Alastair Kneale's blog

The Celtic League have an interesting article on the new inquest about to take place in Cornwall on the sinking of the Breton trawler Bugaled Breizh. The League has long campaigned on the issue of the dangers posed to Motor Fishing Vessels (MFVs) by military submarine activity. The Celtic League has monitored and recorded possible accidents between fishing vessels and military submarines over many years and has estimated that no less than 20 boats have been lost together with the lives of over 150 fishermen.

Cooish 2019 – Press Release

The Cooish Manx Language Festival sees a number of events over the 1st and 2nd of November that enables people to enjoy and use Manx Gaelic.

The last few years have seen a dramatic increase in interest towards the language and throughout the year there are events where both young and old can use some Manx.

The Cooish provides an ideal opportunity for everyone to engage with, speak a little (or a lot of Manx) and find out more about this remarkable cultural asset that we have in the Isle of Man.

Interesting article from the Celtic League about Irish Taoiseach Leo Varadkar's recent meeting with UK PM Boris Johnson. More specifically the location of the meeting which was at Thornton Manor close to Capenhurst. Capenhurst was the site of a past shady British surveillance operation to monitor communications between the UK and Ireland. Including routine Irish diplomatic exchanges and commercial business deals. Celtic League article below:

"VARADKAR JOHNSON MEETING - SOMEONE HAD A SENSE OF HUMOUR!

London Manx Society (Manx: Yn Cheshaght Manninagh Lunnin) held their Mhelliah Service at St Bride's Church in London's Fleet Street on Monday 14th October. This was followed by a celebration lunch in the nearby Punch Tavern in Fleet Street. The Society was thrilled to be joined by the Manx Bard Zoë Cannell  who had travelled from the Island and presented two poems, one of which was the first time it had been heard in public.

The island of Jersey newspaper Bailiwick Express recently reported on concerns about the French nuclear plant at Flamanville in north-western France. Jersey is one of the Channel Islands, an archipelago in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. The newspaper article pointed out that:

"A nuclear plant around 30 miles from Jersey's coast has been put under surveillance after a number of faults were discovered at the facility.

The idea of a bridge between Scotland and the north-east of Ireland has been the subject of a considerable amount of media interest recently. The present British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, along with the leader of the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) in Northern Ireland, Arlene Foster, have been keen to promote the idea. Not least because it is seen as a means of strengthening the union between Britain and the last remnant of the British colony in Ireland.

There is an interesting article from the Celtic League which points out that next month marks the 70th anniversary of the (4th) Geneva Convention which is the International Convention covering humanitarian treatment in war. A series of events are being held in regard to this anniversary by the Irish Red Cross. Interestingly they are having a talk on ‘the Irish Geneva Convention’ an ancient treaty dating from the 7th Century Cáin Adomnáin, or ‘Law of Innocents’, promulgated in Birr, Co. Offaly in 697AD.

News from the Celtic League:

"Celtic League says Manx Govt response on Saudi training 'Not Good Enough'

Alastair Kneale, Celtic League Director of Information, highlights some aspects of resolutions adopted at the recent AGM and particularly the Saudi pilot training issue in this piece on Manx Radio:

News from the Celtic League:

Celtic League Media Release:

News from the Celtic League: