Blogs

The Thirty-Nine Steps was written by Scottish Perth (Scottish Gaelic:Peairt ) born author John Buchan (26 August 1875 – 11 February 1940). On its 100th anniversary the National Library of Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Leabharlann Nàiseanta na h-Alba) has unveiled a new celebration of one of Scotland’s most iconic and influential novels. The novel first appeared as a serial in Blackwood's Magazine in August and September 1915. Then was published in book form in October of the same year. Since then the book has had lasting appeal. In 1935 Alfred Hitchcock brought it to the big-screen.

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

The decision to rename the Millennium Stadium in Caerdydd (Cardiff), Cymru (Wales) the Principality Stadium, undermines the constitutional status of the country.

Cymru is a nation in its own right and even though the renaming of the Millenium Stadium stems from a 10 year sponsorship deal with the Cardiff-based Principality building society, the ramifications of the name has wider implications.

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‘IOMPLC is in everyone’s interest’ No it’s not!

“We acknowledge that any projection of population growth and its broader impact on the economy – no matter how carefully it is calculated – will be subject to a degree of uncertainty. However, we strongly believe that the Draft Strategic Plan should be based on (and support) Government’s aims and objectives for growth in jobs and, therefore, population too.”

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

You have to ask yourself at times if the Isle of Man Government is collectively ‘As Mad as a drove of March Hares’.

At any given time there are anything up to 15 - 20 government consultations on the go and some of the current ones are real ‘stonkers’.

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

Why was there a gap of several months the collision between a Royal Navy submarine and the MFV Karen and the MOD owning up?

Well the most likely explanation was that the submarine was a ballistic missile of Trident Sub (SSBN) departing on patrol or one of the hunter-killer types that sometimes shadow them. Such patrols last between three and four months and during that time unless there is a dire emergency no communication with base is undertaken by either submarine under any circumstances.

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

The ripples from the allegations about NAMA portfolio deals in the North of Ireland by Mick Wallace and his allegations about multi-million pound deposits into Manx bank accounts related to paying of politicians continue to swirl.

There’s literally a plethora of investigations in Ireland North and South and involving the UK National Crime Agency. Of course everyone is denying any wrong doing and Wallace has gone strangely quiet in respect of promised future revelations.

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

A conference to debate the implications of Cornwall’s inclusion in the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (FCPNM) was held on Friday (4th September 2015) at St Austell.

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The French government terrorist who led the attack on the Greenpeace vessel Rainbow Warrior in Auckland, New Zealand in July 1985 has a spoken publicly about the attack.

Jean-Luc Kister has apologised for the first time for the incident in an interview with TVNZ. He admitted the action "resulted in the accidental death of an innocent man", photographer Fernando Pereira. He also confirmed that the orders for the attack came from the French President.

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Support for Scottish Independence continues to grow and is according to opinion polls now above 50% and solid.

It’s ironic really as when the referendum campaign which was narrowly lost was launched the core support was less than 33%. Indeed some say the UK government only allowed it to go ahead because they thought it would be a wipe-out.

Nick Ray has made a remarkable solo sea kayak 2015 mile (about 3 243 kilometres) journey around the Scottish coastline. Visiting each of Scotland's forty seven R.N.L.I. lifeboat stations. He set off on the 2,015-mile trip in May from the Scottish village of Kippford on the Solway Firth (Scottish Gaelic: Tràchd Romhra) in Dumfries and Galloway (Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Phrìs is Gall-Ghaidhealaibh) in south-west Scotland. Travelling clockwise he completed his journey in Eyemouth on the Scottish south east coast taking four months and six days.