thecelts - australian celtic festival · pdf...
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The Celts History textbooks have reduced the Celts to friendly barbarians crushed out by the Roman legions. The reality is different; they were the most powerful people in Europe, whose territories extended from the Black Sea to Ireland. They were the first to work iron, when the Greeks and Romans were still using bronze.
The word 'Celt' is thought to be derived from the Greek word 'Keltoi' -‐ a name given to a tribe from around the Massilia (Marseille) region of southern France.
The Celts were composed of numerous tribes and kingdoms who shared a common culture. Thousands of our rivers, our valleys, our cities, have kept Celtic names.
There are generally six Celtic peoples recognised in the world today. They divide into two groups, the Brythonic (or British) and the Gaelic Celts. The Brythonic Celts are the Welsh, Cornish and Bretons; the Gaels are the Irish, Scots and Manx. Some people recognise a seventh and eighth Celtic nation in the region of Galicia and Asturias in northern Spain (their Celtic language died out a thousand years ago and so the Celtic links are more tenuous).
Because of the great potato famine in Ireland in the 19th century, so many Irish migrated to the U.S. that they are by far the largest contingent of Celts in this Country. Many people in the U.S. mistakenly believe that Celtic means the same as Irish (which does not go down well with the rest of the Celts). The Scots form the next largest group of Celts in the U.S. with the Welsh trailing in numbers.
The Celts are a musical, artistic people with a love of words. They also love a good time and hold many festivals each year.
The history of the Celtic peoples goes back some thousands of years; at one time all of Europe was Celtic. Over two thousand years ago England was ruled entirely by Celts; eventually the Romans, Jutes, Angles and Saxons came and pushed the Celts to the north and west. One of the great Celtic events of history was the 5th century battle between Kind Arthur and his Celtic army against the dark pagan hordes in England (as the Celts termed the non-‐Celtic peoples); the Celts considered King Arthur’s loss in that battle to be the death of civilization. King Arthur himself remains an important figure in Celtic legend; the original story is now much embroidered with medieval knights and traditions.
The ancient Celtic art was full of interlacing patterns, spirals, animal forms and colour. The early Celts displayed their art especially in metal: jewellery, weapons (they were fierce warriors), figurines and pots are some of the many artefacts that have come to light. Celtic art was used domestically in collars and brooches and for precious work of a religious nature such as the Book of Kells. Celtic design is not only distinctive because of its breathtaking complexity but in its imagery too.
When Christianity came to the Celtic lands of Britain and Ireland, the monks of the 7th century adapted the ancient Celtic art forms to the new religion; the Celtic cross and tree-‐of-‐life designs, for example came from this connection. Writing also came to the Celts for the first time; the most famous manuscript by the monks is the beautiful Book of Kells on display in the library of Trinity College in Dublin.
The harp has been the national instrument of all the Celtic peoples since the dawn of their history. In ancient times this would have been a primitive instrument and the modern
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triangular harp did not appear in recognisable form in stone carvings until about the 7th century. The Celts have other instruments now – bagpipes, whistles, flutes and drums.
Modern Celtic peoples have evolved symbols for themselves and people of Celtic descent often wear these symbols to show which group they are from. For instance, the commonest Irish symbol is the three-‐leaved shamrock, although the harp is often used as well. The Scottish symbol is a thistle, along with wearing tartans. The Welsh flag is a red dragon on a green-‐and-‐white background; the Welsh consider the red dragon as their most Welsh symbol, but along with the dragon they recognise the leek and the daffodil.
Celtic Nations
The Celtic nation’s flag is used around the world at Celtic festivals and functions. It is a representation of the flags of the 6 major Celtic nations. The Celtic nations acknowledged in Glen Innes are (alphabetically listed):
Asturias Brittany Cornwall Galicia Ireland Isle of Man Scotland Wales
The schedule for Celtic festivals in Glen Innes is: 2012 Brittany, Galicia, Asturias 2013 Scotland 2014 Cornwall 2015 Wales 2016 Isle of Man 2017 Ireland 2018 cycle continues as listed from 2012
Asturias Asturias Day (8th September)
The Asturian flag.
Asturias is an autonomous principality in north western Spain. Asturias has a little more than a million people. It is a country of green mountains, with its famous European peaks rising to 2600 meters. Oviedo is the capital of the principality. It is being transformed after a long period of industrialisation mining. The only official language in Asturias is Spanish. The Asturian language (Bable) is also spoken and is protected by law. The Asturian language is known and spoken by approx 30% of the population.
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If there’s such a thing as the perfect combination of culture, nature and gastronomy, then you’ll find it in Asturias. The first thing to catch your attention when you travel to this region in what is known as Green Spain, is its spectacular scenery. Gastronomy in Asturias is synonymous with a total dedication to the cult of good food. Cabrales cheese, the typical Asturian bean stew known as “fabada”, cider made from local apples, there are a whole host of typical dishes and products that are guaranteed to leave visitors with a delicious aftertaste.
Brittany (Breizh) Patron Saint – St Yves (acknowledged 19th May) The Breton flag.
Gwenn-‐ha-‐Du (white and black). This flag has 9 alternating equal black and white stripes standing for the Breton and Gall speaking counties respectively, and 11 ermine spots representing the Duchy of Brittany.
Breton and Gallo languages are not in a state of lethargy but are assisted to survive. The Breton culture and language are experiencing resurgence. The Lorient Festival Interceltique and festoù noz, among others, have maintained the Breton culture in a dynamic way. The Breton connection In many ways, both culturally and historically, Brittany has more in common with parts of the British Isles than it does with the rest of France. The name itself is a clue to this; Brittany and Britain come from the same root, and in French the connection is even more obvious; the French call Brittany "la Bretagne", and call Britain "la Grande Bretagne" -‐ or "big Brittany", if translated literally. For thousands of years there have been comings and goings across the western reaches of the English Channel and many of the British who holiday in this western province of France may actually be visiting an area where some of their own distant ancestors came from. Significantly, the centre of the western tip of Brittany is called "Cornouailles", which is also the French for Cornwall. The departments of Brittany. A French department is the equivalent of an Australian local government area. Brittany is divided into four departments which are: Finistère in the west, Côtes d'Armor in the north, Morbihan in the south, and Ille et Vilaine in the east. Historic Brittany also includes Loire Atlantique in the south but this is no longer considered part of Brittany today.
Asterix Everyone in France has heard of Asterix -‐ and millions of people beyond France are familiar with Asterix the Gaul, his band of merry men, and their exploits against the Roman invader. And as the maps in Asterix books remind the reader, it is in the northwest tip of France that the famous resistance village is to be found. Brittany shares the folklore of the legendary King Arthur, with the southwest of England.
Bretons are proud of their identity, and many think of themselves as Bretons before calling themselves French. Like their cousins in the islands to the north, the ancient Bretons left to posterity an impressive number of prehistoric sites, most famous of which are the megaliths of Carnac (photo below) in southern Brittany, France's equivalent of Stonehenge, with its 3000 blocks of granite. These megaliths represent great burial chambers that predate the Egyptian pyramids by a long time.
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The megaliths of Carnac (Karnag in the Breton language).
The InterCeltique Festival of Lorient
Fast Facts:
10 days of shows and various events in early August 4500 Musicians, singers, dancers, artists, academics, filmmakers, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall, the Isle of Man, Galicia, Asturias, Britain, the USA, Canada , Australia, etc ...
A large parade attracting over 40,000 spectators on the first Sunday 700,000 visitors Spectators housed 1,100 people, 20 hotel providers, seven partner schools, boarding 800 beds leased, 34,000 meals served at school Dupuy de Lome, 40 ferry routes, 40 local bus shuttles, etc.
More than 700 volunteers 120 stage shows, 60% are free Honouring a foreign nation every year a variety of activities Noziou fest of free music workshops, conferences, concerts daily on stages and in the bars of the city, master classes in Celtic instruments (accordion, Celtic harp, drum), daily parades, bagpipe competitions, pipe bands
Sport (sailing (CeltiCup), golf (Golfceltrophy), running (10 miles[16 km])
Language French, the only official language of the French Republic, is today spoken throughout Brittany. The two regional languages are supported by the regional authorities: Breton, strongest in the west but to be seen all over Brittany, is a Celtic language most closely related to Cornish and Welsh.
Some bilingual classes are also provided in ordinary schools. Gastronomy Brittany is known for cheese (particularly camembert), crepes, calvados, cider and seafood. Galette is traditionally savoury. Crepes are sweet. Surrounded by the sea, Brittany offers a wide range of fresh sea food and fish, especially mussels, oysters, winkles, whelks and langoustine (a large fresh water prawn). Among the sea food specialities is cotriade. The traditional drinks of Brittany are: • Cider (Breton -‐ sistr) – Brittany is the second largest cider-‐producing region in France and
traditionally served in a ceramic cup resembling an English Tea cup • beer (Breton bier) – Brittany has a long beer brewing tradition, tracing its roots back to the
seventeenth century; Young artisanal brewers are keeping a variety of beer types alive • a sort of mead made from wild honey called chouchenn
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Legends
Megalithes (Standing Stones) Brittany has an incredible number of standing stones -‐ these comprise Allées couvertes -‐ these are a line of rocks with other huge rocks lined up on top of them to make a roof. Alignements -‐ these are narrow and tall stones in lines and there are many of these, the best known at Carnac. Dolmens -‐ these are frequent and superstition has it that these were created by fairies. Menhirs -‐ these are groups of stones and they too have their various stories -‐ for instance at Locarn, two blasphemous priests were turned into Menhirs. Steles -‐ Some of these hemispherical stones are considered to be fertility symbols. Tumulus -‐ These are earth covered dolmens and impressed the Breton peasants greatly in the past.
Trivia
The Breton national anthem Bro Gozh ma Zadou is set to the same tune as the Welsh and Cornish Anthems.
A number of Breton independence groups exist and they enjoy increasing, but minority, support in elections.
A famous Breton is the girl, Becassine, a character from a cartoon. Chef, Manu Feidel is Breton. Legendary road bicycle racer Bernard Hinault was born in the town of Yffiniac in Brittany King Henry VII of England spent quite some time living in Brittany (1471 – 1485).
Cornwall Patron Saint – St Piran (acknowledged 5th March)
The Cornish flag.
This black flag with a white cross is the banner of Saint Piran, the patron saint of the tin miners of Cornwall. Cornwall is a county of England, United Kingdom, located at the tip of the south-‐
western peninsula of Great Britain. Cornwall has a population of 531,600.
The area known as Cornwall was originally inhabited by Celts. Cornwall is part of the Celtic area of Britain. Today, Cornwall’s economy struggles after the decline of the mining and fishing industries and has become more dependent on tourism. The area is noted for its wild moorland landscapes, its extensive and varied coastline and its mild climate. Cornwall is the homeland of the Cornish people and is considered one of the Celtic nations by many residents and scholars. The country continues to retain its distinct identity with its own history, language and culture. What makes Cornwall and the other 'Celtic' nations so different, so enigmatic, is their very non-‐Englishness. They stand as somewhere close to home but with different languages, heritage and cultures. Cornwall is often portrayed as unique to promote tourism.
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Language The word structure is quite different to that of English. When English superseded Cornish as the principal language sometime in the 16th century, the people spoke the new language as foreigners. English words were used but in a Cornish framework. The Cornish language has links to Breton and Gaelic languages. Megaliths, Mênhirs and Stone Circles of Cornwall Cornwall has hundreds of ancient monuments. They range from the small underground chambers through to imposing quoits (dolmens) and cliff castles as well as the longstones or mênhirs.
Mining, especially tin and copper, mining means a lot to Cornish people. The St Piran flag is meant to represent the ‘white’ tin occurring as veins against the dark rocks. Mining has played a huge part in family histories with Cornish ancestors giving up a reasonable existence as farmers chasing perceived wealth in mining including ‘gold rush fever’. Cornish people settled near Emmaville to mine tin. The Emmaville Mining museum is worth a visit to find out more about the Cornish history in mining in this region. Food Cornish cuisine encompasses the cooking styles, traditions and recipes associated with Cornwall. It has been heavily influenced by the geography of the county.
Cornwall being a peninsula surrounded by seas historically well-‐stocked with fish has meant that fish dishes form a major part of the historical and modern recipes in Cornwall. The fishing industry has played a major part in the economy of the county. The iconic dish of Cornwall, the pastry, has its origins in another historical industry within the county, mining.
Cornwall is perhaps best known though for its pasties. Today's pasties usually contain a filling of beef steak, onion, potato and swede with salt and white pepper, but historically pasties had a variety of different fillings. Pasties are often locally referred to as oggies. Historically, pasties were also often made with sweet fillings such as jam, apple and blackberry, plums or cherries.
Davidstow Creamery The wet climate and relatively poor soil of Cornwall make it unsuitable for growing many arable crops (e.g. wheat and rye). However, it is ideal for growing the rich grass required for dairying, leading to the production of Cornwall's other famous export, clotted cream. This forms the basis for many local specialities including Cornish fudge and Cornish ice cream. Cornish clotted cream is protected under EU law and cannot be made anywhere else.
Cheese Yarg is a semi-‐hard cheese made in Cornwall. Before being left to mature, this cheese is carefully wrapped in nettle leaves to form an edible, though mouldy, rind. The texture varies from creamy and soft immediately under the nettle coating to a crumbly texture in the middle.
Cakes, sweet dishes and fruit Traditional Cornish fairings Local cakes and desserts include Saffron cake, heavy cake, fairing biscuits, figgy 'obbin, scones (often served with jam and clotted cream) and whortleberry pie. Baking cakes using yeast is more common here than in the rest of England.
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Galicia Patron Saint – St James (acknowledged 25th July) The Galician flag. The Galician flag has its origin in the 19th century Corunna navy saltire flag flown on the ships transporting Galician emigrants to America.
Located in the northwest of Spain, between Portugal and Asturias, Galicia is an autonomous province of 3 million and an amazing 90% of this number live by, or very close to, the coast or in one of the major cities. Its capital is Saint-‐Jacques de Compostela. Often described as green Spain or real Spain, this temperate north western corner of the Iberian Peninsula is rich and fertile with an abundance of beaches and spectacular mountainous views. It has historic cities like the famous Santiago de Compostela, a culture descended from the Celts and a warm and friendly welcome for all of its foreign visitors.
The Galicians today Today, the Galicians are a proud people who often see themselves firstly as citizens of the nation of Galicia and secondly as Spaniards. They speak their own language, Gallego, have a regional parliament with autonomous powers and a Celtic culture that varies greatly from that of Spain’s more southerly communities. Galicia celebrates its culture in a variety of ways, but one of the most evident is the festival events that run yearlong throughout its calendar. These festivals present an opportunity for the Galicians to demonstrate their traditional dress, styles of music and dancing, whilst enjoying their colourful regional cuisine. Many of these festivals display elaborate costumes; the traditional bagpipe like galeta and some have sea bound floral displays with fireworks concluding the day’s events. The region is known for having a fishing based economy, but many of these small towns now double up as summer holiday resorts. Agriculture is also a big part of the Galician economy and the most popular crop is the common potato. Sweet corn is also popular and is grown as an animal feed. The single most popular attraction on Galicia's tourist map is Santiago de Compostela cathedral. This building is claimed to hold the tomb of Saint James, who is also the city's patron, and as a result it is the final destination for pilgrims following the famous "Camino" Christian pilgrimage from France and Portugal. Language The Celtic language has been lost during the Roman occupation, but has left traces in some place names. However, the language is fairly close to Portuguese and has survived a number of movements. The Galician's have their own language called Gallego, but all speak "standard" Spanish too. The Gastronomy of Galicia Galician cuisine is very unlike that of the rest of Spain. Rice and pasta dishes are not staples of a northern Spanish meal whereas the potato, in all its forms, certainly is. Seafood Galicia has a unique and highly regarded gastronomy that utilises seafood of every type for its starters and main courses. Although Galicia has a reputation for seafood generally, it is the shellfish and crustaceans for which the area has the greatest fame.
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No single Galician dish is totally representative of the region, but small octopus known as pulpo are one of the favourites and can be seen being cooked at markets and festivals. Popular in restaurants, a mixed shellfish platter is one of the most representative examples of Galician cuisine and this can include lobster, crabs, prawns, shrimps, clams, barnacles, mussels and several other obscure shell adorned animals. Galician main courses include thick stew like broths which are popular during the cool winters. Tapas also has it place in Galicia, but is based around the sea with plates of calamari and octopus being particularly popular. Appetisers flavoured with chorizo appear on many menus and fish soups and dishes with potato, the regional vegetable, can be found across the region. Desserts Galician desserts tend to take the form of cakes and tarts and a decorative appearance seems as important as the flavours of the ingredients. Chocolate is often the primary flavouring but fruits and liqueurs are also used and the varieties available are almost limitless. Bakers (cake shops) have tiny mouth sized cakes that are sold by weight. There are often 2 or 3 dozen different varieties and all are tasty.
Ireland Patron Saint – St Patrick (acknowledged 17th March)
The Irish flag. The Tricolour was used by the Young Ireland movement in 1848, inspired on the French flag. It was not until the rising of 1916, when it was raised above the General Post Office in Dublin,
that the tricolour came to be regarded as the national flag. Green symbolises the national colour of Ireland, white is for Peace and orange is the colour of the Protestant settlers in Ireland.
Ireland (Eire in Gaelic), west of the British Isles, has four and a half million inhabitants, of which three quarters live in the southern independent country. While in the North, Ulster (Belfast Capital) is part of the UK. Ireland is well known for its green landscapes, peat, gorse, whiskey and a traditional Irish way of life preserved on the island. Ireland has a special place in the heart of the Celts, who celebrate St. Patrick as their patron saint. Gaelic is taught and is spoken by 200 000 in Ireland. The music is second nature. The person who was to become St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, was born in Wales about AD 385. His given name was Maewyn, and he almost didn't get the job of bishop of Ireland because he lacked the required scholarship. Far from being a saint, until he was 16, he considered himself a pagan. At that age, he was sold into slavery by a group of Irish marauders that raided his village. During his captivity, he became closer to God. He escaped from slavery after six years and went to Gaul where he studied in the monastery under St. Germain, bishop of Auxerre for a period of twelve years. During his training he became aware that his calling was to convert the pagans to Christianity. Facts about St. Patrick's Day Holiday • St. Patrick’s Day is observed on March 17 because that is the feast day of St. Patrick, the patron
saint of Ireland. It is believed that he died on March 17 in the year 461 AD. It is also a worldwide celebration of Irish culture and history. St. Patrick’s Day is a national holiday in Ireland and a provincial holiday in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
• In Ireland on St. Patrick’s Day, people traditionally wear a small bunch of shamrocks on their jackets or caps. Children wear orange, white and green badges, and women and girls wear green ribbons in their hair.
• Many cities have a St. Patrick’s Day parade. Dublin, the capital of Ireland, has a huge St. Patrick’s Day festival from March 15-‐19 that features a parade, family carnivals, treasure hunt, dance, theatre and more.
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Facts about Saint Patrick • St. Patrick was born in 385 AD somewhere along the west coast of Britain, possibly in the Welsh
town of Banwen. At age 16, he was captured and sold into slavery to a sheep farmer. He escaped when he was 22 and spent the next 12 years in a monastery. In his 30s he returned to Ireland as a Christian missionary. He died at Saul in 461 AD and is buried at Downpatrick.
Facts about the Irish • 34 million Americans have Irish ancestry, according to the 2003 US Census. That’s almost nine
times the population of Ireland, which has 4.1 million people. • Some American towns have “Irish” names. You could visit: Mount Gay-‐Shamrock, West Virginia;
Shamrock Lakes, Indiana; Shamrock, Oklahoma; Shamrock, Texas; Dublin, California and Dublin, Ohio.
• The harp is the symbol of Ireland. The color green is also commonly associated with Ireland, also known as “the Emerald Isle.”
• The Irish flag is green, white and orange. The green symbolizes the people of the south, and orange, the people of the north. White represents the peace that brings them together as a nation.
• The name “lephrechaun” has several origins. It could be from the Irish Gaelic word “leipreachan,” which means “a kind of aqueous sprite.” Or, it could be from “leath bhrogan,” which means “shoemaker.”
Isle of Man Tynwald Day (acknowledged 5th July)
The Manx flag The Three Legs of Man appeared for the first time around 1230 on the Manx Sword of State. The Mann’s Trinacria (3 legs) is thought to have been brought from Sicily, Italy by the Norse
rulers of Mann. The Isle of Man is a self-‐governing Crown dependency located in the Irish Sea, at the geographical centre of the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth 2 who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The island is not part of the United Kingdom but foreign relations and defence are the responsibility of the government of the United Kingdom. Inhabited for millennia, the island gradually became a Celtic-‐Norse community as the Norse settled there; starting about AD 850. This has left a legacy ranging from the Tynwald Parliament to many local place names, the oldest parliament in the world, inherited from the Vikings. It has been operating for over a thousand years on Tynwald Hill. After a period of alternating rule by the kings of England and Scotland, the Manx came under the English crown. The island never became part of the United Kingdom and retained its status as an internally self-‐governing jurisdiction The tax haven of the Isle of Man has approx 60,000 inhabitants, half of whom live in Douglas. The Isle of Man is famous for its motorcycle races, cats with no tail, four-‐horned rams and horse-‐drawn tram.
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CELTS AND MORE Islanders are known as 'Manx' but classified (for passport purposes, for instance) as British. The Manx are one of the Celtic peoples (the rest being Scots, Irish, Welsh, Cornish and Breton). Roughly half the population is Manx-‐born, with the rest mostly coming from the UK, Scotland and Ireland. Douglas, the Island’s capital, is the main centre of population. The earliest inhabitants of the Island have left many traces: the landscape is dotted with the remains of hillforts, burial sites and settlements from the Bronze, Iron and Stone Ages.
Cashtal Yn Ard
GAELIC MEETS ENGLISH English is the first language of modern Manx people but the old language is Manx Gaelic, which is closely related to Scots and Irish Gaelic but distinct from both. There are no longer any native Manx speakers on the Island but the language has been kept alive by a growing number of scholars and enthusiasts. There are now Manx Gaelic nursery and primary schools, and children can continue to study it at secondary school. Government departments use both Manx and English on all documentation, and official signage such as street and town names are also dual-‐language.
‘Tynwald Day’, the Manx national day and a public holiday, is 5th July. On this day, there is a special ceremony held on the parliament’s historic outdoor site at St Johns. The Island’s politicians and dignitaries assemble on Tynwald Hill – a grassy four-‐tiered hill -‐ and the laws are read out in English and Manx. Tartan The Island has its own tartan, whose colours each symbolise a different facet of the Manx landscape: blue for the sky, purple for the heather, yellow for the gorse, green for the hills and white for the traditional whitewashed crofts. Animals According to legend, St Patrick banished toads and snakes from the Island upon his arrival, and you won’t find any to this day. British mammals which are notable by their absence from the Isle of Man include voles, badgers, squirrels and foxes. By way of
compensation, we can claim two particularly unusual four-‐legged inhabitants. One is the famous Manx cat, which is tailless and has longer hind legs than most other breeds. The other is the
Loaghtan sheep, which has four horns and a rich brown fleece, and is thought to have been introduced by the Vikings. Manx cat loaghtan sheep
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The Great Laxey Wheel Set upon the hills near the village Laxey rests a giant, ‘Lady Isabella’ named after former Lieutenant Governor Hope's wife is also known as the Laxey Wheel. It was built in 1854 by Robert Casement, a Laxey native and talented engineer. The Laxey Wheel remains the largest working waterwheel in the world. The wheel has a diameter of 22 metres and a circumference of 74 metres. It used to pump water to the mines. The mines employed over 600 miners at its peak producing lead, copper, silver and zinc till the mines closed in 1929. In 1965 the government bought the wheel and site. More than just a landmark, the world-‐famous Laxey Wheel is the crowning glory of a wide-‐scale restoration project which has revealed to people the fascinating history of Laxey as a mining village. In the mid 1800s, Laxey's mining industry was a thriving concern on a vast scale which employed hundreds and shaped both the landscape and fortunes of the village. Horse trams The horse-‐drawn open trams which run along the length of Douglas Promenade are a poignant reminder of the Island’s tourism heyday and yet still very much a popular attraction in their own right. The Douglas Horse Drawn Trams are the world's oldest surviving horse tram service, dating back to 1876. The trams are fitted with roller bearings to ease the load on the horses bred to pull them. The trams link the 2 miles distance from the Manx Electric Railway and depot at Derby Castle along Douglas.
Racing The TT is the world’s most famous road motorbike race and is responsible for the Isle of Man’s reputation as a hotspot for those that like fast engines and hair-‐raising spectacle. The TT Races are held in May/June each year. Manx Grand Prix (August) Traditionally taking place at the end of August/beginning of September, the Manx Grand Prix is the quieter, more relaxed cousin of the TT. Held on the same 25 km ‘Mountain’ circuit, it consists of four-‐lap races in separate classes. Legends The Legend of the Manx Cat Once upon a time in the Isle of Man, there lived a Lady Pussycat and a Gentleman hare. They loved each other and decided to get married. But.....who were the children to take after? It was agreed between the parents that they should have the head and body of their mother and the legs of their father. And the tail? Oh dear! Should it be long or should it be short? The whole island was in an uproar, some for the long and some for the short. The clamour was so great that it reached the ears of the Almighty. He, in His great wisdom, decreed that none of the children should have a tail .... and peace was restored to the beautiful island. HENCE – the Manx Cat!
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Fairy Bridge – Isle of Man On the Isle full of folklore, you never know what will be around the next bend or hiding in the shadow of wells, caves and bridges. Fairy Bridge in Santon is a long know hideaway for the little people of the island. It is considered bad luck to pass over the bridge without acknowledging the fairies (faeries) known to be there. Some people write little messages and wishes on paper and tie them to the trees next to the bridge. Perhaps they are hoping for a little fairy magic. The Santon Fairy Bridge is believed to date from the day of the Abbey in the 12th century. Craft Manx Log Cabin Patchwork has been made since the early part of the nineteenth century. Fabric was recycled from clothing, old curtains and scraps of all kinds. The blocks were pieced with the traditional light and dark halve. These quilts are still being made today.
Scotland Patron Saint St Andrew (acknowledged 30th November) The Scottish flag. The St. Andrew’s flag, known as the Saltire, is a national emblem of Scotland since 1286. The legend account that the St. Andrew’s cross appeared in the sky to help the Scots to win a battle against the Angles, hence the colours of the white cross
over the blue flag.
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the southwest. In addition to the mainland, Scotland consists of over 790 islands including the Northern Isles and the Hebrides. Edinburgh, the country’s capital and second largest city, is one of Europe’s largest financial centres. Glasgow, Scotland’s largest city, was once one of the world’s leading industrial cities. Scotland’s legal system continues to be separate from those of England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Scotland evokes the Highlands, good whiskey, kilts (the design and colour denote the clan), bagpipes, games (as unusual as the start of trunk of tree), rugby, the Loch Ness monster, thistle, or the cross of St. Andrew. Fast Facts
Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow Official languages English, Gaelic, Scots Population around 5.2 million The Scottish poet Robert Burns was born on January 25, 1759 in Alloway, Ayrshire, at what is now Burns Cottage.
The day of his birth is celebrated today throughout the world as Burns Night, with Burns Suppers, poems and songs.
People have lived in Scotland since pre-‐historic times, over 12,000 years ago.
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Between Skara Brae and Maes Howe is the Ring of Brodgar, a stone circle dating back to 2000BC and similar to Stone Henge. No one is sure what stone circles were used for but they may have been used for astronomical observations and rituals. The Standing Stones of Glen Innes were designed on the Ring of Brodgar.
Tartan Tartan has without doubt become one of the most important symbols of Scotland and Scottish Heritage. St Andrew St Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland. Andrew was a Galilean fisherman working in the Black Sea before he and his brother Simon Peter became disciples of Jesus Christ. He was crucified by the Romans on an X-‐shaped cross at Patras in Greece and, hundreds of years later, his remains were moved to Constantinople and then, in the 13th century, to Amalfi in southern Italy where they are kept to this day. On the day of the battle a Saltire, an X-‐shaped cross, appeared in the sky above the battlefield and the Picts were victorious. The Saltire, or Saint Andrew’s cross, was subsequently adopted as the national emblem and flag of the Scots. Andrew was first recognised as an official patron saint of Scotland in 1320. In 1879 the Archbishop of Amalfi gifted Andrew’s shoulder blade to St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh. Pope Paul VI donated further relics in 1969. Andrew is also the patron saint of Greece, Russia, Romania, and Barbados. Hogmanay Hogmanay is the Scots word for the last day of the year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner. Burns’ ‘Auld Lang Syne’ is sung to celebrate the start of the New Year at the stroke of midnight, not just in Scotland but in many English-‐speaking countries. The Guinness Book of World Records lists ‘Auld Lang Syne’ as one of the most frequently sung songs in English. Music Bagpipes It is thought that the Romans brought bagpipes to Scotland some 2,000 years ago. The Great Highland Bagpipe has become synonymous with military bands and is classified as a double reed woodwind instrument. A set of bagpipes consists of a bag -‐ traditionally made from a sheep's bladder, a blowpipe, a chanter, one bass and two tenor drones, and it is limited by its range of only nine notes. The Piper is, among other things, the monarch's alarm clock, waking her at 6 a.m. each morning and in attendance wherever she is in the United Kingdom. A set of Great Highland bagpipes can cost upwards of $1,200, and like all quality musical instruments, steeply rise in price dependent upon the maker and materials used.
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Craft Knitting Norse settlers first imported the hardy sheep used in Shetland and Fair Isle knitting in the 9th century and knitting was soon to become important to the local economy, as it still is. The soft, yet warm, quality of Shetland makes it ideal for hosiery and lace shawls. Knitters on the islands developed Fair Isle knitting in the 19th century. It consists of symbolic and intricate patterns that are said to have been influenced by shipwrecked Spaniards in 1588. The colors used in traditional Fair Isle knitting yarns are derived from dyes made of local plants and lichens. Traditional Scottish Cuisine The signature dish of Scotland is undoubtedly Haggis. Traditional Scottish cuisine is based on local produce -‐ oats for porridge and oatcake biscuits (bannocks), salted, or smoked meat and game. Fish is a staple and the city of Aberdeen has been known for its cured fish since the 13th Century. Scotland is famous for Aberdeen Angus Beef, succulent Lamb, and delicate summer fruits such as raspberries, strawberries, and blackberries. An increasing number of specialist farms in the Highlands produce Venison, and cheese making is a rediscovered art. The Scots are a nation of self-‐confessed sweet addicts and aside from their heavenly fudge and boiled sweets (boilings) link "rhubarb rock" and "Soor Plooms", there is a host of traditional puddings like cranachan and cream crowdie, girdle scones and clootie dumpling, not to mention jams, jellies and preserves of all kinds. Aside from whisky the Scottish have a second national drink -‐ Irn Bru. It is very sweet, very orange and defies description except to say that it consistently outsells Coca Cola in Scotland.
Wales Patron Saint St David (acknowledged 1st March)
The Welsh flag. Y Ddraig Goch, The Red Dragon. It is
believed that the dragon was adopted from the standards of the Roman Army. The white and green field is a reminder of the colours of the Welsh Tudor royalty.
Located west of Great Britain, Wales has three million people. It is now administered by a "National Assembly". Cardiff (300,000 inhabitants) is the capital of this country that has experienced significant prosperity in the industrial age. Wealth is reflected in many of its buildings. For over seven centuries, sumptuous castles bear the scars of their constant struggles. Wales has an exceptionally preserved landscape in three national parks. The story of Wales begins with the Celts. The Celts began migrating from their central European homeland around 1000 BC. The recorded history of Wales begins with the arrival of the Romans on Welsh borders. At that time people spoke a Celtic language – Brythonic, the language that would eventually evolve into Welsh. Fast Facts
Anthem: Hen Wlad fy Nhadau / Land of my fathers Capital: Cardiff, population 341,054 Other major towns: Swansea, Newport, Wrexham Official Languages: Welsh, English Population: 3,006,430 (StatsWales 2010)
Patron Saint: St David
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National Symbols The Leek According to legend St David advised the Britons on the eve of a battle with the Saxons, to wear leeks in their caps so as to easily distinguish friend from foe. This helped to secure a great victory. Today Welsh people around the world wear leeks on St David's Day. It is also a surviving tradition that soldiers in the Welsh regiments eat a raw leek on
St David's Day. The Daffodil The Welsh for leek (the original national emblem) is Cenhinen, while the Welsh for daffodil is Cenhinen Pedr. Over the years they became confused until the daffodil was adopted as a second emblem of Wales.
Notables of Wales Bog Snorkelling is a sporting event that consists of competitors completing two consecutive lengths of a 55 m water filled trench cut through a peat bog in the shortest time possible. Competitors must wear snorkels and flippers, and complete the course without using conventional swimming strokes, relying on flipper power alone. Wet suits are not compulsory, but are usually worn: take a deep breath and go to Llanwrtyd Wells, where bog snorkelling began in 1976, for the World Bog Snorkelling Championships. The World Bog Snorkelling championships began in 1985 and takes place annually in August. It attracts over 200 competitiors.
Dylan Thomas is the famous Welsh writer of Under Milk Wood and was born in Swansea in 1914.
More recent writers to come from Wales include children’s favourite Roald Dahl, who wrote Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and Ken Follett who wrote The Pillars of the Earth.
The National Eisteddfod is Wales's most important cultural gathering. The World Record to gather the most people with the same surname Jones was broken with 1,224 Joneses gathering in November 2006.
Stem Cell Research: Cardiff University Professor Sir Martin Evans has been awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine for "a series of ground-‐breaking discoveries concerning embryonic stem cells"
Coal from the South Wales valleys fuelled the world in the 18th and 19th centuries and shaped the industrial revolution. Go underground at Big Pit to find out how.
Language
English is the common language in Wales but the Welsh language is thriving. It’s spoken fluently by over half a million people in Wales that’s over 20% of the population. It’s called Cymraeg, and is a language with entirely regular and phonetic spelling. Place names may look complicated but once you know the rules, you can learn to read and pronounce Welsh fairly easily. The (Welsh) Celtic language is closely related to Cornish and Breton and is one of Europe’s oldest living languages; the Welsh spoken today is directly descended
from the language of the Sixth Century.
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The Government Act of Wales states that the Welsh and English languages should be treated equally. Public bodies are required to prepare and implement a Welsh Language Scheme. Local councils and the Welsh Government use Welsh as an official language, issuing official literature and publicity in Welsh as well as in English. Road signs in Wales are in English and Welsh, including the Welsh versions of place names. Welsh is a compulsory subject for all school pupils up to the age of 16 in Wales. There are over 600 castles in Wales. That's more castles per square mile than any other country in the world. All over Wales you can visit ancient castles where famous battles were fought with the Celts, the Romans, the Saxons and the Vikings. St David – Patron Saint of Wales The 1st March is Saint David’s Day, or Dewi Sant who died on that day in 589AD. Myths and legends King Arthur King Arthur and his knights regularly appear in Welsh mythology and folklore. Sites throughout Wales are connected with this mighty king and his magician Merlin. Today Wales is a leading source of Arthurian literature. In Wales, Arthur’s fame lives on in our everyday place names. Caerfyrddin (Carmarthen) is believed to be Merlin’s birthplace, and is named after him. These place names are not devised to try and prove a point -‐ they are real names, centuries old, part of a community memory which is still alive. The name Arthur comes from the same stem as the Welsh word ‘arth’, meaning bear. He is also supposed to have fought his last battle at Bwlch y Saethau -‐ the Pass of Arrows -‐ which is below Snowdon’s summit and Llyn Llydaw is the lake where Arthur’s sword Excalibur was thrown.