Blogs

Researchers from the University of Edinburgh in Scotland have found multiple skeletons of the species, named Oksoko avarsan. Feathered and with a large toothless beak, the creature dates from about one hundred million years ago. Discovered in the Gobi Desert in Mongolia it had just two fingers on each arm and grew to two metres long. The team said the discovery could help explain how animals lose fingers and toes through evolution. Pointing to an adaptability that enabled the animals to spread during the Late Cretaceous Period (100.5–66 million years ago).

Misneachd, a group supporting Scots Gaelic, is launching its new manifesto ahead of the Holyrood election in May with hopes to influence party policies. Misneachid is dedicated to the promotion of the use of Gaelic in all aspects of daily life.  

The group are calling for controls on second homes and consideration of Gaelic-speaking housing developments alongside a raft of other proposals.

Linking the economic viability of the Gaeltacht to the advancement of the Irish language, the Language interest group “Cill Dara le Gaeilge” is leading efforts in County Kildare to support businesses that operate in Gaelic.

Linguists have long recognized the importance of the use of threatened languages in commerce as one of the elements leading to language revitalization.

The Island Games are biannual international multi-sports events organised by the International Island Games Association (IIGA). Competitor teams each represent different island communities (with one team from the peninsula of Gibraltar) which are IIGA members. The next games were due to be in Guernsey in July 2021. Now organisers of the Island Games have postponed the 2021 event and said they were uncertain when the next competition would be held because of the effects of the coronavirus outbreak. The 2023 games are due to be held in Orkney.

The struggle to protect Welsh from the adverse effects of continued migration into Wales is reaching a boiling point. Concerns steadily mount over the threat posed to the Welsh tongue by property development in Welsh speaking areas. For years the danger posed to the Celtic language of Wales wrought by property development in Welsh speaking areas has been a principle concern to language activists and is again in the forefront of news on the Welsh language.

The Scottish government has announced that it will look again at the proposed controversial hate crime legislation in Scotland. This follows a significant backlash over threats to freedom of speech that would have been the result of the legislation being introduced in its current form.

If you want a tip on how to effectively socially isolate during this Covid-19 pandemic follow the example of the Loch Ness Monster (Nessie). She has been doing it for centuries. Even though there are plenty of people who would like to meet her, she keeps her distance. A new survey by a holiday website has revealed that Loch Ness is one of the top ten small wedding destinations in Scotland.

NatureScot (Scottish Gaelic: Buidheann Nàdair na h-Alba), formerly known as Scottish Natural Heritage, is the public body responsible for Scotland's natural heritage, especially its natural, genetic and scenic diversity. They have now issued a warning that Scotland's wildlife is increasingly at risk from non-native species. NatureScot says there are more than 180 species, including 122 plants and about 60 animals, which pose threats such as killing wildlife or damaging habitats.

It appears to many that the drive to curtail free speech at the present time is being driven by the liberal/left. There are many dangers in this approach. The desire to prevent reading or hearing anything that you disagree with is not appropriate to the Western democratic approach. We all get irritated and sometimes angry with what some others might say or write. However, does that mean that we are not prepared to tolerate another viewpoint? Surely if someone feels that a particular viewpoint is wrong then they should have the confidence in their own viewpoint to argue against it.

We thank 'Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg' and 'The National' for coordinating the following information:

"The rural housing crisis is threatening our future, claim activists from Scotland, Ireland, Wales, the Isle of Man and Cornwall who have united in a cross-border plea over the survival of Celtic languages.

In an appeal aimed at authorities in each of those countries and territories, culture groups say housing market pressures and public policy is putting their languages at stake.

These include Scots Gaelic, Irish, Welsh, Manx and Cornish.