Alastair Kneale's blog

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

When the Queen of England paid a State visit to Ireland five years ago great emphasis was placed on the fact that the two States indeed all the British Isles people are ‘more than neighbours’

Here’s a snatch of what she said:

"Together we have much to celebrate: the ties between our people, the shared values, and the economic, business and cultural links that make us so much more than neighbours, that make us firm friends and equal partners.”

Australia Day is celebrated on January 26 each year. The public holiday of Australia Day always occurs on January 26 no matter what day of the week it occurs. Australians consider January 26 with national pride, flying the Australian flag from businesses, homes, cars and gatherings. They attend festivals, fireworks, community and sporting events or gather for family barbecues at homes, parks or on the beach.

Media Release from Culture Vannin:

AN EXCEPTIONAL DECISION FOR TWO EXCEPTIONAL CULTURAL CHAMPIONS THIS YEAR’S RBV AWARDED POSTHUMOUSLY TO BERNARD CAINE AND JOHN KENNAUGH

Cultural champions of the highest order, Bernard Caine and John Kennaugh, have been honoured posthumously with the Reih Bleeaney Vanannan - Manannan's Choice of the Year - cultural award for 2016.

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

Several items of Irish sport, music and folklore are to be considered for special UNESCO recognition and protection. Hurling, the Uilleann Pipes and the Irish folklore collection will be under scrutiny by the United Nations body.

The issue will be considered and a decision taken next year.

It is imperative that both the Celtic League and Celtic Congress press for a wider recognition of unique examples of wider Celtic culture and sport across all the Celtic countries.

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

Allen Moore is the International Relations Officer for Mec Vannin and Environmental Officer for Celtic League Mannin.

In the article below he delivers an acerbic view of Mann’s new ‘trading partner of choice’ China following information he gleaned from contacts made after a recent visit to Australia.

His article about the conditions for fisherman matches the reports we have carried previously from Ian Urbina’s series of articles (The Outlaw Ocean) published by the New York Times.

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

Looks like KPMG just can’t stay out of Court in one jurisdiction or another.

We had the CBC revelations about KPMG Canada that’s currently in the Courts there although all has gone quiet since we heard the Canadian Revenue Commissioners were trying to do a backroom deal. That provoked our ire and a series of letters to the Canadian High Commissioner which weren’t answered until we politely told him he was a cheeky bugger!

Then there was that KPMG Northern Ireland linked episode (see link):

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

All quiet at the Lubyanka (aka the Central Police Headquarters) despite the assertion by an MHK in response to the ‘TURNERGATE’ affair that many years ago people used to turn up to banking institutions on the Island with suitcases full of money.

At the time in the mid/late eighties when the Celtic League or Mec Vannin suggested such things went on at Island banks we were, to put it mildly, lampooned.

‘There’s no evidence’ said the powers that be ‘show us the evidence’.

In a recent article in The Isle of Man Today Nigel McFarlane makes some interesting points when he talks of his journey in learning the Manx Gaelic language and its importance to the Isle of Man/Mannin:

"In an increasingly globalised world, the beauty of individuality is often hidden and all too often lost.

The language connects us, I believe, to the heart of our island home.

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

Manx Radio reports on strange happenings in the skies near Kirk Michael could the aliens be back after over 50 years?

The report below is from the Galloway Gazette (a Johnson paper same as the IOM Newspapers) in September 2009.It recounts the so called West Freugh incident in 1957 when mysterious objects were tracked by several sources off the N W Coast of Mann.

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

Support for an independent homeland is core to the aspirations of Celtic peoples beliefs. This year Celtic people throughout the Six Celtic Nations of Alba, Breizh, Cymru, Éire, Kernow, Mannin and beyond celebrate the the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising (Irish: Éirí Amach na Cásca), the armed rising in Ireland. In the most significant uprising in Ireland since the rebellion of 1798 Irish republicans mounted the rising to end British rule in Ireland and establish an independent Irish Republic.