Alastair Kneale's blog

On 1st to 4th November 2018 Lowender Peran Celtic Festival is celebrating its 40th Anniversary. The Festival welcomes people from around the world to enjoy music, dance, arts and culture, representing the Celtic nations of Scotland (Alba), Ireland (Éire), Wales Cymru), Brittany (Breizh), Cornwall (Kernow) and the Isle of Man (Mannin). Information on the event and programme can be obtained from the Lowender Peran website.

News from Mannin Branch of the Celtic League:

THE DOWN SIDE OF THE CRUISE IDYLL

Breton website 7seizh carries a report from the Marine and Seafarers safety organisation MOR GLAZ in which the criticise the shooting last month of a polar bear on the Island of Svalbard.

The Elgin Marbles, or Parthenon sculptures, have long been the subject of dispute. The collection of classical Greek marble sculptures were originally part of the temple of the Parthenon and other buildings on the Acropolis of Athens.  They were removed and shipped to England, in what the poet, peer and politician Lord Byron described as an act of vandalism or looting. They have been kept in the British Museum since 1817.

Close to the village of St John's (Manx: Balley Keeill Eoin) in the Isle of Man (Mannin) is the Ballaharra Quarry. It is owned by the Corlett family, who run a genuine Manx company with ownership and control remaining within the same family since it was established in 1947. They bought the site at Ballaharra after discovering working deposits of sand suitable for building materials. Production began in 1965.

Media Release from Culture Vannin:

Culture Vannin is pleased to announce the official launch of the on-line Manx Gaelic course, Glossika. Glossika is a team of linguists and polyglots based in Taiwan that are dedicated to changing the way people learn foreign languages: the aim is fluency through a natural immersion self-training method.

Press Release from Culture Vannin:

CULTURE VANNIN AND UNIVERSAL HUMAN RIGHTS INITIATIVE RELEASE THE FRST RECORDING OF THE UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS IN MANX GAELIC.

Working in close collaboration, Culture Vannin and Universal Human Rights Initiative (UHRI) have released the first ever recording of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights in Manx Gaelic (Fockley‐Magh Cairyssyn Deiney cour y Theihll Slane).

Tynwald Day (Manx: Laa Tinvaal), the National Day of the Isle of Man (Mannin) is held on the 5th of July. It is when the government for the Isle of Man go to Tynwald Hill to read a summary of the laws passed over the last year. The reading is given in Manx Gaelic and English. The artificial hill, which is thought to have started as a Bronze Age burial mound, is made up of four circular platforms. It is said to have been a meeting place for the Celtic midsummer assembly. Hence there is a large Celtic Cross on the site representing the sun god, Lugh.

There are no Celtic teams competing in the finals of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the international association football (soccer) competition, currently taking place in Russia. For most of those living in the Celtic nations and who enjoy watching football, the tournament has provided an exciting spectacle. People may have their favourite teams, others just want to watch a good game of football and remain neutral as to the outcome.

The Great Strike – Public Lecture with Dr John Callow will be held on 7th July 2018 at the Manx Museum at 2pm. This will be the most thoroughly researched presentation ever given on the events that led to and took place during the Manx General Strike. This is the centenary of the 1918 Manx General Strike

The Manx Hedgehog Conservation Society (MHCS) is asking that people help provide food and water for hedgehogs. This comes after a period of sustained hot and dry conditions on the Isle of Man (Mannin). On the Society facebook page they say: "HEDGEHOGS NEED FOOD AND WATER !!!!