Blogs

On 28th May 1865 the sailing ship Mimosa set out from the port of Liverpool. On board were 162 Welsh people who were sailing across the Atlantic to set up Y Wladfa Gymreig (The Welsh Colony). In the 19th and early 20th century the government in the Argentine was encouraging emigration from Europe to populate the country outside the area of Buenos Aires. Most of the passengers were from slate-quarrying and agricultural communities in North Wales. The travellers took 60 days to reach their destination.

An inquest into the deaths of three army reservists will begin on Monday June 1. Llandudno man Craig John Roberts, 24, Edward John Maher and  James Dunsby, both 31, collapsed during an army training exercise. On July 13, 2013 on one of the hottest days of the year, as temperatures reached 29.5C (84F), emergency crews were called to Pen y Fan, the highest mountain in the Brecon Beacons in Powys, Mid Wales when six soldiers had collapsed suffering heat exhaustion. Witnesses said they had seen soldiers looking exhausted and pleading for water during the gruelling exercise.

The 2015 Urdd Eisteddfod has been described as a great success. Increased numbers came to this years Eisteddfod with a total of 88,607 visitors between Monday 25th and Saturday 30th May. The event has created an increased interest in the Welsh language in the Caerphilly (Welsh: Caerffili) area which organisers are determined to build upon.  Next year’s Eisteddfod will be held in Flintshire (Welsh: Sir y Fflint) between May 30 and June 4. For news on this years Eisteddfod see the urdd,cymru website.

Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Lucy Ward, made her debut on the Isle of Man at the Centenary Centre in Peel in the intimate setting of the Atholl Room, courtesy of Jonno Promotions.

But it was Ramsey based guitarist Malcolm Stitt who kicked off the concert with a selection of tunes reflecting his own career, which included being a founder member of both Deaf Shepherd and the young Gaelic band Tannas. He has also appeared on numerous albums involving many bands, including Boys of the Lough and Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham, who were recently at the Centenary Centre.

This news published by the Celtic League:

Kernow: ‘Nation or Country’ Responses

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

Kernow Branch: replies being received following report submission ‘County, Duchy, Nation or Country?’

This news published by the Celtic League:

Ó Bradaigh Summer School: Focus On Contemporary Struggles

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

The Ruairí Ó Brádaigh Summer School takes place on June 6th in Roscommon. The theme of this, the second one, will be to place contemporary struggles in Ireland in the context of 1916 (see below).

This news published by the Celtic League:

Dungavel: Home Office Respond on ‘Istanbul Protocol’ Query

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

The Celtic League has received a response from UK Home Office Immigration Enforcement following our query about the Dungavel immigration removal centre in Scotland.

We wrote to the UK Border Agency in early May asking if medical staff employed at the Centre are trained to standards set under the United Nations Istanbul Protocol.

This news published by the Celtic League:

Breton News Report

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

We are always keen to report on events in Brittany and reinforce the ties within the Celtic League to that country.

In many ways the Bretons face the greatest challenges of all the Celtic people being dominated by the ‘dead-hand’ of authoritarian and centralist French governments. It is therefore important that we maintain strong links and underpin the solidarity of the other Celtic countries with the struggle of Breton nationalists.

This news published by the Celtic League:

Don’t Knock It! Free Speech Is A Great Thing

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

There has been a burgeoning of social media sites in Mann in recent years (even the CL Mannin Branch eventually entered the fray on Facebook and Twitter) and it has been no bad thing.

While social media has not replaced mainstream media (yet) it is a useful adjunct to it.

In other jurisdictions there have on occasions been controversies about abuse of social media sites particularly in relation to political attacks on opponents.

This news published by the Celtic League:

Were We So Arrogant that We Thought Child Abuse Did Not Happen Here?

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

It has been revealed that there were a number of child abuse allegations involving the Isle of Man in a report released by the Methodist Church recently.

Coincidentally, six years ago (May 2008) we wrote to former Chief Minister Tony Brown suggesting the retrospective audit of child care on the Isle of Man saying: