Alastair Kneale's blog

Association of Bretons in New York (BZH New York) have extended an invitation to their St. Patrick's Fest Noz on 13 March at Connelly's Times Square 121 45th Street. They have produced an attractive poster advertising the event. A Fest Noz is described as a festive gathering based on the collective practice of traditional Breton dances, accompanied by singing or instrumental music.

From the Irish Independent:

"Irish rugby international Luke Fitzgerald has called for more money to be put into promoting wider use of the Irish language and helping people develop their Irish language skills.

"Speaking a day after Ireland's bruising encounter with France, the Leinster and Ireland winger said he would like to see 'a big revival of the Irish language'.

"A fluent Irish speaker himself, the 25-year-old Dubliner said that despite the tough economic circumstances it was still important to put money into the language as it gave people a sense of Irishness."

TG4, the Irish Language TV channel, continues to achieve success. The channel has been praised for its content. TG4 has recently started to broadcast an eight part drama series written by Colin Bateman about an Irish language newspaper  in Belfast. "Scúp" airs on TG4 on Wednesdays, and started on February 27, at 10pm, and on BBC Two from March 3 at 10pm.  There is also a further Irish language drama being filmed called "An Bronntanas". The series is set against the backdrop of a local independent lifeboat crew working off the coast of Connemara. It stars Irish/American actor and Irish language enthusiast John Finn. www.tg4.ie

This comes after the 2011 census results which recorded a 7.1% increase in those that spoke Irish in Ireland bringing the figure to some 1.77 million. 

The International Celtic Congress is a non-political cultural organisation that promotes the Celtic language in the six nations of Ireland, Scotland, Brittany, Ireland, Isle of Man and Cornwall. The annual meeting of the Congress in 2013 is being held in Bodmin, Cornwall from 1st to 6th April.

The Manx Language continues to prosper and experience a growing revival. As reported in the on-line BBC News Magazine on 31st January 2013. There is an increased use in the numbers speaking Manx Gaelic, which is closely linked to Irish and Scottish Gaelic. This remarkable growth is also reflected in the road signage, mobile phone apps, broadcasts on Manx Radio and novels. The language declined significantly from the mid-nineteenth century when economic depression resulted in emigration. Many parents thought that just encouraging their children to speak English would help their job chances abroad. This was combined with the prevention of speaking the native tongue in schools at that time.

Ash Dieback Disease (Cholera fraxinus) has been caused major problems in the west of continental Europe where it has killed something like 90% of the trees infected. Unfortunately, it has spread to parts of the United Kingdom and Eire and increasing numbers of trees have been infected.  It is spread by the wind via fungal spores. The spores can travel up to something like 30-40km from area to area. Its spread to Eire and UK seems to have resulted from human spread of trees and plant material.

Scottish Gaelic received a boost when £3 million pounds additional funding was awarded to Sabhal Mòr Ostaig from the Scottish Government. The Sabhal Mòr Ostaig  college on the Isle of Skye is noted for excellence and is celebrating its fortieth anniversary in 2013. This money will be put towards expanding its campus and is part of £205 million pounds in infrastructure development for the college announced by John Swinney, Finance Secretary and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament.

One of the major features of Laxey on the Isle of Man is the Laxey Wheel, which is also known as Lady Isabella. It is the largest working water wheel in the world, with a circumference of 210ft 6ins, diameter 74ft 6ins and a width of 6ft. Built in 1854 it was used to pump water out of part of the Laxey lead, zinc, copper and silver mines.

Follow Transceltic.com's Alastair Kneale as he travels from Douglas, Isle of Man, to Dublin, Ireland, and back. 

Watch a slideshow of the trip