Located in Southwest Donegal in the heart of the Donegal Gaeltacht, the village of Gleann Cholm Cille (pictured below) is home to Oideas Gael. Oideas Gael is an Irish-language learning Centre dedicated to the Irish language and culture. Promoting Gaelic culture and the Celtic tongue of Ireland since 1984, over the past 30 years thousands of participants have enjoyed the varied language and cultural courses at Oideas Gael.
A sign of the resurgence of Celtic Identity in North America is the Celtic Festival. A phenomenon best shown by the annual increases in attendance figures and the number of festivals established within the past 20 years.
A major force in the growth of Celtic Festivals in North America is Celtic Heritage Productions, a firm that organizes dozens of Festivals and concerts primarily in Florida and North Carolina. The festivals provide an opportunity for Celtic bands to gain experience and build a fan base, making them an invaluable resource for aspiring Celtic bands. The firm's Mission Statement is:
Celtic Heritage Productions strives to educate individuals and groups about the heritage, history, culture and tradition of the Celtic lands through the medium of music, providing entertaining productions with broad appeal to a wide range of audiences.
Estimates vary on the number of American’s claiming descent from immigrants to North America from the modern Celtic Nations. More elusive still is identifying the number of American’s descended from Celtic immigrants who enjoy a “Celtic Identity”. An analysis of the American 2010 Census data proffered in an August 2013 article in “Business Insider” estimates the number of descendants of Celtic immigrants to North America to be in the vicinity of 50 million, comprised primarily of Irish, Scottish and Welsh in that order and inclusive of 5 million Americans who claim Scots-Irish ancestry. Manx, Cornish and Breton identity is more difficult to measure as it has generally been subsumed within the census data into either English or French categories.
"We are glad that the Welsh language will be a consideration when it comes to housing developments and planning the future of Welsh communities. Cymdeithas yr Iaith has been campaigning for over a quarter century for a new planning system that give the Welsh language status." – Welsh Language Society
Addressing Scotland's Parliament today, Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “We will use the powers we have as a government to the full. Of course, I believe today as strongly as I ever have that independence is the best future for our country. That’s why in the months to come we will also lead a renewed debate about how the enduring principle of that case, that decisions about Scotland are best taken by people who live here, is relevant to, demanded by, the circumstances of the world we live in today.
I bet Canadian citizens will not have been raising a glass over the festive season to the good news that John Aspden has acquired himself a New Years honour courtesy of ‘Elizabrit’ Windsor.
John of course is the former Chief Executive of the Isle of Man Financial Supervision Commission (FSC) and was in post at the FSC when all that ‘tax planning’ was being undertaken several years ago on behalf of Canadian clients by KPMG Canada. The Canadian Revenue authorities allege this cost Canada many millions in lost revenue.
“With the economy still growing, unemployment low, our international reputation heightened and public finances on track to be rebalanced, the island is in a better position than Allan Bell envisaged when he first became Chief Minister.”
So it all seems fine then our growing economy must have made us better of. Yet most people you meet say they are or feel worse of!
Remember David Cameron proving his green credentials by having a ‘photo op’ driving a sledge pulled by huskies in the Arctic some years ago.
Well the good news is that ‘Dave’ is still green!
As of today the United Kingdom government start a process which will create a marine reserve as large as the United Kingdom and whilst its goods news the downside is it will not be in waters close to home.
News from the Welsh Language Society/Cymdeithas yr Iaith Gymraeg: The following is from the organization’s web site (linked below):
We have called on Assembly Members to make a new year's resolution to use more Welsh in the Assembly, following the release of figures showing that use of the language in the Assembly Chamber dropped in 2015. Our research shows that only 11.8% of the contributions made in the Chamber in 2015 were in Welsh, compared with 12.7% in 2014.
The 3rd Annual Florida Keys Celtic Festival will be held January 8th through 10th. The festival will take place in Marathon situated half way between the mainland and Key West. The entertainment line-up for the 2016 Festival includes Celtic bands Albannach, Rathkeltair, The Screaming Orphans, Marcille Wallis & Friends, West of Galway and the Police Pipe and Drum of Florida.
Submitted by Valerie Caine on January 4, 2016 - 4:12pm
This year the annual festive gathering returned to Peel with a selection of Manx musicians to whet everyone's appetite on a dismal winter evening.
Traditionally held between Christmas and New Year, the night's entertainment was compéred by local man Greg Joughin of the Mollag Band at the Masonic Hall. Predictably the concert was a sell out with a line--up of singers and musicians performing at the venue from across the Island.
