LINKS BETWEEN THE CELTIC COUNTRIES HOW TIMES CHANGE!

“Of course the Manx government are right and we need to get our electronic communications up to speed even if in my case its just so the links between the Celtic countries are further cemented.”

The Celtic League was established in the early 1960s and one of its core principles was to promote ‘links between the Celtic countries’. At that time often marginalised Celtic News had a very low media profile unless something eye catching occurred and the idea of comparators over what was going on say on the languages front was down to the odd exchange of correspondence or a conference such as the annual Celtic Congress etc.

The succeeding decades have been transformative and now the concept of a journal like the original Celtic Annual or its successor CARN seem decidedly old hat.

While doing an interview with Howard Caine last week at Manx Radio I remarked how the dissemination of news by groups like the League had changed radically since I started working for the AMA and the then the Celtic League. Communication was by post or phone or for me who had access to one by the exotic teleprinter. Even as late as the late 1980s when affordable fax arrived I was still firing of up to 1000 press releases by mail each year. My early fax machines used thermal paper which increased cost if utilised to much. Post was by far the most economic albeit slower alternative.

The home fax changed that but most radical of all was the internet which came later and developed by leaps and bounds.

Today internet communication is vital and internet speed the holy grail.

The Manx government announced today that it wants the Isle of Man to be a world leader but in terms of that ideal I think some countries leave us not so much in the slow lane but parked in the layby!

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/iom-could-lead-the-world...

Coincidentally on the day that the Chief Minister's announcement was made the domestic phone system collapsed for a time. The irony was not lost on anyone even Crown Dependency News juxtaposed the two stories.

https://www.manxradio.com/news/isle-of-man-news/phone-problem-affects-is...

Of course the Manx government are right and we need to get our electronic communications up to speed even if in my case its just so the links between the Celtic countries are further cemented.

However, I still feel nostalgic for the days when you ‘teleprinted’, faxed, mailed or phoned a newsroom or colleagues. You miss the personal touch but it was a long time ago!

Image: Teleprinter circa 1970s