Douglas MacQueen's blog

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

‘some of the Chessmen are ‘home’, but the Chronicles continue to moulder in the British Library ignored by a Manx government to craven to demand their return!’

Six pieces from Lewis chess set have been returned to Scotland to go on permanent display at a new museum near Stornoway.

Of the 93 artefacts that comprise the Lewis hoard which was found at Uig bay on the Isle of Lewis in 1831 82 are held in the British Museum and 11 in the National Museum of Scotland

The Thirty-Nine Steps was written by Scottish Perth (Scottish Gaelic:Peairt ) born author John Buchan (26 August 1875 – 11 February 1940). On its 100th anniversary the National Library of Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Leabharlann Nàiseanta na h-Alba) has unveiled a new celebration of one of Scotland’s most iconic and influential novels. The novel first appeared as a serial in Blackwood's Magazine in August and September 1915. Then was published in book form in October of the same year. Since then the book has had lasting appeal. In 1935 Alfred Hitchcock brought it to the big-screen.

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

Support for Scottish Independence continues to grow and is according to opinion polls now above 50% and solid.

It’s ironic really as when the referendum campaign which was narrowly lost was launched the core support was less than 33%. Indeed some say the UK government only allowed it to go ahead because they thought it would be a wipe-out.

Nick Ray has made a remarkable solo sea kayak 2015 mile (about 3 243 kilometres) journey around the Scottish coastline. Visiting each of Scotland's forty seven R.N.L.I. lifeboat stations. He set off on the 2,015-mile trip in May from the Scottish village of Kippford on the Solway Firth (Scottish Gaelic: Tràchd Romhra) in Dumfries and Galloway (Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Phrìs is Gall-Ghaidhealaibh) in south-west Scotland. Travelling clockwise he completed his journey in Eyemouth on the Scottish south east coast taking four months and six days.

Ardbeg Distillery (Scottish Gaelic: Taigh-stail Àirde Beaga) has always produced a Scotch Whisky that many have tasted and thought with pleasure 'the flavour is out of this world'. The distillery is located on the Inner Hebrides (Scottish Gaelic: Na h-Eileanan a-staigh) island of Islay (Scottish Gaelic: Ìle) off the west coast of mainland Scotland. 

The World Haggis Eating Championships 2015 have been held at the Birnam Highland Games in Birnam,(Scottish Gaelic: Braonan) which is in the central Scottish county of Perthshire (Scottish Gaelic:Siorrachd Pheairt). As reported in the Scotsman newspaper Scotsman Lee Goodfellow  set a new world record – after he ate a whole 1lb haggis in just 47 seconds.

Civic leaders in a Scottish town have made a stand on the cruel slaughter of Whales in the Faroe Islands. Wick (Scottish Gaelic: Inbhir Ùige) in the far north of Scotland has cut all ties with its twin community in a row over the islands’ annual slaughter of whales. The Wick councillors received representations from constituents who feared the slaying last month of 250 pilot whales on the beaches of Bøur and Tórshavn, would damage Wick’s reputation as it is twinned with the Faroese town of  Klaksvík.

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

In an initiative that could well be replicated in other Celtic countries (particularly the Isle of Man) ideas for tackling fuel poverty have been discussed today by a new group meeting for the first time in Inverness in Scotland

The Scottish Rural Fuel Poverty Task Force has been established by the Scottish Government. Its remit is to find ways of making it easier and more affordable for people in rural and remote Scotland to heat their homes.

Kezia Dugdale, as predicted has been elected as the leader of the Scottish branch of the London based Labour Party. No doubt she will continue to encourage the role of Labour in Scotland as no more than the powerless branch office of London Labour. They are incapable of acting independently in the interests of Scotland.

NEWS FROM THE CELTIC LEAGUE

I have said on many occasions that we don’t simply like to do reposts or links on Celtic News but sometimes an article pops up that is just to good not to recycle.

‘Wee Ginger Dug’ (aka Paul Kavanagh) has excelled himself in this piece (link below) in which he literally ‘takes out’ those who demean or oppose Gaelic and Scots.

He starts by reference to comments made recently about bilingual signage.