Blogs

The Cornish are trying to learn what it means to have minority status in the UK, having been officially recognised as a distinct people in 2014 after years of campaigning. 

By blending observational footage taken from recent events and protests with reflections on Cornwall's enigmatic history, this wry and collaborative film takes the long view on those who have always felt separate from England.

With commentary from Professor Mark Stoyle, Southampton University; Dr Merv Davey, Dr Loveday Jenkin and many other Cornish folk and folk of Cornwall.

Bernard Moffatt wrote an article for the Mannin Branch of the Celtic League recently (see below). He pointed to results from last year's Social Attitude Survey  undertaken in the Isle of Man.  This showed that only about one in three people trust ether the government or parliament. Not really a surprise given the very negative views that consistently continue to be expressed by Manx people on a daily basis towards the present Manx administration.

St David is the Patron Saint of Wales and March 1st is St David's Day. The first of March is recognised as a National Day throughout Wales. It is also a day of celebration for Welsh communities throughout the world and the Welsh flag with Y Ddraig Goch (the Red Dragon) is proudly raised. The flag of Saint David (Baner Dewi Sant) normally a yellow cross on a black field, also plays a central role in the celebrations. The date is tradionally seen as the date that Saint David died in 589.

A proposed meeting in Swansea by the British government-run Radioactive Waste Management (RWM) organisation has been cancelled.  A news item on Transceltic last week on plans to use areas of Wales as a possible nuclear waste dump was widely shared. RWM are looking for possible sites to bury Britain's most dangerous radioactive waste.

Patrick Finucane (21 March 1949 – 12 February 1989), was an Irish human rights lawyer killed by loyalist paramilitaries acting in collusion with the British government intelligence service MI5.  He was aged 39 when he was killed in front of his wife and three children on 12 February 1989 after two masked loyalist paramilitaries knocked down the front door of his house in Belfast and shot him 14 times. Now the Supreme Court has ruled that a British government investigation into the murder was not properly carried out.

The images of the fires burning on Arthur's Seat in the Scottish capital of Edinburgh (Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Èideann) give the strange illusion that this now extinct volcano has erupted again. In fact it is a large gorse fire. Gorse is a spiny evergreen shrub with yellow flowers that is common in many parts of Scotland. Dozens of firefighters have been battling through Tuesday night and Wednesday morning to bring the large gorse fire on Arthur's Seat under control.

“We’re as keen as ever to promote and foster Welsh links with Ireland; we have many similarities in terms of our traditions, culture and economies. Wales – Ireland links are more important than ever, which is also evident by Irish Government’s announcement that the Irish Consulate will re-open in Cardiff later this year.” These are the words of Dafydd Elis-Thomas, the Welsh Deputy Minister on a visit to Dublin.

It's a good job that school pupils in Cornwall are protesting at the appalling way our natural environment is being treated. It's their future being put at risk after all.

Possible destinations around the coast of west Wales have been revealed as possible sites to bury Britain's most dangerous radioactive waste. Objections to the plans are mounting around Wales. Meetings are to be held in Swansea and Llandudno in March by the British Government-run Radioactive Waste Management organisation. They are searching for what they have described as “a willing host community” where waste can be buried.

Just days ago people gathered at Glencoe to commemorate the anniversary of the Massacre of Glencoe. Many of those attending might have been unaware of the battle now taking place between local people and those planning to build a hydroelectric power plant next to the site of the 17th century Highland massacre. Plans are still under consideration by the Highlands Council for the hydro scheme, which include a turbine house, intake, buried pipelines, outfall, and access tracks.