The Celtic League Annual General Meeting 2017 was hosted this year by the Mannin Branch. All resolutions passed at the meeting will be added in full to this website at a later date.
Representatives from Ireland, Brittany, Wales, Cornwall, Isle of Man and Wales met for their Annual General Meeting this weekend (29 – 30 July) in the Manx town of Peel. The conference discussed a number of matters relevant to all of the six Celtic nations as well as others of wider international importance.
Resolutions on a variety of issues were passed. These included those relating to the environment such as calling for an end to the damaging impact of mining licences being granted in central Brittany, and regulations to prevent the harm done to the world’s oceans and ecosystems caused by the overfishing of so-called ‘Super Trawlers. Support was also given to those arrested in recent protests against the nuclear base at Faslane in Scotland.
Amongst other resolutions passed were demands for greater support for the Irish language from the Irish government and for an Irish Language Act to be adopted in the six counties in the north of Ireland. The meeting also condemned the highly discriminatory decision, based upon a French State diktat, by the registry in Quimper Brittany, to refuse the registration of a child’s name because it used Breton spelling.
An emergency resolution from the Isle of Man (Mannin) Branch of the Celtic League demanded that the integrity of the Island’s territorial seas be protected. This comes after the UK government decision to withdraw from the present Fisheries Convention which allowed vessels from certain other countries to fish within six and 12 nautical miles of the UK’s coastline. The resolution, which was passed unanimously, calls for urgent action to protect Manx waters from exploitation and condemned the UK in abusing its constitutional relationship with the Isle of Man by failing to recognise Manx territorial waters.
The Celtic League’s Director of Information Alastair Kneale said that: ‘This year’s Annual General Meeting concluded on a very enthusiastic and optimistic note. Despite the uncertain times in which we live there are clear opportunities for the Celtic League to successfully pursue its objectives, which include to further each of the Celtic nations right to independence and to promote the benefits of inter Celtic cooperation.’
Once the meeting had concluded delegates visited the village of Cregneash. They were given a very interesting talk by Fiona McArdle on the visit to the Isle of Man by Irish politician and statesman Éamon de Valera 70 years ago. After his time on the Island he instigated a visit by the Irish Folklore Commission. Their work in recording native Manx Gaelic speakers helped preserve and promote Manx. It was an important factor in the language’s continuing survival and contributed to the significant revival of the language over recent years.
Issued by Alastair Kneale,
Director of Information,
The Celtic League.
30/07/2017
