What does the Celtic League do? It?s a question sometimes posed over the years by folk a tad irritated by our output of news and comment.
However the League ?DO? quite a lot and ?HAVE DONE? quite a lot over the years including of course the highly successful military monitoring campaign of the 1970-90s and are focus on environmental (not least marine) pollution and human rights which culminated in changes at National and International level.
There is also the continuous publication since the early 1970s of CARN our (originally quarterly now thrice yearly) journal which includes articles in each of the six Celtic languages in all issues
I was reminded of this broader agenda when I read this report on the Transceltic blog:
?Police Scotland and Scottish Police Authority plans to embrace Gaelic language very welcome
Submitted by Douglas MacQueen on December 29, 2016
Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority (SPA) have today (29th December 2016) unveiled their Gaelic Language Plans for the coming five years. It is a statutory requirement for all Scottish public bodies to have a Gaelic language plan. Under the plans Police Scotland officers will be encouraged to learn Gaelic and the service?s vehicles rebranded as part of an initiative to help promote the language within Scotland’s national force. Vehicles in Police Scotland?s N Division (Highlands and Islands), including the force helicopter, already carry the ?Poileas Alba? branding.
Under the plan, which is very positive, officers who speak Gaelic or who want to learn the language will be identified. Assistant Chief Constable Andrew Cowie said: ?Following a successful public consultation, I am delighted the joint Police Scotland and Scottish Police Authority Gaelic Language Plan is being launched. ?The importance of upholding traditional and native languages cannot be underestimated and as a police service we recognise Gaelic as an important aspect of Scotland?s heritage. It also has a significant role to play in the overall wellbeing of communities and the country as a whole. ?I look forward with great enthusiasm to taking on the recommendations contained in the plan and developing the service?s involvement with Gaelic speakers and communities where Gaelic is the dominant tongue.?
It reminded me that it?s now almost a decade since General Secretary Rhisiart Talebot compiled the ?POLICE REPORT? into attitudes across a number of the Police Forces to the Celtic Languages including the Force in Mann (link):
Image: Police Scotland helicopter – bi-lingual Celtic language signage once prevalent only in Wales is now being used in other parts of Britain.
BERNARD MOFFATT
Public Relations Officer Mannin Branch
Issued by: The Mannin branch of the Celtic League.
30/12/16
■