Blogs

BZH New York has announced a very busy upcoming calendar of Breton events in NYC. BZH New York is an organisation of Bretons and friends of Brittany. They are dedicated to promoting the language, culture, economy and tourism of Brittany.

Breton the language of the Celtic nation of Brittany is to be taught at Harvard University in the United States.  This follows an agreement between the Department of Breton and Celtic Studies at Rennes University in Brittany and the Department of Celtic languages and literature at Harvard University. This is a welcome step for the Breton language and confirms its importance and relevance in the world today.

From 12th September Cowethas an Yeth Kernewek Cambron, (The Camborne Cornish Language Fellowship) will be starting new Cornish language classes.  As well as a group for absolute beginners there will be an intermediate group. The Fellowship's aim is to improve the knowledge of Cornish but classes are structured in such a way that students can attempt exams if they so wish.

Education Scotland, an Executive Agency of the Scottish Government created in 2010 to support innovation and educational excellence in  Scottish schools, has announced a plan to teach Gaelic in every Scots primary school.

The 2013 All Ireland Music Festival, or Fleadh Cheoil na hErieann, was held this year in the Ulster city of Derry (Doire).  The Belfast Telegraph reports that over 430,000 attended the week long festival which included musical performances, art exhibitions, workshops in dance , Irish language events and an exhibition of Gaelic Ireland & Scotland sacred music and literature at Derry's majestic St. Columb's Cathedral.  

The 23rd annual "Feis an Eilein" is being held in the Cape Breton community of Easter Island from August 20 through August 24.  The Festival's Home page, which is linked below, gives us: "A Feis (faysh) is a community-based festival designed to promote the Gaelic language and culture of an area. Today in Scotland the Feis Movement has grown to number approximately 36 community festivals.  The community of Christmas Island is home to the first Feis to be held outside of Scotland."  

The clock continues to run down towards the referendum vote for Scottish independence to be held in September 2014. As part of the on-going campaign in favour of a yes vote a March and Rally will be held in Edinburgh on Saturday 21 September 2013. Assembling between 11am – 12pm at The High Street, Edinburgh the march will go to Carlton Hill where a Rally will be held. For details go to the website of the Rally for Scottish Independence organisers. http://www.independencerally.com/

As cited in a June 13, 2013 Transceltic NewsBlog article entitled "Welsh Language Under Assault from Property Developers - Charges that Local Councils have Sold Out", the impact that property development is having on Welsh speaking areas and the disruption to historical patterns of language usage remains a volatile and contentious issue.

In the news this week are reports on the opening of the first dedicated Gaelic school in Scotland's capital city of Edinburgh.  The school, known by it's Gaelic name "Bun-sgoil Taobh na Pairce" (Gael, Parkside Primary Scool) will boast 213 students and a Gaelic speaking staff of 30. Classes will be taught entirely in Gaelic.

In 1789, the separation of the provinces of France resulted in Brittany being split in five; the lower of the five, in which Nantes is situated, being Loire-Atlantique. Loire-Atlantique was itself split from the other four departments by the Vichy regime in 1941; a new region had been created centred on Nantes called the Pays de la Loir. This separation was done without recourse to the wishes of the Breton people.