Blogs

Many of the celebrations of Scotland's national bard Robert Burns will be held online in 2021 due to coronavirus restrictions. Robert Burns was born in the scottish village of  Alloway (Scottish Gaelic Allmhaigh) on January 25, 1759. The eldest of the seven children of  William Burnes (1721–1784), a tenant farmer from Dunnottar in the Mearns, and Agnes Broun (1732–1820), the daughter of a Kirkoswald tenant farmer.

Despite the difficulties caused by the coronavirus pandemic the Gaelic short film competition FilmG  has seen a record number of entries. It has been undertaken on-line in 2020. This is the competition’s thirteenth year, which is run by MG ALBA and Skye-based media company CGS, to encourage the growth of Gaelic media talent. FilmG has developed into an important platform for many people now working within the Gaelic TV and film industry.

Most will have heard that Carbis Bay has been chosen as the venue for the G7 Summit to be held from 11th - 13th June 2021.

The Group of Seven (G7) is an intergovernmental organization consisting of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. The heads of government of the member states, as well as the representatives of the European Union, meet at the annual G7 Summit.

The Labour Party’s idea of federalism offers little hope for the people of the Celtic nations. In many ways it is too late for Labour to play the federalism card and particularly in Scotland it is not likely to stem the hemorrhaging in their support. Their decline has been quite startling. Once Labour in Scotland, before the growth of the Scottish National Party (SNP), dominated political life. Now Labour’s leader in Scotland, Richard Leonard, has just quit the post after three years.

Dunnottar Castle (Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Fhoithear) stands on a rocky headland in the northeast of Scotland. Surrounded by steep cliffs above the North Sea only a narrow strip of land gives access to the Castle. Although it is not known when the first fortification was built on the headland, evidence of Picts living on the sea stack of Dunnicaer, just north of the castle, has been found by a team of archaeologists from the University of Aberdeen. Carbon dating shows this to be the oldest Pictish fort ever discovered dating to the 3rd century AD.

Sophia Morrison (24 May 1859 – 14 January 1917) was a Manx cultural activist, folklore collector and author. She was a founder member of Yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh (The Manx Language Society) and played an important role in the Celtic revival in her Manx homeland and throughout the Celtic world.  She was an enthusiastic collector and recorder of all things related to Manx culture, including the island's ancient Gaelic language, its folklore, tales and music. In doing so this great patriot did not view her work as just a means to preserve the past.

It was on the 10th January 2000 that the fishing boat Solway Harvester set out from Kirkcudbright (Scottish Gaelic: Cille Chuithbeirt) in south-west Scotland. They fished off the Manx coast until the following day 11th January and planned to set sail home. Due to the stormy conditions they sought refuge in the shelter of Ramsey Bay (Manx: Baie Rhumsaa) on the northeast coast of the Isle of Man (Manx: Mannin). Facing gale force winds of Force 9 nothing further was heard of the vessel until an emergency beacon was picked up later that day. 

Kernow

31 Mis Kevardhu 2020

Whilst we accept that direct action taken by some of our youngsters who draped a banner over a bridge in an attempt to protect Cornwall from the influx of rule ignoring visitors earlier in 2020 may have been rather futile, and after all, we were all young once and had little or no confidence in the 'democratic' system, an exercise conducted to reveal the underhand tactics by some tourist companies has shown one up for being what they truly are!

Blein Vie Noa (Manx Gaelic)

Bliadhna Mhath ùr (Scottish Gaelic)

Bliain Nua Fe Mhaise (Irish)

Bloavezh Mat  (Breton)

Blwyddyn Newydd Dda (Welsh)

Bledhen Nowyth Da (Cornish)

Many Scottish castles are reputed to be haunted. Some are remote and set in brooding landscapes, adding to that sense of something sinister lurking within their walls. However, stories of ghosts are often linked to the old buildings of all types found in Scotland's town and cities. Many old castles, often in ruins, can also be found in the heart of these urban communities. One such place is Strathaven Castle, where the ghost of "The White Lady" is said to haunt. White Lady ghost legends are found in many places.