Blogs

The Irish Times are proving to be steadfast allies of the Irish language through their reporting on the deepening Irish Language Crisis.  The Times are reporting on the final testimony of the Irish Language Commissioner (An Coimisineir Teanga) before the National Parliament's Sub-Committee on the 20-Year Strategy for The Irish Language".  The Language Commissioner's resignation will take effect on February  23, 2014.

Under the headline "Anger Over State's Treatment of Irish Language - Public Meeting Hears of Crisis in State Provision For Irish Speakers", the Irish Times report on the formation of a national organisation to campaign against the Irish government's failure to support the Irish language.  The article accurately characterises this as a significant development which will bring media attention to the neglect of the Irish tongue by Dublin.

As long suspected by Scotland's pro-independence ‘Yes‘ campaigners a new report has confirmed BBC bias toward the ‘No‘ camp. The two main culprits are the BBC and STV according to the new academic study carried out by researchers at University of West Scotland as reported by ‘newsnetscotland‘ http://www.newsnetscotland.com/index.php/scottish-news/8598-broadcasters....

St Piran's Day falls on March 5th annually and is more widely celebrated by Cornwall and the Cornish now than ever before. Redruth is first off the mark this year with its huge procession and celebration of Cornwall's National Saint and as it falls on St David's Day, daffodils are going to figure in the day.

All are welcome to a very special evening where Cornwall will choose its entry for the Pan Celtic Song Competition!

The Annual General Meeting of BZH New York will be held on January 25 2014 at OCabanon (245 W 29th Street)  New York , USA  next Saturday at 3pm. Building on a successful year in 2013 the Association of Bretons in New York look forward to welcoming old and new members. ‘Get involved in this vibrant organisation‘ say BZH New York.:

Whether you are Breton, or a friend of Brittany please join our growing member base and get involved in everything BZH New York has to offer.
Agenda

- Review of BZH New York 2013 events 

An appreciative audience gathered at the Masonic Hall in Peel, Isle of Man/Mannin, to hear the entries for this year’s Arrane son Mannin (Song for Mann) which included an evening of free entertainment of music and song provided by a cross section of the Island’s traditional music performers.

2015 marks the 150th anniversary of the founding in 1865 of Y Wladfa, the Welsh speaking colony in the Chabut Valley area of the southern Argentine region of Patagonia. The story of the founding of this colony revolves around the fascinating figure Michael Daniel Jones who many consider to be one of the founders of modern Welsh Nationalism.  Jones was the leader of a movement to found a haven for the Welsh language and culture to escape the consequences of the rape of Wales by English industrialists during the early 1800's heyday of the industrial revolution.

Attending the world music trade fair WOMEX last October paid dividends for Manx traditional music trio Barrule when they secured a highly coveted gig at the annual Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow, which specialises in folk, roots and world music.

Held over an eighteen day period at numerous venues in the Scottish city, this is a much sought after engagement and an important opportunity to raise awareness of Manx music globally with many other festival organisers, who use Celtic Connections as a template for booking artists for their own events.

Following the UK launch of Barrule’s debut eponymous album during 2013, a review of the Manx trad power trio’s compelling music was published in the popular UK music magazine Songlines, which automatically put them in the running for some of the magazine’s prestigious music awards in 2014.