Rob Gibson MSP

...de la John O’Groat Jounal:

...Noticeably the Courier/Groat online poll last week showed a majority in favour of bilingual signs. Yet virulent anti-Gaelic comments seem inexplicable. So folk memory still rules?

Well, can't we find it in our hearts to enjoy a glorious mixter-maxter of cultures?

Why is no-one suggesting correct Norse/Scots spellings for road signs where they occur?

Bilingual signs in Norse/Scots and Gaelic would be most appropriate.

Or does the legacy of English as the language of progress and education, that was beaten into our forebears, still rule the roost?...

Gregory Campbell

...de la Londonderry Sentinel:

The Minister for Culture Arts and Leisure, Gregory Campbell, has vowed that Ulster Scots and Irish cultural outlooks will receive parity of funding while he is in office - whether people like it or not.

In a frank interview with The Sentinel, Mr Campbell, said not only was it his objective to treat everyone equally, but it was his ambition to eliminate disparity.

Asked to comment on his stance over the Irish language Act now that he was the Minister in charge, Mr Campbell said: "There still appears to be some misunderstanding around this issue.
"It was the St Andrews Agreement just over 15 months ago, where the British Government talked to Sinn Fein about the implementation of the Irish Language Act.

"Neither Sinn Fein, the British Government, mentioned the possibility of an Irish Language Act to us...

Gabriel Byrne

...de la Brooklyn Heights Blog:

Brooklyn Heights resident/actor Gabriel Byrne is the latest patron of Belfast’s Aisling Ghear, an Irish language theater company.

The group has extended an invitation to the actor, who was born in Dublin, to visit them this year. The troupe’s GM, Carrie-Anne McAlonan-McCrudden, tells the Belfast Telegraph that having “avid” Irish speaking Byrne as their patron will be great for them.

She adds, “It’s nice for us, and nice for him to be associated with us as well. He has been very supportive of Irish language projects in the past…

It consigns some kind of artistic merit, that we have become established and reached a level of quality where we have a Hollywood actor associated with us.”

David McNarry, MLA

...de la News Letter:

The most dangerous threat to Britishness in Northern Ireland is the creeping "application of cultural apartheid", in the form of the Irish language agenda, Ulster Unionist MLA David McNarry said at the Broughshane Twelfth demonstration.

In his address, Mr McNarry, an Assistant Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Ireland, confronted the continued republican "onslaught" against all things British – despite the new era of peace.

He expressed deep concern about the political use of Irish language and culture by Sinn Fein.

"Orangemen and unionist were not and should not be against Irish culture or freedom of expression. But a grave situation has developed in which the culture is being used by republicans in the new-look war in Britishness….

Demokrata Unuecisma Partio

...de la Irish Times:

The DUP has again insisted that it will block any attempt by Sinn Féin to introduce an Irish language Act in the Northern Assembly, although it is prepared to countenance a "strategy" for the language.

Senior Sinn Féin and DUP politicians have been meeting in recent weeks to try to reach agreement on a wide range of contentious issues, including an Irish language Act, that have been stalling political movement and slowing down the work of the Executive…

… Northern Secretary Shaun Woodward has appealed to Sinn Féin and the DUP to resolve their differences over issues such as education, the Maze and policing and justice. He also urged the parties to reduce the tensions over the Irish language.

There has been speculation that if politicians in the North can't resolve the stand-off over the Irish language Act, that the British government would go over the heads of the politicians and introduce the Act at Westminster.

Mr Woodward, however, has said the Irish language issue is a devolved matter and must be resolved by the North's politicians.

Kimralingvo en Eŭropo

...de la e-Gov Monitor:

The use of Welsh on the international stage takes a major step forward today [15 July] following a decision by the European Union Council of Ministers.

They have decided that in future, Ministers will be able to speak in Welsh when representing the UK at the Council of Ministers and have their words translated simultaneously. Citizens will also be able to write in Welsh to office holders at the Council.

The decision of the Council is based on three way co-operation with the Council, the UK Government and the Welsh Assembly Government. The arrangement will become operative after a panel of Welsh interpreters have been assessed as meeting the international proficiency level demanded by the EU institutions.

The decision will open the way for negotiations with other EU institutions to allow for a use of Welsh...

Gaela Kolegio

...de la Watauga Democrat:

Two representatives from a Canadian College were at the Grandfather Mountain Highland Games over the weekend seeking students for Gaelic College in Nova Scotia.

The school’s mission statement: “To promote, preserve and perpetuate … the culture, music, language, arts, crafts, customs and traditions of immigrants from the Highlands of Scotland.”

Jennifer MacAskill Daisley, bookkeeper, and Ann Cantwell, knitmaker, said they had excellent response from “very interested” people.

The school’s class offerings include bagpipes, fiddle, Celtic harp, Gaelic language and song, Highland dance, pipe band drumming and weaving, as well as spinning and dyeing...

Irlandalingva Instruado

...de RTÉ:

An examination of the Irish language in primary schools has found significant weaknesses in the way it is taught and learned.

The report, compiled by inspectors from the Department of Education, found the standard of teaching and learning was 'fair to poor' in half of all classes observed.
It observed significant difficulties in 8% of classes.

The inspectors described the findings as disquieting...

Kimralingva Instruado

...de Wales Online:

Thousands of people have given their view on Welsh-medium education in Cardiff in an online poll for the Echo.

We asked: “Do you agree with plans to open more Welsh language schools in Cardiff?”

A record 9,500 readers cast their vote, the biggest number to have taken part in one of our online polls.

Of those who voted, 4,348 said they thought children should be taught in English schools because the Welsh language would become redundant in years to come...

Letero de la Internacia Kelta Kongreso

1sa Mys Metheven, 2008
Mr J Marston
Isles of Scilly Steamship Group
Chi an Gorholyan-Tan
Stret an Kay
Pensans/Penzance
TR18 4BZ

Dear Mr Marston

I am in receipt of the correspondence from Daithi Mac Lochlainn in New York. This has been passed to me by the Chairman of the Cornish Branch of the Celtic Congress of which I am the current International President.

I congratulate you on having a Welsh Website. I also reiterate Daithi’s comments that the information should also appear in Breton and Cornish. I hope by now (I see the letter was dated April) that you have managed to link up with the Breton people and Jenefer Lowe, the Cornish Language Officer at County Hall in Truro. She will be only too pleased to let you have any information and contacts in Brittany which may be of use.

On behalf of the Cornish Branch of the Celtic Congress we would be interested in putting out a press release but would appreciate any up-to-date information as to where we are now before we go ahead.

As Daithi has written, it is a shame that other companies who have branches, links, etc in other Celtic Countries do not publicise their information in the relevant language. It only serves to make it more widely known and accepted.

I look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

Yours sincerely
Denise A Chubb, Mrs
International President.

Translations

...de la Kansas City Star:

Of all the actors and directors in Kansas City, Mark Robbins probably has more direct experience with the plays of Brian Friel than anyone else.

In the early 1980s he played Owen, a central character in “Translations,” at what was then the Missouri Repertory Theatre when Friel’s historical drama was still a new play.

He made his directing debut in Unicorn Theatre’s 1997-98 season with Friel’s three-character monologue play “Molly Sweeney.” In May he played Frank Hardy, the tormented and self-destructive title character in Friel’s “Faith Healer,” another monologue play considered by many to be Friel’s masterpiece.

And now we come to a new production of “Translations,” also considered among Friel’s finest works, which Robbins is staging for Actors Theatre KC.

Kornvala Emblemo

…de This is Cornwall:

As tempers flare in Cornwall over the logo for the new super council, the county's Grand Bard has joined the opposition.

Vanessa Beeman wrote a letter to council leader David Whalley expressing her fears that some people felt they were being stripped of their identity and has called for the interim executive to reconsider its decision…

… Mrs Beeman continued: "We strongly assert that, as the Cornish language has been recognised by the Council of Europe, and its future development is funded by the British Government, and it is clearly and widely identified with modern Cornwall, that any marque of any public sector body with specific responsibilities for Cornwall should be using Kernewek (the Cornish language) in its insignia and, in appropriate ways, in its communications, promotions and presentations of Cornwall….

Colm Mac Con Iomaire

…de Hot Press:

Frames violinist Colm Mac Con Iomaire gives his The Hare’s Corner solo album the official launch treatment this September when he plays – where else? – Whelan’s.

Colm will launch his new solo record on September 7 in Whelan's, Dublin.

While not out and out trad, the collection has a pronounced Irish flavour.

“The phrase ‘The Hare’s Corner’ comes from the ancient Irish custom of at harvest time leaving a corner of a field uncut for the hare to escape to,” he explains. “I first heard my father Liam, mention the phrase in a conversation we had about the famous writer and Irish language activist Máirtín Ó Cadhain. Ó Cadhain identified the Gaeltachtaí as being like the Hare's Corner of Ireland.

Thankfully the linguistic uniqueness of the Gaeltacht endures, but our language is still in jeopardy.”

Gaelic Storm

…de The Celebrity Café:

Gaelic Storm’s What’s the Rumpus is exactly what you would expect it to be – folksy, fun, Irish music with Irish drums, fiddle-playing, etc. The lyrics weave stories in a traditional sense, but with more current stories….

…They only added one track in Gaelic to the album, “Beidh Aonach Amarach,” which is so beautiful, and, if you like learning, you might really want to learn the language.