Blogs

While the IOM government and its DEFA prevaricate over climate change our neighbor to the West Ireland is taking action that will see peat harvesting by industrial means dramatically cut back and its use ended completely for energy production by 2028.

Peat production volumes hit a high of 6.5 million tonnes in 2013; Bord na Móna is planning to reduce that to 2 million tonnes in 2020 with 2028 as the deadline for an end to the use of peat for energy, two years earlier than originally planned.

Peat bogs are important ‘sinks’ for carbon dioxide as this report outlines:

The Tarradale Through Time project, is a North of Scotland Archaeology Society (NOSAS) led project that commenced in 2017. Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Historic Environment Scotland as well as private donors, it encourages community engagement with archaeology in the Highlands of Scotland. They have been investigating the history of continuous occupation from the very first settlers through to the end of subsistence agriculture in the Black Isle (Scottish Gaelic: an t-Eilean Dubh), a peninsula within Ross and Cromarty, in the Scottish Highlands.

There was a headline news item on BBC Wales yesterday (23 October) " 'Paupers' funerals' in Wales reach five-year high". The news item went on to report that the number of public health funerals in Wales in 2017-18 was the highest for at least five years. So-called paupers' funerals are held by public authorities and the figures show a rise of 62% since 2013-14.

Manx Chief Minister Howard Quayle MHK witters on incessantly about Brexit. Not surprising really as where economically the UK go and the uncertainties that pertain will impact us all.

Howard tends to be fairly upbeat and indeed, although it seems a long time ago now, back in May 2017 the Manx government averred:

It has long been recognised that that there is a hostility towards Scottish independence by the mainstream media. Overwhelmingly the press has been hostile to the Scottish National Party (SNP). This is as obvious now as it was during the time of the referendum held on Scottish independence. This includes the broadcast media, and the BBC has often been criticised for its lack of balanced reporting on the issue. It is, of course not just the BBC.

News from The Celtic League:

KNOTTFIELD LEGAL FUND APPEAL (MTTV INTERVIEWS)

Paul Moulton at MTTV has two interviews here with John Guest who is trying to raise funds in connection with taking a case in relation to the Knottfield Child Abuse scandal.

There is a warning in place from the Chief Constable in respect of sub judice issues in respect of ongoing matters so I won’t comment further.

After the Alf (Lord) Dubs off Island entreaty about Crown Dependencies helping refugees we get a helping of local thought from Manx Radio talking to the homeless charity Graih:

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/homeless-charity-calls-t...

The report intrigues me less because of its content and more the manner in which news is balanced.

Minister Geoffrey Boot MHK is on the spot over granting seismic survey licences for gas exploration off Maughold just as the IPCC says we need to turn the global thermostat down:

www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/climate-targets-may-prove-too-di...

Boot is generally trumpeting the Islands biosphere status so how asks the reporter are the two things compatible? Geoffrey avers we may have to park our aspirations for a while. He is not it seems a ‘Biosphere Buddy’.

What better time of year to hold a storytelling festival than the days leading upto the Celtic celebration of Halloween. Halloween (Hop tu Naa in Isle of Man) has its origins in the Celtic lands and marks the end of the summer and the beginning of winter. The festival is associated with the Celtic feast of Kala-Goañv (Breton), Calan Gwaf (Cornish), Samhain (Irish), Sauin (Manx Gaelic), Samhuinn (Scottish Gaelic) and Calan Gaeaf (Welsh).