The European Council is due to vote on the European status of two Celtic languages today (Tuesday 15th July 2008), after talks begun between the Westminster Government and Europe early last month. If agreed, the Scots Gaelic and Welsh languages will be given the same EU status currently enjoyed by the Basque, Catalan and Galician languages, where citizens have the right to send correspondence to the EU in their native language and receive a reply in that language.

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Pic: Save Pendarve’s Quoit

Pendarves Quoit, in a collasped condition, is in an area of beautiful countryside to the south-west of the mining Town of Camborne in West Cornwall. Surrounded by bluebell woods the Quoit is by an ancient way which can still be followed from Copper Hill Moors to the sea at Gwithian. The Quoit stands on private setaside farmland. The Sustainable Trust (Patron: Satish Kumar) is in negotiations with the owners to buy the five acres of land on which the Quoit is situated for community and conservation use. It is hoped, with the help of English Heritage, Cornwall Archaeological Unit and the Heritage Environment Service to rebuild the Quoit to its former glory. On the land around the Quoit we hope to explore ancient farming methods and ways of life. It is proposed that there will be linking wildlife corridors between the existing woods on either side of the field (Pendarves Nature Reserve is next to the site).

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Pic: Novopress

On Sunday, July 13, the 55th Festival of Embroidery brought together 35 young women in dress and large cap for the traditional election of the new queen of embroiderers of Pont-l’Abbé in Brittany. They say it is to.. ..pay tribute to those who still wear the costume and traditional headdress high, even if they are not very numerous. It is a gesture of identity. It’s exceptional to say that despite the abandonment of costume on a massive scale, it is still a garment and not just a costume. The preservation of this identity has become the driving force behind Celtic Circle Ar Vro Vigoudenn who were crowned last year as Champions of Brittany.

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Pic: kathryn_rotondo

You, our dear listeners, know how important Tara (Teamhair in the tales) is within the ancient myths of the Celts and now the full story has been revealed in an article published by the Epoch Times. They report that at the archaeological heart of Ireland, one of the most horrific acts of cultural desecration has been taking place for the last two years. Over 46 heritage sites and national monuments have already been destroyed,and the majority of us are oblivious, unaware that anything is happening.

The new M3 motorway is under construction in the Tara Skryne valley, Ireland. SIAC and Ferrovial road companies, with the support of the Irish government are building a motorway through valley. It has already cost more than 950 million euros (at the last count in March 2008), yet is only going to cut current journey time by a matter of minutes. The Navan Dublin rail link that has lain dormant for many years could have been re-opened for a fraction of the price or the existing N3 could have been expanded. This is an unnecessary and inexcusable desecration of heritage and waste of money.

The Irish government has gone against EU directives in building this road, destroying a site of world importance before it was properly researched or received the appropriate attention. The road builders are also contravening the human rights of the Irish people; the right to the protection of their archaeological and historical sites, religious and cultural sites.

Pic: indymedia

The Tara Skryne Valley is home to over 60 such sites, the oldest being more than 6,000 years old. The richness of the archaeology and history is practically unrivalled in Ireland. It is the land of Irish folklore, home of the Irish Kings, of the legendary Cu Chullain and Finn of the Fianna. The Hill of Tara holds the legendary Stone of Destiny. The dead from the Battle of Tara in the 1798 United Irishmen Rebellion lay in the valley; their bodies recently dug up and ploughed through in

one of the most disturbing acts of desecration in the road building to date. Daniel O’Connell held his monster meeting, the biggest ever gathering in Ireland, at Tara in 1843.

There were nine possible routes for the M3. The chosen route is the most archaeologically damaging. When looked at from a bird’s eye view it is a dot-to-dot of heritage sites, cutting through the highest concentrate of known archaeology in the valley. There has so far been no explanation for this choice of route, it being neither the cheapest nor the quickest. The current route is twenty minutes slower than the next slowest choice; a total of four believed to be quicker. For an expected saving of 100 million euros the route could have by-passed the valley completely.

Included in the sites already destroyed has been: a 6,000 year old grave yard; a 2,000 year old wood-henge housing a megalithic pattern-engraved stone; an ancient feasting ground of heroes and nobility; the first Christian settlement in Ireland and a set of twelve round-house style sou-terrains, largely intact and interconnected by a network of tunnels, representing the largest known complex of its kind in Ireland.

Pic: indymedia

The National Roads Authority has been lying continually in their official findings and covering up the discovery of important archaeological sites. The sou-terrain complex at Roes town was originally described by the NRA as a set of three and set of four roundhouses, of little archaeological value. Two days before evidence showing an intact group of twelve was published, their story changed, more closely representing true findings.

An archaeologist working on the Lismullen site was told for his first three weeks of work that there was no need for him to carry out any excavation but if questioned to say work was being done but nothing had been found. The archaeologist in question later joined the protest camp and has been involved in writing many of the archaeological reports published by the “Save Tara” campaign.

In July 2007, a royal feasting ground at Baronstown, was destroyed by diggers at 4am in the morning.

At Collierstown graves more than 6,000 year old, were left uncovered for months, open to the elements, with their bones eventually being plastered on the road and picked up by local school children.

Tara has lain for thousands of years as a sacred, spiritual place, it is sad this should be happening now, when we are finally beginning to realise the fragility of our land and importance of our past. When will we learn that there are things much more valuable than money? When it is too late?

The full text of various statements and petitions and more information can be viewed at www.archaeological.org and the “Save Tara” campaign’s website www.savetara.com .

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Pic: Bridgman Pottery

Wales Online reports that the allure of the Holy Grail has fascinated writers and ensnared knights for more than 1,000 years. From Malory to Monty Python, the eternal chalice – said to be the very cup from which Jesus drank at the last supper – has become enshrined as one of popular culture’s most spiritual icons. But while Scotland has been given the credit for being the Grail’s final resting place – thanks largely to Dan Brown’s hugely-successful novel The Da Vinci Code – a new book by a Welsh academic says Wales’ claim to the relic is stronger.

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Pic: IceNews

A complete interactive listing of all the museums, galleries and multimedia exhibitions in South Iceland has been launched on the new travel website, South.is.The huge area of South Iceland, with its few inhabitants and many sheep, does not immediately seem like prime museum territory – but the website South.is begs to differ. Listings on the site exist for dozens of museums and galleries, and over 40 churches of interest.

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Pic: BBC

The BBC reports that a team of archaeologists in Leicestershire has uncovered several ancient bodies at the site of a new park-and-ride development. Excavations are continuing in Enderby after what are thought to be four skeletons from the Iron Age – dating from before 43AD – were discovered. The team from the University of Leicester said there were probably more bodies buried at the site. A further four-week excavation in now under way.

Peter Liddle, keeper of archaeology at Leicestershire County Council, said:

We seem to have a track way that runs across the landscape and buried next to that track way are a series of bodies. It’s nice as Iron Age roads and tracks are not that common. Iron Age burial is elusive – you don’t see a lot of dead Iron Age people, you can’t generally find them.

Read the full story here.

Episode 12, The Song of Amergin, is now available and on the feed for download. The Sons of Mil finally break through the magic of the Children of Danu and land on the shores of Erin. They demand recompense for the death of their kin and negotiations take place. Now it is up to the Tuatha De Danaan – will they fight, flee or come up with another plan? And yet, the great Bard Amergin also has a trick or two up his sleeve!

The Episode is available for subscribers on the feed, or you can download it or listen to it from our Episodes page. You can find the Shownotes for this episode in the Shownotes section.

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Pics: thiscornwall

thiscornwall.co.uk report that the new Cornish logo is receiving opposition from the Grand Bard and the Gorsedd of Bards. On April 1 next year, Cornwall County Council and the six district councils will make way for one unitary authority. The authority’s new logo has been criticised by people who say it does not fully represent Cornwall, with some likening the design to the hairstyles of singer Amy Winehouse and American boxing promoter Don King. 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 wrote: It is important that any marque adopted by the new council describes and evokes the essence of Cornwall because it is an international symbol which signifies a place and a culture which has a strong and growing international dimension.

As Grand Bard, I sense that I am speaking on behalf of both the College of Bards and a wide cross-section of Cornish society in asking that the interim executive reconsider its decision and commission a new modern rendition of the traditional crest, including the fisherman and miner and the Cornish language, and with the addition of an evocation of the symbol of St Piran.

The Gorsedd of Bards, which upholds Celtic traditions in Cornwall, promotes Cornish language, literature, music and history. While the not-for-profit group recognised the proposed logo was well-designed and, “in a benign way”, sympathetic to Cornish culture and its Celtic roots, it felt it was insufficient in portraying the depth or range of Cornish identity and heritage.

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Cerreg Cennen Castle Pic: Ammanford Website

Ammanford will be stepping back in time this weekend as the local history society teams up with Dyfed Archaeological Trust to celebrate National Archaeology Week. The Castle and Conquest in Wales will be a free admission, all-day event on Saturday, July 12, between 10.30am and 4.30pm at the remains of Ammanford castle in Tirydail. Richard Jones, heritage management archaeologist for Dyfed Archaeology Trust, said: The open day at Ammanford castle will be our major event for National Archaeology Week. We have other events taking place at Llandeilo and Carmarthen, but Ammanford will have a huge range of activities and demonstrations.

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