Pan-Celticism

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The Six Nations considered the heartland of the modern Celts
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The Six Nations considered the heartland of the modern Celts

Pan-Celticism is the name given to a variety of movements that espouse greater contact between the various Celtic countries.

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[edit] Types of Pan-Celticism

Pan-Celticism can operate on the following levels:

[edit] History of Pan-Celt relations

Relations among Celtic peoples have had high and low points over the last few hundred years. As recently as the 13th century, the Scottish élite was proud to claim Gaelic-Irish origins. The 14th century Scottish King Robert the Bruce strongly asserted a common identity for Ireland and Scotland. However, in later medieval times, Irish and Scottish interests diverged for a number of reasons, and the two peoples grew estranged. The conversion of the Scots to Protestantism was one factor. The stronger political position of Scotland in relation to England was another. The disparate economic fortunes of the two was third; by the 1840s Scotland was one of the richest areas on earth and Ireland one of the poorest.

Over the centuries there continued to be considerable contact between Ireland and Scotland, first as Scots settled in Ulster County in the 17th century and than as Irish began to move to Scottish cities in the 19th century. Recently the field of Irish-Scottish studies has developed considerably, with the Irish-Scottish Academic Initiative (ISAI) founded in 1995. To date, three international conferences have been held in Ireland and Scotland, in 1997, 2000 and 2002.[1]

[edit] The term 'Celtic'

There is great controversy surrounding this term for a variety of reasons. One of these is that some consider it to be an inaccurate term to be applied to modern day peoples, and another is that others do not think that there is sufficient evidence of a link between the ancient Celts and the new 'Celts'. However since most Pan Celtic enthusiasts support the view that modern or 'Atlantic Celts' speak, or have spoken a Celtic language within recent history, the term 'Celtic' is a just one. Atlantic Celts, while bearing little genetic similarity to modern peoples occupying the so called 'Celtic Homelands' of central Europe, do share remarkable genetic markers with each other. The obvious conclusion is that Atlantic Celts are culturally 'Celtic', whilst being racially indigenous to the Western fringe of Europe. The term 'Celtic' does not, nor could it ever, constitute a racial grouping. Rather it is cultural and intrinsically international in nature. For further discussion on this matter see the Wikipedia articles on the ancient Celts and modern Celts.

[edit] The Celtic regions/countries

See also: Modern Celts

The Celtic Congress and Celtic League consider the following to be the Celtic nations -

However, in music festivals it is common to find bands from Galicia, Asturias, Nova Scotia and England.

The Aosta Valley and Friuli in Italy are sometimes claimed as Celtic regions, as are parts of England (other than Cornwall). See also article on the Modern Celts. In the last few years there has also been a process of "Celtic revival" in Northern Portugal. The Iberian connection it not as tenuous as it may seem. While the languages of the area are largely Latinate and have been for many centuries, the people themselves are almost certainly partly descended of Celtiberian stock, and their musical traditions share a lot in common with those of Brittany, Wales and Cornwall. However it is generally claimed that the 'litmus test' of Celticness is a Celtic language.

In the Western Hemisphere there are notable Celtic enclaves in western maritime Canada (which has produced a number of world-class bagpipers, and has a notable population of Irish and Scottish Gaelic speakers), and the Patagonia region of Argentina, which has enough Welsh speakers to support a Welsh-language radio station. The Celtic diaspora in the Americas, as well as New Zealand and Australia, is significant and organized enough that there are numerous organizations, cultural festivals and university-level language classes available in major cities throughout these regions.

Scottish games and music events, in particular, often draw thousands of participants, even in rural areas of the U.S., and are becoming increasingly pan-Celtic in tone. The annual San Francisco Celtic Music and Arts Festival runs for several days in a row, and fills a former military building larger than most aircraft hangars, to near capacity.

Even the far East evidence a vicarious pan-Celtic interest; the journal (mostly in Japanese) Studia Celtica Japonica is well regarded among scholars. (See Modern Celts)

[edit] Timeline of Pan-Celticism

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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