Alastair Kneale's blog

News From The Celtic League

The Manx Chief Minister has said that the Island does not need an expansion in population but an increased workforce taken with recent comments by the Infrastructure Minister it seems to be a change of tack from the previous announcement about freeing up land for ‘development and growth’.

It also seems to contradict statements from the Chamber of Commerce about the need for another 15,000 workers. That number together with families would involve a seismic increase in the population.

Adam Wood is about to finish his term as  Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man. Many Manx people would be forgiven for not having a clue who he is. Certainly he has been rarely seen out in public since he took the position in 2011. The Lieutenant Governor is the representative of the British monarch, who acts as the Manx head of state. The Isle of Man is an internally self-governing Crown Dependency. In reality the Lieutenant Governor represents the interests of a foreign power, the United Kingdom, in its colonial possession the Isle of Man (Mannin).

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

BBC 4s well trailed documentary ‘Inside Sellafield’ told us nothing really new about the ghastly nuclear waste repository on the doorstep of several of the Celtic countries.

The programme touched on the amateurish way the whole operation was run at the outset and the cavalier way in which waste was handled but all this was information long in the public domain.

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

A call from the Isle of Man Infrastructure Minister Phillip Gawne for more land to be released to stimulate economic growth has prompted a strong attack from Nationalists.

The Minister made his appeal in an interview carried by radio station 3FM earlier this week (see link):

http://www.three.fm/news/isle-of-man-news/release-land-or-economy-will-stall-says-minister/

Tynwald Day (Manx: Laa Tinvaal) is the National Day of the Isle of Man (Mannin) and is traditionally held on 5th July. The Manx Flag flew high on 5 July 2015 at the site of the Australian Standing Stones, Glen Innes, NSW, Australia. Manx Bonnag was eaten, which is a traditional bread that has been a Manx staple for hundreds of years. Along with this fish and potato pie and a white liquor based on buttermilk was served as part of the ceremony.

Greek voters have voted overwhelmingly to reject the European creditors latest bailout terms. This No vote was the one called for by the Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras’s government whose Syriza Party came to power in January vowing to reject any new austerity measures. This vote by the Greek people comes in spite of all attempts to bully Greece into accepting an austerity package that would have been harmful to the very fabric of Greek society. The austerity measures that have already been forced upon Greece have clearly not worked.

The programme below shows just some of the events at Yn Chruinnaght Manx Inter-Celtic Festival 15-19 July 2015. More details on the Yn Chruinnaght website. 

http://www.transceltic.com/blog/yn-chruinnaght-feailley-ashoonagh-eddyr-...

MEDIA RELEASE - Culture Vannin

Image attached: Manx dancers Grainne Joughin and Ali Carroon (credit Jiri Podobsky)

French press immersed in Manx culture in the run up to major presence at Festival Interceltique de Lorient

Celebrating Winter Solstice at the Australian Standing Stones 2015. Images taken at approximately 0648hrs with a light frost on the ground. The Australian Standing Stones are a National Monument. The remarkable Standing Stones are a testament to the importance of the Celtic people in Australian life and history. In the Celtic lands of north west Europe standing stones are a feature of the landscape.

Yn Chruinnaght the Isle of Man (Mannin) annual Inter-Celtic festival celebrates the cultures of the Celtic Nations of Ireland (Éire), Scotland (Alba), Wales (Cymru), Cornwall (Kernow), Brittany (Breizh) and the Isle of Man (Mannin). Yn Chruinnaght takes place from 15-19 July 2015 and welcomes artists and performers to Mannin. Those appearing at this years event include Mischa Macpherson Scottish harpist and winner of the Gaelic Singer of the Year Award at the MG Alba Scots Trad Music Awards.