC Scots Gaelic channel.

In July of last year Transceltic reported that the Bòrd na Gàidhlig, an organisation formed under Scotland’s the 2005 Language Act, had issued its Annual Report for 2013/2014.  The report showed dramatic growth in Gaelic medium education showing a 6% increase in primary school and a 7% increase in secondary school enrollment.  The Bord’s report attributed the reversal in the decline of Gaelic speakers, as reported in the 2011 census, to the increases in Gaelic medium education. 

News From The Celtic League

A response to our query about safety issues at Heysham nuclear power station and the decision to continue its operation beyond its original safe operating date;

https://www.celticleague.net/…/heysham-1-is-it-safe-nuclea…/

News from the Gaelic League - Dual Language Road Signs

RTÉ (Raidió Teilifís Éireann), Ireland’s national public service broadcaster has announced it will make major programming changes to boost the profile of the Irish Language. RTÉ formally launched “Meáin Ghaeilge RTÉ, Action Plan 2015-2019”, the broadcaster’s new strategic action plan for the Irish language.  Rónán Mac Con Iomaire, Group Head Irish Language at RTÉ is quoted on the broadcaster’s web site: “This plan seeks to integrate the Irish language into everything we do in RTÉ.

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

One of the things the Manx Government count on is that Manx people are too mild, restrained and timid to do much more than complain.

To a certain extent that’s true and nothing demonstrated that more than comment on another media site which labelled a graphic on the Mec Vannin (MV) web site about winter deaths as ‘over the top’. Well it would be a ‘funny old world’ if we all agreed the MV graphic is at this link so make your own mind up:

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

“Nothing strengthens authority so much as silence.”

The Chief Minister of the Isle of Man has often cited the need for ‘social cohesion’ on the Island particularly as it goes through the change agenda that government adopted some years ago after the VAT return from the UK was downsized.