Blogs

The increasingly unpopular Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK), Boris Johnson, has been visiting Scotland this week. In what is seen as an attempt to try and counter the rise in support for Scottish independence the visit has been widely thought of as a failure in regards to shoring up the Union. The Union in question being the 1707 Acts of Union that declared that the kingdoms of England and Scotland were "United into One Kingdom by the Name of Great Britain".

NEWS RELEASE FROM CULTURE VANNIN:

Jeelane Tootagh - Diary of a Wimpy Kid now published in Manx!

Best-selling Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney is now available in the Manx language.

News from the Celtic League:

An alarming news item has been published by the Celtic League into an ecological disaster that is at present unfolding south of the Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean. A massive fleet of mainly Chinese trawlers have spread a wall of nets some 350 kilometres (218 miles). Effectively a 'wall of death' for fish, sharks and marine mammals.  The article by Bernard Moffatt can be read below:

"A Net Wall Stretching 350 KM Spells Destruction For Marine Life

Kernow

21 Mys Gortheren 2020

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is with enormous sadness that we announce the passing of Craig Weatherhill whose demise over the weekend of Saturday 18th July, 2020 to Sunday 19th July, 2020 at the age of 69 years, has sent a shock wave of grief through our Cornish community.

Craig was so many things to so very many of us.

Coire a'Bhradain is above Glen Rosa (Scottish Gaelic: Gleann Ruasaidh) on the Island of Arran (Eilean Arainn). As reported by the National Trust for Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Urras Nàiseanta na h-Alba) archaeologists have been investigating the remains of a small roundhouse located high up on Coire a’ Bhradain. First discovered in 2001 by Arran Mountain Rescue Team members Ali Hume and Henry Murdo, it is Arran’s highest round house at about 1270 feet (390 metres) above sea level.

Ireland's voters went to the polls in a general election in February 2020. No political party received a majority, although Sinn Féin the Irish republican political party made significant gains. As a means of excluding them from power, the two centre-right Irish political parties Fine Gael and Fianna Fáil, eventually agreed to form a coalition government with the Irish Green Party. The Greens had gained some electoral support largely because of the growing concerns and awareness about climate change.

Although this year's Yn Chruinnaght Celtic Gathering was set to be a virtual celebration, the relaxation of social distancing and an extensive return to normality has resulted in the addition of some live events.

A selection of 'food and folk' sessions will take place at Noa Bakehouse in Douglas each lunchtime, profiling each of the Celtic nations.

Wales (Welsh: Cymru) has long been the poorest country that makes up the so called United Kingdom (UK). There are an increasing number of people in Wales who point to the country being part of the UK as a major block on Welsh economic development. One of the key arguments for Welsh independence is that Wales has remained a relatively poor country in what is a wealthy part of the world.  It is clear that beyond the UK, countries of comparable size to Wales and smaller are flourishing. 

Media release from Culture Vannin:

More creative projects underway as part of Culture Vannin’s #treisht2020 scheme

The first round of #treisht2020 projects launched by Culture Vannin was so successful that it has been repeated. The scheme re-purposes grant and development money from cancelled events and projects, offering creative projects primarily to freelancers who need the work, with the option for original ideas to be proposed.

My Celtic League colleague Patricia Bridson forwards more background to the 1973 Fo Halloo Ballaleece railway bridge daubing which occurred on Tynwald Day (July 5th) of that year.