The Celtic League is a political and cultural organisation that supports the nationalist movements in the modern Celtic nations of Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall and the Isle of Man, as well as their Celtic languages
Aims
The fundamental aim of the Celtic League is to contribute, as an international organisation, to the struggles of the six Celtic nations to secure or win their political, cultural, social and economic freedom. This includes:
- "Fostering co-operation between Celtic peoples."
- "Developing the consciousness of the special relationship and solidarity between them."
- "Making our national struggles and achievements better known abroad."
- "Campaigning for a formal association of Celtic nations to take place once two or more of them have achieved self-government."
- "Advocating the use of the national resources of each of the Celtic countries for the benefit of all its people."
- "Each Celtic nation is conditioned by a different history and so we must not expect uniformity of thought, but instead allow diversity to express itself within the Celtic League. In this way, we may better recognise those areas of possible co-operation and eventually formulate a detailed common policy. With this we can work out which kind of relations between our communities will enable them to enjoy freedoms and liberties at both individual and community level."
In other words, the Celtic League aims to bring together the various independence movements of these six countries. Often language and cultural organisations play a part. There is some variation in the understanding of these aims, which ranges from general meetings, to an actual federation along the lines of the Nordic Council
They also campaign for the reunification of Ireland, and the return of the Loire-Atlantique department to Brittany.
Branches
The six main branches are usually referred to by the name of the country in the local Celtic language; for example, Ireland is known as Éire, Scotland as Alba, Wales as Cymru, Brittany as Breizh, Cornwall as Kernow and the Isle of Man as Mannin.
There is also an International Branch, and others based in the USA and London. There used to be a branch in Cape Breton, Canada, where a small Scottish Gaelic speaking community still exists.
Magazines
The Celtic League publishes a quarterly magazine called Carn to try and highlight and further these aims. The articles are produced in the six living Celtic languages (including Manx and Cornish) and English. In the past, articles have appeared in French as well. Amongst the contributors, Sorley MacLean is notable, but the quality and accuracy of articles is highly variable. The cover of the magazine for a number of years has been a map showing the various Celtic countries with their names beside them.
The American Branch prints its own quarterly newsletter, Six Nations, One Soul, which provides news of Branch activities and events within the Celtic communities in the United States, publishes letters from members, and reviews of books and recordings of Celtic interest.
Each of the branches have published their own magazines from time, but few have been very long lived.
History
Founded in 1961, the present Celtic League grew out of various other Pan-Celtic organisations, particularly the Celtic Congress, but with a more political emphasis. Previously, the likes of Hugh MacDiarmid and others had suggested something along the same lines.
The Celtic League, American Branch (CLAB) was founded in New York City in 1974. It plays little parts in AGMs.
It experiences occasional controversies, the most notable of which has been the status of Galicia and Asturias as Celtic nations. The general consensus in the organisation is that they are not Celtic nations as such, since they have no living Celtic language of their own. At one point, the cover of Carn magazine even included them on the map. In more recent times, some have felt that the current General Secretary Bernard Moffat has overemphasised what he terms military monitoring, at the expense of more pressing issues, such as responding to devolution in Scotland and Wales, and forming associations between already devolved/independent areas such as the Isle of Man and Irish Republic. There has also been a certain clash of interests/conflict with those who want a federal British Isles (which would exclude Brittany) and those who think that the European Union has superseded the idea (although the Isle of Man is not currently in the EU).
Some of the more notable past and present members of the Celtic League have been Plaid Cymru luminary Gwynfor Evans, the historian and writer Peter Berresford Ellis and Winnie Ewing of the Scottish National Party.
Political Status of Countries
The political status of the various countries varies widely. Both the UK, and France were traditionally very centralised states, but France more so.
The following Celtic countries have some degree of autonomy, although Ireland is still divided into two parts
There is also a campaign for a Cornish Assembly, although currently it looks as if the British Government will incorporate it into a South West English Assembly.
Thus three of the countries are completely within the United Kingdom, one partially, and another is a British dependency. Brittany is part of the French state, and does not have any autonomy.
Miscellaneous
AGMs are rotated around the six nations. Officially this is supposed to be in alphabetical order, but this is not always the case!
The Celtic League should not be confused with the similar organisation, the Celtic Congress, which tends to be apolitical.
Posts within the Celtic League
Backgrounds of office holders are indicated by letters after their names as so:
- B(reton), C(ornish), I(rish), M(anx), S(cots), W(elsh)
An arrow indicates if they went to live in one of the other Celtic countries.
General secretaries of Celtic league
- Alan Heusaff †: (1961-84), B->I
- J. Bernard Moffat: (1984-88), M
- Davyth Fear : (1988-90), C
- Séamas Ó Coileain : (1990-91), I
- J. Bernard Moffat: (1991-present), M
Editors of Carn (Established 1973)
- Frang MacThòmais : (1973-74), S
- Padraig Ó Snodaigh : (1974-77), I
- Cathal Ó Luain : (1977-81), I
- Pedyr Pryor : (1981-84), C
- Pat Bridson: (1984-present), M->I
Other posts
The presidency and vice-presidency ran from (1961-71) and were since abolished. They were held by Gwynfor Evans (W) and Dr. Robert Macintyre (S) respectively for the entire duration of the posts.
Padraig O Conchuir (I) was chairman between (1972-'78,
See also
External Links
