Celtic Recipes

Rowan Tree in Carrifran Valley Voted Scotland's Tree of the Year 2020

Submitted by Douglas MacQueen on October 22, 2020 - 11:23am

A Rowan Tree that once stood on its own in the Carrifran Valley has been voted Scotland's Tree of the Year 2020. The tree, known as 'The Survivor', became a symbol for a restoration group working in the area. For years the single rowan tree clung desperately to the side of a burn. The surrounding landscape had been mostly stripped bare by millennia of sheep, goats and deer grazing, farming, harvesting and fire. Similar to much of the rest of the Southern Uplands (Scottish Gaelic: Na Monaidhean a Deas) of Scotland.  

An On-line Exploration of Scottish Art History Covering 5000 years

Submitted by Douglas MacQueen on October 20, 2020 - 3:25pm

The richness of Scottish art history is being explored in an on-line special fundraising event on October 22. Artist, broadcaster and author Lachlan Goudie will be drawing from his recent book ‘The Story of Scottish Art’.  He will look at the interconnected chapters in Scottish art history covering a period of 5000 years, from the neolithic to Pictish eras, and onwards to the Glasgow Boys and Scottish colourists. 

Strange ancient 'six headed chief' burial site in Scotland starts to reveal its secrets

Submitted by Douglas MacQueen on October 18, 2020 - 1:51pm

Portmahomack (Scottish Gaelic: Port Mo Chalmaig) is a fishing village situated on the Tarbat Peninsula in the north of Scotland. Over many centuries it was part of a strong Pictish community, many traces of which can still be seen in the form of carved stones. There is evidence of much earlier human settlement dating back to the 2nd century BC. The remains of an Iron Age broch can also be found to the west of the village.

Major Gaelic Teacher Recruitment Initiative Announced - Success of Scots Gaelic Medium Education Triggers Teacher Shortage

Emmett McIntyre's picture
Submitted by Emmett McIntyre on October 17, 2020 - 8:56pm

The recent growth in the number of Scottish Gaelic Medium schools has resulted in a shortage of qualified Gaelic language teaching staff. The dearth of qualified Gaelic speaking teachers has prompted action by the General Teaching Council for Scotland (GTC Scotland).

The organization recently unveiled a three-year plan to address the shortage of qualified Gaelic Medium teaching staff

New Manx Language Development Officer

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Submitted by Alastair Kneale on October 13, 2020 - 6:48pm

Media release from Culture Vannin:

New face for Manx language development at Culture Vannin

Culture Vannin is delighted to announce Ruth Keggin Gell as their new Manx Language Development Officer. In Manx, the role is known as Yn Greinneyder, ‘the encourager or motivator’, and Ruth’s focus will be to promote, support and facilitate the Manx language within the community, as well as to help deliver the Manx Language Strategy.

Fairy Folk Of The Cairngorms

Submitted by Douglas MacQueen on October 13, 2020 - 3:13pm

Rothiemurchus forest Loch-an-Eilein and Cairngorms from Ord-Ban-Hill. Courtesy of Cairngorms National Park website.

Cairngorms National Park (Scottish Gaelic: Pàirc Nàiseanta a' Mhonaidh Ruaidh) is a national park in northeast Scotland and covers the Cairngorms range of mountains, and surrounding hills. It is an area of outstanding natural beauty with mountains, forest paths, rivers, lochs and locations known for their abundance of wildlife. It is also, along with the rest of Scotland and indeed other parts of the Celtic world, rich in folklore.

‘A Fairy Ring’ by Walter Jenks Morgan, RBA, RBSA (1847-1924).

Celts had and continue to hold a great respect for the environment. Reflected in the folklore and mythology often attached to particular geographic locations. Celtic beliefs perceived the presence of the supernatural in every mountain, river, coastal feature, spring, loch, marsh, tree and rock formation. Within this tradition there is a strong link to animism and shapeshifting in Celtic mythology. There are also many stories about the little people and fairies. A belief, still widely held in some places, that humans and other creatures share their land with mystical non-human entities, rarely seen, but through custom treated with caution and respect. Not least because the little people are not always viewed as benevolent and can be quite sinister and dangerous.

Scotland's Haunted Montrose Airfield

Submitted by Douglas MacQueen on October 13, 2020 - 11:35am

There is an old military airfield in Angus, Scotland (Scottish Gaelic: Aonghas, Alba). On 26 February 1913, Montrose Air Station became the first operational military aerodrome to be established in Scotland. It closed permanently for operations on 4 June 1952, but is now the site of Montrose Air Station Heritage Centre. This is a registered Scottish charitable organisation run by the Ian McIntosh Memorial Trust which has a collection of contemporary photographs, artefacts and memorabilia.

Welsh calls for border restrictions with England ignored by arrogant and intransigent UK government

Submitted by Mair Williams on October 12, 2020 - 3:59pm

There is understandable consternation in Wales about the British government's refusal to implement travel restrictions into Wales by those in high infection areas of England. The First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford has said that he feels “great dismay” after his calls for such travel restrictions were once again ignored. At a press conference today, Welsh Health Minister Vaughan Gething claimed there had been “an importation of coronavirus cases from contact with some of those high prevalence areas in England”.

More and more in Cornwall speak out against Westminster Government's out of control building plans!

Submitted by Kernow Matters to Us on October 8, 2020 - 7:53pm

With the already slack planning laws set to be loosened even more by the distant and increasingly dysfunctional Westminster Government, more and more are now standing up and speaking out against the uncaring government's ludicrous proposals.

Cornwall Council has already voted to take a stand against the Westminster Government although not unexpectedly Conservative members of the council refused to support the decision.

One of Scotland’s oldest surviving books looted by the English set to return home

Submitted by Douglas MacQueen on October 8, 2020 - 5:02pm

The Book of Deer (Leabhar Dhèir in Gaelic) is set to return home to Scotland after hundreds of years. It was produced by Pictish-era monks and contains the earliest examples of written Gaelic. The book was written in Latin on vellum sometime between the 8th and 10th Century and later had Scottish Gaelic notes on local land transactions added into its margins. It is also adorned with Gaelic designs and once belonged to a monastery at Old Deer, Aberdeenshire (Scottish Gaelic: Dèir, Siorrachd Obar Dheathain). 

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