Figures reveal number of Welsh learners for the first time

Run by the National Centre for Learning Welsh on behalf of the Welsh Government, the programme provides opportunities to learners over the age of 16 to develop their Welsh language skills. Training is delivered by a network of providers contracted to the centre. This is the first time data collected from all learners...

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Pennseythen Gernewek 2021 (Cornish Language Weekend) dates announced

 Save the date! Pennseythen Gernewek 21 (Cornish Language Weekend 21) will take place 9 – 11 April. Language classes, workshops, tours, and other social events will take place online. If permitted, we hope to meet up in person on 11 April. More information coming soon! #Kerne...

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Duaisean Gàidhlig na h-Alba 2020

Thèid na Duaisean a chumail air Dimàirt 15 Dùbhlachd le cuirm bhiortail air a stiùireadh le bean an taighe, Cathy NicDhòmhnaill.The Awards will take place on Tuesday 15th December with a virtual ceremony hosted by CathyMacDonald. https://www.scottishgaelicawards.co.uk/gael...

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Cymdeithas multi-site protest against Wales’ ‘housing crisis’: The right to live at home is completely fundamental if we are to ensure the continued viability of our communities

 'Wales is not for sale' multi-site rally held on November 21st. From Llanberis to Carmarthen, and from Aberaeron to our national Parliament in Cardiff, and from every corner of Cymry, the message to the Welsh Government is this: act now to solve the housing crisis in Wales. CIG calls on the Welsh Governmentto provide Local Authorities...

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Conradh na Gaeilge warmly welcomes additional funding for the Gaeltacht and the Irish language

 A very significant increase for the Gaeltacht has been confirmed, and while it is good that cuts to Foras na Gaeilge since 2008 have begun to be reversed, much work remains to be done. We will continue to pressure to provide additional funding to the Foras. Conradh na Gaeilge has welcomed the €17+ million additional funding announced today by the Government in the south in Budget 2021 for the Irish language and the...

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Donation campaign by Kowethas to fund An Mis, Cornish Language TV programme

Do you look forward to An Mis, Cornish Language Television programme by Kowethas an  Yeth Kernewek, every month? Sadly it is running out of money and needs your donations if it is to continue into 2021 and beyond. Can you help? Please donate here:https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/14365  A wrewgh mires yn-rag dhe An Mis, agan towlen bellwolok y'n yeth kernewek pub mis? Yn trist heb arghans vydh yn skon hag yma...

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BBC Cymru Wales announces new Welsh language podcasts

Welcoming the new content, soon to be available on BBC Sounds, Gruffudd Pritchard, Content Editor BBC Cymru Fyw and Radio Cymru says: “Over the last year and a half we’ve had the pleasure of working with a variety of talented producers on a collection of new Welsh podcasts. BBC Sounds offers an amazing opportunity as a platform for new...

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Fáilte ar Líne: 40,000 people across 130 countries learn Irish through government-backed course

 More than 40,000 people are learning Irish in over 130 countries via an online course Fáilte ar Líne. The course, which is supported by the Department of an Gaeltacht and delivered by Dublin City University teaches the Irish language for complete beginners and encourages students to visit Ireland and its Gaeltacht areas. This was on of the key achievements noted in a report on the progress of the Government's 2018-2022...

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Coronavirus: Emergency fund of £1.2m for Irish language groups

Irish language organisations are to receive £1.2m in emergency funding from the Department of Communities (DfC). Ulster-Scot language groups will also receive £850,000, while £430,000 is being made available to Sign Language organisations.The funding is part of £29m previously agreed by the executive for the arts, culture and heritage sectors.Many organisations have had to close or cancel events due to the coronavirus pandemic,...

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Brazilian man becomes first person to pass British citizenship test in Welsh

A Brazilian man has become the first person to pass a British citizenship test using the Welsh language. Rodolfo Piskorski, who teaches English literature and Portuguese at Cardiff University, said it was important to him to use his “linguistic rights” and demonstrate “there are different ways to be British”. The 34-year-old linguist first came to the UK in 2013 to study for his PhD in critical and cultural theory at Cardiff...

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Re bell ban’ti: new Breton language daily program

Radio Kerne and Radio Naoned have decided to adapt their program schedule, during confinement, set up in October 2020. Since November 2, 2020, they have been broadcasting a new daily program Re bell ban'ti (Too long at home) Monday to Friday, 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. “We have decided to focus on the evolution of Covid-19. »On the program, traffic rules, health protocols but also the lives of isolated people, students, businesses ..."...

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Unionists getting animated over their love for the Irish language

  For almost a decade Trojan work has been underway within the East Belfast Mission to promote the Irish language among unionists, loyalists and Protestants alike. Now Irish language activist Linda Ervine and her team in the Turas project, who run weekly Irish classes for learners at the Skainos Centre, have turned to animation in a bid to address this sensitive subject. ...

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Celtic Charter : housing market pressures and public policy is putting Celtic languages at stake

The rural housing crisis is threatening our future, claim activists from Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Isle of Man and Cornwall who have united in a cross-border plea over the survival of Celtic languages. In an appeal aimed at authorities in each of those countries and territories, culture groups say housing market pressures and public policy...

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The Concise English-Irish Dictionary launched today

 A new English to Irish dictionary will include translations of words such as coronavirus, pandemic, and banana bread into the Irish language.The Concise English-Irish Dictionary will be launched by President Michael D Higgins, on Foras na Gaeilge’s Facebook Page, later today.Joining the president will be a host of household names...

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Farming 'vital as Welsh language stronghold'

Farming's importance to Welsh must be recognised in post-Brexit plans to support the industry, the man in charge of promoting the language has said. Welsh language commissioner Aled Roberts said funding had to be focused on helping family farms survive. Census figures suggest 43% of agricultural workers speak Welsh, compared with 19% of Wales' population.The Welsh Government said it wanted to help the sector ensure a sustainable...

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Ruth Keggin Gell new Yn Greinneyder, Manx Language Development Officer

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. Yn...

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New Scottish Gaelic teachers

New Teachers: As you can see from the table below, this year we have 18 Newly Qualified Primary Gaelic Teachers and 12 Newly Qualified Secondary Gaelic Teachers taking up their posts. Attracting people to the teaching profession can be a challenge so it is encouraging to see these numbers coming through the different courses now available....

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Conradh na Gaeilge celebrates that dual signage policy in Belfast is widely considered

 A Belfast City Council committee has agreed to adopt a new bilingual signage policy for the city.It will see 15% of residents having to consent to having a second sign in Irish erected on their street, down from the current two-thirds. Conradh na Gaeilge has been calling for Belfast City Council to amend it's dual street signage policy...

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Brittany's Regional Council announces exceptional aid (200,000 €) to help the Breton language immersion education network

The Diwan network is suffering from the coronavirus epidemic. Clearance sales, plant sales, concerts or canceled meals, the Redadeg, the race for the Breton language, postponed to 2021, events and festivals for the benefit of the Breton language and culture canceled this summer, these are all income from money that went missing this year....

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New edition of 'Bora Brav'

Nowodhow pur dha! Yma an dyllans nowydh a Bora Brav omma. Great news! The new edition of Bora Brav-Learn the Cornish language, by Polin Prys, is here. It is suitable for people with absolutely no knowledge of Cornish. This book takes you from how to say hello etc right through to full conversations. It is use for the beginners, as well...

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County Kildare Gives Major Boost to the Irish Language

Linking the economic viability of the Gaeltacht to the advancement of the Irish language, the Language interest group “Cill Dara le Gaeilge” is leading efforts in County Kildare to support businesses that operate in Gaelic. Linguists have long recognized the importance of the use of threatened languages in commerce as one of the elements leading to language revitalization. “County Kildare has been recognized as having the...

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Alasdair Whyte to continue as Gaelic Ambassador until 2021

Alasdair Whyte was named as Gaelic Ambassador of the Year at the Royal National Mod in Glasgow in 2019, where he was presented with his award by Deputy First Minister, and Cabinet Education Secretary, John Swinney. In 2008 the Scottish Government invited An Comunn Gàidhealach to nominate someone who, in view of their outstanding work...

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Cymdeithas Calls on trustees not to close the House of Welsh (Tŷ'r Cymry) center in Caerdydd

Cymdeithas yr Iaith has called on the owners of Tŷ'r Cymry in Caerdyddnot to sell the house, following a decision by current members of the trustees' committee to close the Welsh language center and sell the building. The house was donated by Mr Lewis Williams "to the Welsh of Cardiff" in 1936, and has been a major center of the language's...

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Comann nam Pàrant Coinneamh Bhliadhnail/AGM

On the 19th June Comann nam Pàrant hold its Annual General Meeting over Zoom. "Holding a Zoom meeting was a first for us, but we are very pleased that it worked well. We had over 14 in attendance with representatives from across the country. We are very pleased that our 3 officer bearers, Helen MacKinnon from Glasgow as Chair, Fiona Stephens from Edinburgh as Vice Chair and Gill Steelefrom Aberfeldy as Secretary, are willing to...

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Naoned: The teaching of Breton is gaining ground in schools

After those of Marsauderies and Batignolles, the Camille Claudel school is the third public primary school in Nantes to offer a bilingual French-Breton stream. 517 students are currently enrolled in a bilingual stream in Nantes. 262 in the public (Marsauderies school, Batignolles school, Camille Claudel school, Rutigliano college), 197 in...

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Kowethas an Yeth Kernewek looking for an admin assistant

Yma oberen nowydh gans Kowethas an Yeth Kernewek. There is a new job with Kowethas an Yeth Kernewek. We are looking for an admin assistant for 10 hours a month, split evenly over the month. You will need a good working knowledge of Excel, Word and Email. The position will be based at our shop in Heartlands, Pool, but there is scope for some...

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Div Yezh Breizh AGM held

Div Yezh Breizh, the association of parents of pupils at bilingual schools held its general assembly on Sunday October 11th morning in An Oriant. The association which encourages the teaching of Breton in public schools, addressed its events planned for 2021, some of which had to be postponed. A renewed office, reaffirmed projects and always...

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Irish language in Donegal Gaeltacht at a critical point

Donegal Deputy Thomas Pringle says the Government has failed to recognise the emergency that exists in Ireland's Gaeltachts. Addressing the Dáil, he said the Official Languages Act of 2003 "hasn't been fit for purpose for a long time". Independent TD for Donegal, Thomas Pringle, said the Government has failed to recognise the emergency that exists in Ireland’s Gaeltachts. Addressing the Dáil yesterday, he said the Official Languages...

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Panel to ensure Welsh language is central to Council of Powys plans

An internal panel to promote Welsh at Powys County Council (PCC) would ensure the language is central to all future plans and workings at the regional authority, it will be claimed on Monday  October 19th. At the next Democratic Services Committee meeting, setting up the panel is one of a number of tweaks to the council’s constitution which will be in front of councillors. The panel’s purpose would be to make sure...

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Cymdeithas yr Iaith opposes Pen-Y-Bont Fawr school closure

  Wales' Education Minister has been asked to step in to prevent the reorganisation of schools around Llanfyllin by Welsh language pressure group Cymdeithas yr Iaith. They group says Powys Council would be breaking the Schools Organisation Code which gives a presumption against closing rural schools if it went ahead with the plans,...

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Public Office of the Breton Language launches a campaign to conquer adults

 Conquering adults to bring the Breton language to life this is the aim of the Public Office of the Breton language. For the 21st year, the Public Office of the Breton Language is launching its promotional campaign which aims to appeal to the adult publ...

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A Manx Gaelic primary school will become the first of its kind to be wholly run by the Isle of Man government

A spokesman hailed the move as as a "significant moment" for the resurgent Manx language. Bunscoill Ghaelgagh is the only school on the Isle of Man to teach lessons through Gaelic. Education minister Alex Allinson said the school had been an "intrinsic part of the Manx language revival". The change means teachers will be directly employed by the government and the school will be able to access services provided by the education...

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Avanti West Coast has introduced Welsh language information displays onboard its service

 Avanti West Coast, with the support of the Welsh Language Commissioner, has introduced Welsh language announcements and information displays onboard its service to and from North Wales.Working closely with the Commissioner, whose vision is a Wales where people can use the Welsh language in their everyday lives, Avanti West Coast has reaffirmed its commitment to the region with the last of the 20 modified trains entering...

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Scillonian John Goody has been made Bard of the Gorsedd for his promotion of the Cornish language on the Isles of Scilly

 A Scillonian has been made Bard fo the Cornish Gorsedd for his 'energetic promotion of the Cornish language on the Isles of Scilly'. John Goody of St Mary’s was initiated in absentia because of family health reasons and will be presented to the Grand Bard in September 2021 when the Gorsedd meets in Bude. John's bardic name is Jan...

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