Celtic Recipes

“Can you give food to the food bank this Christmas?”

This is issued by the Celtic League Information Service:

NEWS FROM CELTIC LEAGUE

“Can you give food to the food bank this Christmas?” Cameron asked

A six year old girl from Camborne has prompted her father to write again to the Prime Minister of the UK again about the growing number of people using food banks in her community.

Submarine Narrowly Misses Fishing Boat off Coast of Ireland

News from the Celtic League

The appearance of a submarine off the coast of Donegal coast in Ireland/Eire this week, narrowly missing a fishing boat, prompted a plethora of enquiries from journalists wanting to speak with the League’s Director of Information, Bernard Moffatt.

Cornish Language Fellowship Success - Funding Obtained For Cornish Language Children's Books

The website "This Is Cornwall" reports that the Cornish Language Fellowship (Kowethas) have obtained funding for Cornish language children's books utilising innovative fund raising techniques on the internet: "Kowethas is a charity, that works to promote the use of Cornish in everyday life.

Scottish Society of New Zealand Pipe Band Going from Strength to Strength

Scottish Society of New Zealand

Transceltic’s Alastair Kneale interviewed the Scottish Society of New Zealand Pipe Band Pipe Major Nick Eagle as the band prepared for practice in the Scottish Society of New Zealand Hall in Christchurch New Zealand. In common with pipe bands around the world competition is a major focus for the New Zealand Band.

How is the band progressing and do you have an enthusiastic group of players and volunteers?

The band is progressing well. Since becoming Pipe Major I have tried to instil a sense of self belief. As we started to win competitions confidence has grown. We have an enthusiastic group of people who are very supportive of each other.

The band enters a number of competitions. What are your recent successes and forthcoming events?

We are a Grade 4A Pipe Band and have been doing well in competitions. Success has brought a new sense of pride in our performance and a desire to continue to perfect our skills. It is hard work entailing a lot of practice under the instruction of myself as Pipe Major and Drum Sergeant Nathan Harris but it is also very enjoyable.  Recent competitive successes prior to Christmas included:

  • Hororata Highland Games: 1st Place in Grade 4
  • Christchurch Casino Highland Day: 2nd Place in Grade 4
  • South Canterbury Provincial Contest: 2nd Place in Grade 4

The competing season will resume towards the end of January. This year we will also see us taking part in the 2014 Australian Pipe Band Championships.

Bannaghtyn y Shass greiney geuree

Bannaghtyn y Shass greiney geuree ooilley Cheltiagh pobble ayns Kernow, Alba, Éire, Cymru, Breizh  voin ayns Mannin 

(Greetings on Winter Solstice to all of the Celtic community in Cornwall, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Brittany from us in Isle of Man)
 

Hevva! Hevva! - Waitrose all at sea with foreign fish!

Waitrose Sardine

Hevva! Hevva!

Waitrose all at sea with foreign fish!

Waitrose Supermarkets, which has just the one store in Cornwall at Saltash (called ‘Essa’ in Cornish, not that Waitrose could ever understand that!) appear to be all at sea over their fish.

Much band width on social media sites has recently been taken up by discussions over a mysterious new fish found in Cornwall and marketed by Waitrose, preferred store of Duke Charles, notably the ‘Cornish sardine’.

Further, these ‘sardines’ are marked as Cornish by the inclusion of an English flag of Saint George on the product.

Geographically challenged Waitrose have apparently not heard of Cornish pilchards, the staple diet of generations of Cornish people and of the many traditions surrounding that great fish. Nor are they apparently aware of the fact that Cornwall (called ‘Kernow’ by thousands but again, this would be a mystery to Waitrose) has its own flag and indeed, its own non English traditions.

Historical Tensions Erupt - Scots Gaelic College in Canada's Cape Breton In Crisis Over Royal Charter

Deep seated resentments towards the historical persecution of Scots Gaelic culture by the British Crown erupted over the past couple of weeks.  Multiple Canadian and Scottish media outlets have covered this story. The Toronto Globe and Mail in an article titled "Royal Designation Reignites Historical Tensions at Cape Breton Gaelic College" gives the following quote:

This Is The Worst Government Toward The Irish Language Since The Founding Of The State

The website "Trinity News", the student newspaper of Trinity College in Dublin and the oldest student newspaper in Ireland, has reported on a protest demonstration by Irish speakers from the Dublin area joined by members of Trinity's Cumann Gaelach (Irish Society) over the issue of language rights.   The Vice President for Irish language for the Union of Students in Ireland (USI), Mr. Fedhlim Seoige, characterised the recent resignation of the Irish Language Commissioner as proof that the Irish Government is indifferent to preserving the language:

Widespread Support for Gaelic Education in Scotland Exposes Anglophone Bigots

Analysis of a survey show widespread support in Scotland for Gaelic language education. In a report from the Scotsman newspaper on a Scottish Social Attitudes Survey-“When asked whether learning Gaelic was pointless in the 21st Century, 44 percent disagreed and only 22 per cent agreed”. The survey also reveals that a majority of those asked thought that some Gaelic should be taught to all five to sixteen year olds. When asked about the use of Gaelic in Gaelic speaking areas “87 per cent believed that it should be encouraged in Gaelic-speaking areas.”
 

Welcome Boost for Scottish Gaelic

Reports from the ‘Scotsman’ newspaper states that the:

Highland Council is to receive £3 million over the next two years to build a new Gaelic school on Portree, on the Isle of Skye.

The announcement was made by Alasdair Allan, Scottish National Party member of Scotland’s Parliament for the constituency of ‘Na h-Eileanan an lar’ during a visit to the site for the new school.

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