Blogs

The Newport Council is claiming that “It would be impossible to deliver telephone services equally in Welsh and English”. Under the headline “Newport Council Can’t Provide Service In Welsh”, the website “SouthWalesArgus” is reporting that the Authority issued this statement in response to the Welsh Language Commissioner’s investigation into the proposed standards for the provision of Welsh language services by local Council authorities.

As Ireland prepares to celebrate the millennium of the Battle of Clontarf, Isle of Man Stamps has issued a set of six stamps to commemorate one of the most definitive battles of Irish history.

But the Isle of Man is closely linked to this event by the Vikings Bródir and Óspak, who gathered a substantial army of men in the western port of Peel before heading off to fight, taking with him a large number of Manx Vikings.

And although stories differ in the retelling, it is suspected that they were implicated in the death of Brian Boru.

The scene is set for a large rally in support of the reunification of Brittany to be held tomorrow the 19th April 2014 in Nantes. Support has poured in from cultural and political organisations throughout Brittany and also beyond with The Celtic League also expressing solidarity (see the information from their website below).

Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond has announced a new package of funding for Scottish Gaelic broadcasting. The additional £2.1 million pounds is being made available to MG Alba. MG Alba is the operating name for Seirbheis nam Meadhanan Gàidhlig (Gaelic Media Service) which funds Scottish Gaelic television and radio programmes in cooperation with other broadcasters. The announcement was made at the opening ceremony of MG Alba’s new headquarters in Steòrnabhagh (Stornoway) on Leòdhas (Lewis) in Scotland's Na h-Eileanan Siar (Outer Hebrides).

In the face of increased demonstrations in Breizh with the spread of the grass roots 'Red Bonnets' movement, the Cornwall Branch of the Celtic League - An Kesunyans Keltek Scoren Kernewek have issued the following message of support:

Saturday 12 April saw an estimated 5,000  to 10,000 protesters march though the streets of Belfast to demand increased protection for the ancient tongue of Ireland.  The Belfast march is a continuation of the Irish Language protests that started in Dublin on Saturday 15th February when an estimated 10,000 people marched to protect the rights of the Irish speaking community.  The Dublin march attracted people from all over Ireland.

Organised by the Isle of Man Department of Education and Children, the annual Manx Folk Awards (Aundyr yn Kiaull Theay Vannin) were held at the Kensington Road Youth Arts Centre in Douglas at the beginning of April.

Although only in its third year in this format, the competitions, aimed at school children, have grown rapidly in popularity, encompassing Manx music, song, dance and poetry and were organised in conjunction with Culture Vannin and Manx National Heritage.

In a watershed event for the Celtic language of Cornwall, the Cornish Language Partnership (MAGA) have announced the finalisation of the Standard Written Form (SWF) for the Cornish language.  The announcement last week that the final SWF has been adopted is the culmination of a process that dates back several years.  The initiative came from recognition that a vital component of the restoration of the Cornish tongue was a sanctioned written form of Cornish, or SWF.

In a rousing speech to the Scottish National Party conference in Aberdeen, Alex Salmond Scotland’s First Minister tells Scots that "in an independent Scotland we will build a system that will be the envy of the world." With the opinion polls showing that Scotland’s voters our moving towards voting Yes to independence Alex Salmond said "make no mistake - momentum is with this campaign.  The people are coming towards us.”

The 43rd Pan Celtic Festival will cross the Irish border for the first time in its history this year as the annual celebration of all things Celtic moves to the city of Derry in Northern Ireland.

It’s a great opportunity for those from the Celtic nations to come together and celebrate the occasion through music and song, attracting a sizeable number of competitors from the Isle of Man, with the assistance of the Isle of Man Arts Council.