Nova Scotia Office of Gaelic Affairs offers the Daltachas program

Running from October 2018 to March 2019, the Office of Gaelic Affairs is offering the Daltachas program. Meaning “fosterage” in English, Daltachas is a Gaelic language training program for Nova Scotians interested in advancing their Gaelic language and cultural learning. Based upon Gaelic Affairs’ Bun is Bàrr (Root and Branch)...

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Irish language 'ghettoised' as Glider reverts to English in east Béal Feirste/Belfast

Translink has "ghettoised " the Irish language by its decision to revert to English-only signs on the new Glider service when it leaves west Belfast, it has been claimed. The high-profile cross-city service, which launched earlier this month, will have bilingual signs added to vehicles in the coming months. However, Translink is to ensure the information signs switch to English only before travelling to predominantly unionist...

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£51m to support growth in Welsh medium education

£46m has been allocated from the Welsh Medium Capital Grant and Childcare Offer Capital Grant, in addition to the £5m for the Pantycelyn development announced earlier this year. It will support around 41 projects across 16 local authorities, and create an additional 2818 school and childcare places for Welsh medium learners. Minister for Welsh Language and Lifelong Learning, Eluned Morgan, announced the funding. She said...

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Celebrating 10 Years of BBC ALBA

That the Parliament welcomes the tenth anniversary of the launch of BBC ALBA, which is jointly operated by MG ALBA and the BBC; acknowledges that, since its launch, over £160 million has been invested in producing its Gaelic language content; believes that the station accounts for around 50% of independently-produced hours for audiences in Scotland; commends MG ALBA on working with other Gaelic organisations, including Bòrd...

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'Encouraging' survey suggests rise in Welsh language speakers

A suggested rise in the number of Welsh speakers over the last decade is "encouraging", the Welsh Government has said. A survey by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) suggests 874,700 people are able to speak the language, up from 726,600 in 2008. The Welsh Government wants to get one million people speaking Welsh by 2050. Welsh Language minister Eluned Morgan said the results of the survey were very encouraging ahead of the...

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The Aisling Awards, Celebrating Irish language in Belfast

NOMINATIONS are still open for The Outstanding Contribution to the Irish Language Award in this year’s Aisling Awards. This award celebrates the vibrancy and uniqueness which the Irish language brings to the city of Belfast, the award will honour an organisation or person who works tirelessly to pioneer the language. This year’s Aisling...

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Scottish Parliament renews its commitment to Gaelic with five-year language plan

Published yesterday, the plan sets out how the Scottish Parliament will promote and support the language over the next five years. The Parliament’s Presiding Officer, Ken Macintosh MSP, said the plan demonstrates the value and respect Holyrood has for the Gaelic language. Mr Macintosh said: “For more than a decade, Scots law has recognised the cultural and historic significance of Gaelic, and the vital part it plays in our...

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Radio Naoned, new Breton language to be launched in Nantes

Radio Kerne, the 100% Breton radio station in Cornwall, is preparing the arrival of an equivalent medium, Radio Naoned, on the Nantes region. Digital broadcasting is expected to be launched at the end of the year or early 2019. Big comeback for the team of Radio Kerne, the radio 100% in Breton which covers the Cornouaille: it is in...

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16 new initiates in the Gorsedh Kernow

The annual procession of bards and installation of the 16 new initiates took place on Saturday, September 1, at the ceremony on the Barrowcliff in Newquay as part of the Esedhvos Festival of Cornish culture. Gorsedh Kernow exists to maintain the national celtic spirit of Cornwall and to give expression to such spirit, to encourage the...

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Parents from Plouguerneau Protest against the removal of a bilingual class

Last Tuesday, 25 parents of students made the way from the small town of Finistère to the doors of the French rectorate, Roazhon/Rennes, to protest against the removal of a bilingual class. Leaving early Tuesday morning from Plouguerneau, 25 parents of students from Le Petit Prince school boarded the bus to the Breton capital. In front...

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Gŵyl Newydd – Celebrating the Welsh language at a new festival in Newport

With an increasing number of arts and music festivals popping up throughout Wales, a group came together to discuss organising a Welsh language festival in Newport, and in consultation with the public it was clearly noted that there was a desire to hold a Welsh language festival in the area to support the promotion of the Welsh language...

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Government Survey Shows Wide Support for the Welsh Language

Statistics released by the Welsh Government (link) demonstrate deep broad support for increased efforts to strengthen and protect the Celtic Language of Wales. However, the survey also showed profound skepticism over the seriousness and effectiveness of the government's efforts to protect the Welsh Language against the English language onslaught. Commenting on the survey results, Welsh Language Society spokesman, Tasman...

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Ban on Irish language street signs in Antrim lifted

A ban on Irish language street signs in Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council has been rescinded, the High Court heard on September 7th. The decision to set aside the policy followed a challenge by a local resident who claimed it amounted to discrimination. Clare Duffy was also awarded legal costs as part of the resolution reached in the case. Her supporters described the outcome as vindication of taking action against a "Donald...

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Ai'ta! remove monolingual signs only in French

The Breton language movement Ai'ta Breizh ! yesterday removed French monolingual signs in Herbignac, Loire-Atlantique. The movement 44=Breizh also helped in the action calling for the September 29th demonstration for a reunified Brittany. Banners with the slogan 'E Brezhoneg, En Breton' calling to respect the Brittany's language were also...

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Welsh medium school opens its doors for the first time in Pembrokeshire

A new £28.1m Welsh medium school has opened its doors for the first time in Pembrokeshire. Ysgol Caer Elen is the county's second medium comprehensive outside the Welsh-speaking heartland of north Pembrokeshire. The all-through facility in Haverfordwest will welcome students aged three to 16. Ysgol Gymraeg Glan Cleddau closed on 31 August...

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Controversy over claims 70% of Irish people can't speak another language

Twitter users were quick to contradict a statistic that claimed 72% of Irish people had no foreign language skills. Mapsome, a social media account that aims to "explain the world" by sharing random tidbits, found itself in hot water today. The account shared figures that stated over 72% of those living in Ireland had no ability to...

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'Language Equality in the Digital Age'

'Language Equality in the Digital Age', conference on language technologies and digital equality in a multilingual Europe in the European Parliament on 27th September. The conference follows on from Jill Evans’ (Plaid Cymru) Report on the topic which will be voted on at Plenary on September 11th after gathering wide cross-party support...

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£ 7,500 raised for Cornish Language TV

Ni a'n gwrug ! We did it! You did it! With just under nine hours to go we met the stretch target and raised £7500 for Cornish Language TV. A great result. A very big thank you to everyone that pledged. www.crowdfunder.co.uk/cornish-language-...

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Irish Councils spend £8,000 repairing vandalised bilingual signs

Local councils in Northern Ireland have spent more than £8,000 in recent years repairing and replacing almost 60 vandalised bilingual signs. Both English and Irish are used on signage by several Irish villages and attacked by English supremacists. Bilingual signage is a central part of language revival. International best practice tells...

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