Photo: Pearse O'Halloran (@pearseoh) | Unsplash Photo Community

Inspiration for "Motherland"

It is the time of The Great War and this is how we meet the main character, Chris Guthrie, in the opening paragraph of chapter 1 in Sunset Song by Lewis Grassic Gibbon:

"Below and around where Chris Guthrie lay the June moors whispered and rustled and shook their cloaks, yellow with broom and powdered faintly with purple, that was the heather but not the full passion of its colour yet. And in the east against the cobalt blue of the sky lay the shimmer of the North Sea, that was by Bervie, and maybe the wind would veer there in an hour or so and you'd feel the change in the life and strum of the thing, bringing a streaming coolness out of the sea." (Grassic Gibbon, L. 1982).

I first read Sunset Song when I was 17 years old and I felt that I knew Chris Guthrie, inside and out. I understood her need for home but longing for that "something more". As the chapters unfurled I found myself picturing cottages, fields, the feel of the sun, rain and wind and the characters of the villagers. The setting was everything I knew from a child having grown up in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire. I'd fed horses in the fields of Laurencekirk, thrown stones at Bervie beach and paddled in the sea at Stonehaven. 

I was also inspired by existing folk songs that are about home and being homesick - Caledonia by Dougie MacLean is about being far away and yearning for home. It is in a 3/4 time signature giving a warm, waltz feel. In the video below we see how a song can be changed from just one voice and guitar to a community of voices and instruments. Hame, Hame, Hame by Silly Wizard is storytelling about place and connection. It is a 4/4 time signature with an ethereal sound and is inspired by an old Jacobite ballad (Zierke, R. 2023).

Musicology

Cultural Context

Motherland is a gentle ballad or air that I have written to encompass the area of The Mearns, Aberdeenshire. The song's roots come from reading Sunset Song by Lewis Grassic Gibbon (pseudonym of James Leslie Mitchell) who was born in the area of Auchterless in The Mearns, 1901 (Malcolm, W. n.d.). As an Aberdonian, I have always empathised with the main character, Chris Guthrie, and her yearning for both the land and her beloved books. Chris is the daughter of a farmer in the fictitious town of Kinraddie which has been imagined from the rural area of Inverbervie, Auchenblae, Laurencekirk and Stonehaven up to Aberdeen (see Figure 1). I have visited these areas all through my life; it is part of my own cultural heritage (see Figure 2).

In my song I wanted to encompass this foreboding sense of push and pull, whereby, home is where the heart is but change can show us how to evolve and learn. The combination of ballad style and storytelling is a traditional North East habit - "There can be little doubt that the North East is the real home of the ballad." (Wheeler, L. n.d.). I chose to use the English language as opposed to Doric language but this is something that can be sung in any accent so it is interchangeable and can be interpretated as the singer wishes.

Lyrical content and structure

The structure of the song is simplistic with only two verses and a long instrumental. The lyrics are about a farmer's daughter and her love of the land. I wanted to convey how Chris felt at the time - breathing in the air of a grey day, how she could see the blue skies coming in from the sea, how she could feel the air change and then I just wanted her to lose all thought, close her eyes and breathe allowing the instrumental to be the nature that surrounds her. This is to show connection; her deep emotional ties to the land and surroundings.

Melody and harmony

I chose A minor scale as it is both simplistic and emotional. I also used vocal slides and piano arpeggios for ornamentation with legato notes on fiddle which are all typical in folk music. The bass keeps everything grounded with root notes. Each verse starts on an A minor chord and goes through a i-iv-v-VI-VII chord progression in the first line, from there it flits from minor to major eventually completing each verse on a C major chord. These progressions and modal interchange create a sense of emotional transformation. Chris moves from tension and possibly sadness (minor) to hope and intent (major).

Rhythm, tempo and timbre

The time signature is 3/4 creating a waltz like feel which helps emphasise the lyrical and emotional qualities. The tempo is 77bpm which is slow to meet the mood of Chris as she lies in the field contemplating. The timbre is ethereal which is held in place by gentle piano and fiddle along with soft, airy vocals. The addition of a bass line is simply the constant heartbeat of the earth - known as The Schumann's Resonance (Schumann Resonance, n.d.)

Joanna Kosinska (@joannakosinska) | Unsplash Photo Community

Aberdeenshire traditional music - authenticity

"Music that functions as a marker of identity for a particular cultural group and that has grown out of their oral tradition or that has been composed using musical characteristics derived from oral tradition." (McKerrell, S. 2014).

Aberdeenshire traditional music is a treasured, varied and rich tradition reflecting the cultural heritage of the area. There are various elements that when combined create appeal and character. Instrumentation in Aberdeenshire can be bagpipes, fiddle, accordion, clarsach harp, penny whistle, percussion, spoons and voice. The type of songs are very much storytelling whether it be through romantic or historical ballads, humorous bothy ballads, sea shanties, waulking songs or laments. The musical forms of the songs are reels, strathspeys, jigs and airs which all convey a different rhythm and tempo. Tying into many of these musical forms are specific dances i.e., waltz, Gay Gordons, Strip the Willow, Sword dance and Highland Fling (see video below). The lyrical language used can be Gaelic, different Scottish dialects i.e., Doric, or simply English. More often than not the themes used are love and loss, historical moments, nature, landscape, humour and agricultural life.

The North East is also a huge contributor to preserving Scottish traditional music through the likes of documented works by James Duncan and Gavin Greig. Greig, a schoolmaster, and Duncan, a reverend worked together to collect songs of the North East and the ordinary folk. The initial idea was imagined by the antiquarian society called the New Spalding Club (University of Aberdeen, n.d.; Greig, G. and Keith, A. 1905; Olson, I.A. 1984) and in 1902 they commissioned Gavin Greig to do the song collection. This led to over 1900 songs being catalogued, however, this information wasn't edited until the 1980's by the universities of Aberdeen and Edinburgh (Live Life Aberdeenshire, n.d.). American scholar Gershon Legman described Greig as "the greatest folksong collector of modern times, and in the richest area for folksong" (Munnelly, T. 1998).

The oral tradition of Aberdeenshire was made popular by traditional traveller (Tinker) singers - one being Jeannie Robertson who settled into family life in the Gallowgate, Aberdeen - "her superb voice, her shaping of phrases so that words and music become inseparable whole, her wide-ranging repertoire and matching versatility of style, her subtle use of rubato and ornamentation as means of expressiveness, above all the paradox of a traditional timeless objectivity with dramatic, consciously histrionic power" (Munro, A. 1975).

Motherland 

Please press play...

References

Alventos, T. (n.d.). hame, hame, hame- THa Me Sgith --- by Silly Wizard. [online] Available at: hame, hame, hame- Tha Me Sgith --- by Silly Wizard - YouTube [28 Nov 2024]

Dickson, B. (n.d.). CALEDONIA (2013) DOUGIE MACLEAN with BARBARA DICKSON, EDDI READER/MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER/RALPH McTELL. [online] Available at:

CALEDONIA (2013) DOUGIE MACLEAN with BARBARA DICKSON, EDDI READER/MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER/RALPH McTELL - YouTube [28 Nov 2024]

Grassic Gibbon, L. (1982). A Scot’s Quair – Sunset Song, Cloud Howe, Grey Granite. Cavaye Place, London:Pan Books Ltd. Ch.1, p.25. [29 Nov 2024]

Greig, G. and Keith, A. (1925) Last leaves of traditional ballads and ballad airs. Aberdeen, Scotland: Buchan Club.

Live Life Aberdeenshire (n.d.). The Greig Duncan Folk Song Collection. [online] Available at: The Greig Duncan Folk Song Collection - Live, Life Aberdeenshire [03 Dec 2024]

Malcolm, W. (n.d.) Lewis Grassic Gibbon – An Authoritative Source. [online] Available at: Biography | Lewis Grassic Gibbon [29 Nov 2024]

McKerrell, S. (2014). Research on the social impact of music. [online] Available at: Folk and Traditional (definitions) | Simon McKerrell [02 Dec 2024]

Munnelly, T. (1998) The Greig-Duncan Folk Song Collection. Béaloideas, 66, pp. 304–310. Available at: https://doi.org/10.2307/20522524. [02 Dec 2024]

Munro, A. (1975) Jeannie Robertson, 1908-1975. Folk Music Journal, 3(1), pp. 93–94.

Schumann Resonance (n.d.) Schumann Resonance. [online] Available at: Schumann Resonance [29 Nov 2024]

Showalter, D.E., Royde-Smith, J.G. (2024). World War 1 1914-1918. [online] Available at: World War I | History, Summary, Causes, Combatants, Casualties, Map, & Facts | Britannica [29 Nov 2024]

Olson, I.A. (1984) The Greig-Duncan folk song collection and the New Spalding Club.

University of Aberdeen (n.d.). Records of the Spalding Club, Aberdeen: cash book. [online] Available at: Record View | Archive Collections | University of Aberdeen [05 Dec 2024]

Wheeler, L. (n.d.). Traditional Ballads in North East Scotland. [online] Available at: https://www.abdn.ac.uk/elphinstone/kist/display/534/ [02 Dec 2024]

Zierke, R. (2023). Mainly Norfolk: English Folk and Other Good Music. [online] Available at: Hame, Hame, Hame (Roud 269; Laws K43) [02 Dec 2024]

Blog 2: Celtic nation - Isle of Man

Large detailed physical map of Isle of Man with roads and cities | Isle of Man | Europe | Mapsland | Maps of the World

Cultural 

The Isle of Man is a tiny island that sits in the middle of the Irish Sea between Britain and Ireland (see above map). It has grown and evolved through the ages and despite being small in both size and population it has a mighty presence. It has been resilient in remaining unique and free and keeping it's own identity despite external influence. Not only does it have its own identity it also has it's own language, tradition, mythology and folklore. It is steeped in both Celtic and Norse roots and is sustaining it's independence remarkably well.

Culture Vannin (Culture Vannin a, n.d.) is a heritage foundation who abide by The Manx Heritage Foundation Act 1982. This was set up to provide for the establishment of the Manx Heritage Foundation Fund; and for connected purposes. Through this Act, Culture Vannin will help preserve Manx cultural heritage into the future, their objectives are "to promote and assist in the permanent preservation of the cultural heritage of the Island, and in particular to provide facilities for members of the public to enjoy and acquire knowledge of that heritage." and “cultural heritage includes (without prejudice to the generality of subsection (1)(a)) the — (i) crafts; (ii) language; (iii) history; (iv) natural history; (v) literature; (vi) music; (vii) folk-lore; (viii) art; (ix) folk-dance; (x) architecture; (xi) archaeology; (xii) industrial development; (xiii) law; and (xiv) ecology, of the Island or associated with the Island and its people." (Culture Vannin b, n.d.).

Historical 

We know the Celts were the original inhabitants on the Isle of Man as there is archaeological evidence going back to the Neolithic age (Lovelygreens, 2016). These archaelogical finds show strong links to Scotland and Ireland through inscriptions, forts, jewellery, swords, and burial mounds (Manx National Heritage. 2003). The Viking influence came sometime later in 1079 when King Orry invaded the island (Koch, J. and Minard, A. 2012). As the Norse travellers settled, they brought with them their Scandinavian culture and organisation skills. However, despite these new settlers, the Celt traditions remained strong as they were still the majority population at that time. As the years passed, Isle of Man became a mix of both Celtic and Norse influences. By the 14th century, Isle of Man was under English rule and Celtic traditions were being trampled on, however, this tiny island managed to remain as a self governing crown dependency which saw the preservation of it's unique heritage. (Koch, J. and Minard, A. 2012) 

Maritime

Isle of Man is surrounded by the sea and because of this they have had to be adaptable and resilient as a nation. Naturally, the residents feel a spiritual connection to the sea and this carries over into their stories, songs, poems and music. Fishing, shipbuilding and trading have been the mainstay of the island. The seafaring past is noticeable through landmarks like the Viking built Peel Castle (Manx National Heritage, 2024a) and the oldest working waterwheel from the Victorian age called Laxey Wheel (Manx National Heritage, 2024b). The continuous upkeeping of these historical monuments will allow generations in the future to step back in time and become one with the maritime culture and tradition.

Linguistics

The Manx language is known as a Goidelic Celtic language which shares roots with Scottish and Irish Gaelic. It was spoken by most of the islanders until it was under English rule where it became almost extinct, in fact the last known Manx speaker died in 1974. However, due to cultural revival we now see 50 years on that it is being taught from primary school age (ENTR er, 2023) i.e., Bunscoill Ghaelgagh in St. Johns where they always speak Manx whether it is in the educational setting of the classroom or the free setting of the playground (Isle of Man Department of Education, Sport and Culture, n.d.; Learn Manx, n.d.). Thus, allowing this linguistic Celtic heritage to continue through oral traditions, proverbs and songs. This revival has indeed shown just how important the Isle of Man residents look upon their history and culture.

Photo: Deleece Cook (@deleece) | Unsplash Photo Community

Mythology, folklore and legends

As with all ancient traditions comes myths, folklore and legends - deep rooted stories of bygone spirits, Gods and creatures. Sit back and enjoy these wonderful little stories:

Manannan Beg Mac Lir

Manannan Beg Mac Lir or God of the Sea was a very powerful Celtic God. He was known mostly by Irish tales told in different Celtic countries, however, there are some Manx stories that also speak of him i.e., Traditionary Ballad (Asmanxasthehills, (2020). Tynwald Day (Tynwald Parliament of The Isle of Man, 2024) is an annual event whereby rushes are laid out to South Barrule where it is said Manannan stayed in a palace. This custom goes back to when the people paid Manannan rent for his land, in rushes (Manx National Heritage, 2003).

Finn Mac Cooil

Finn Mac Cooil was an Irish giant who scared off a Scottish giant that had come over to Ireland to challenge the strength of Finn. After fighting, the Scottish giant decided to retreat back to the sea. Finn was not as nimble as the other giant but did not want to be outrun so he picked up some soil and stones and threw it at the other giant. His aim was not very good and the mound of soil and stones landed in the middle of the Irish sea. This mound of earth became Isle of Man (Manx National Heritage, 2003).

The Little People of Fairy Bridge

Perhaps the most intriguing and most famous story is that of the Little People - even in modern times it is encouraged to greet the faeries of Fairy Bridge for good luck . If you don't then bad luck may come your way (Sarah, 2021). The constant revival of these stories allows them to be living traditions for generations as opposed to being lost to the past. It allows not only connection to the past for the islanders but for everyone who visits there from around the world.

Identity and politics

The logo of Isle of Man, known as the triskelion, leads on from the folklore story of Manannan - it is said that he was a shapeshifter and could turn himself into anything including a wheel that looked like three legs when it sped up down a hill at enemies (Manx National Heritage, 2003). However, it is thought to have come from the Norse background and is also the coat of arms. Isle of Man fell under English rule and flew the union jack until 1929 when it was replaced by the triskelion (Britannica, n.d.).

The governance of the island is unique as although it is under English rule it self governs and has the oldest continuing parliament, Tynwald, in the world, which was originally established during Viking times, over 1000 years ago. The island prides itself on its self governance and complete autonomy (Tynwald, 2024). This mix of modern independence and old traditions shows the unique quality of Isle of Man's cultural identity.

They are also involved with the Pan-Celtic organisation, Celtic Congress (Ellis, M.), and have strong ties with other Celtic nations through Festival Interceltique de Lorient (Bretagne, n.d.).

Economically they are known as being a financial tax haven which brings it into a complex modern status.

Manx music

"Music revivals can be defined as social movements which strive to ‘restore’ a musical system believed to be disappearing or completely relegated to the past for the benefit of contemporary society (Woolley, C. 2003).

As with all Celtic nations the Isle of Man's residents pride themselves on expressing music and song through traditional musical instruments and storytelling. Whilst they share similar instruments with other nations i.e., harp, fiddle and whistles they are adapted to play in the Manx stle. The revival of Manx music would not have taken place without Charles Barrow's 1820 publication of The Mona Melodies (Barrow, C. 1820) i.e., the air O Sheign Doin (see video link below). Also, in the 1890's, John Clague, aware of the social changes that were ahead, collected well over 300 notated melodies - along with his brothers they took it upon themselves to preserve the Manx musical heritage. This collection became known as the Clague Collection (ManxMusic (n.d.). In 1975, some folk music enthusiasts found the collection in the Manx Museum and in 1977 they held a unique traditional Manx music session, Bwoie Doal (Blind Boy), in Peel (see video link below). By the 1990's, bands like Barrule  and Mec Lir were able to keep these traditional sounds sitting alongside a more modern Celtic sound (Barruletrio, 2012; Mec Lir, 2023). Melodies and rhythms are at the heart of most Manx songs and lullabies as well as traditional dances like the Manx Reel.

All other cultural expression has been helped by the linguistic revival - it has shaped traditional music, song and dance on the island. The inter-Celtic festival Yn Chruinnaght (Yn Chruinnaght Celtic Gathering, 2024) has helped promote Manx Gaelic and music to the world as well as celebrating like traditions with the other Celtic nations.

Photo: Adil Ansari (@michalumni) | Unsplash Photo Community

Photo: Cristina Gottardi (@cristina_gottardi) | Unsplash Photo Community

Modern day

Although, Isle of Man is steeped in ancient tradition, it has also created modern cultural expression in the form of the TT Races (TT, 2024) whereby people from all around the world flock to the island for the racing. Although, founded in 1892, the Manx Music Festival along with the arts and literary scene have continued to modernise with new talent annually (Manx Music Festival, 2024). These innovative ideas have allowed the island to sustain themselves into the future and find a balance between old and new traditions. 

The Manx people are committed to preserving and sustaining their cultural and natural heritage and the Isle of Man's UNESCO Biosphere Reserve status shows a cultural narrative of being at one with themselves, their surroundings and the landscape (Biosphere Isle of Man 2024). 

This adaptability and continuity allows for growth and connection through environment, history, maritime heritage, tradition, language and folklore. By preserving and drawing strength from the past, Isle of Man continues to move forward towards a modern and revitalised identity.

References

Asmanxasthehills, (2020). The Manx Traditionary Ballad – Manannan Beg Mac Y Lir. [online] Available at: The Traditionary Ballad - Manannan Beg Mac y Lir | Isle of Man [07 Dec 2024]

Barrow, C. (1820). The Mona Melodies. A Collection of Ancient & Original Airs of the Isle of Man. Arranged for the voice with a piano forte accompaniment. [online] Available at: MONA MELODIES 2020 full transcription.pdf [06 Dec 2024]

Barruletrio (2012). Barrule – Promo Video. [online] Available at: Barrule - Promo Video - YouTube [06 Dec 2024]

Bethea, C. (2018). Laxey Wheel: How It Works. [online] Available at: Laxey Wheel: How It Works - YouTube [08 Dec 2024]

Biosphere Isle of Man (2024). Working together for a sustainable future UNESCO Bisophere Isle of Man. [online] Available at: UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man - Biosphere [08 Dec 2024]

Bretagne (n.d.). Festival Interceltique de Lorient. [online] Available at: Festival Interceltique de Lorient | Brittany tourism [07 Dec 2024]

Britannica (n.d.). Flag of Isle of Man. [online] Available at: Isle of Man | History, Geography, Facts, & Points of Interest | Britannica [07 Dec 2024]

Culture Vannin a (n.d.). About us – Shinyn. [online] Available at: About Us | Culture Vannin | Isle of Man [05 Dec 2024]

Culture Vannin b (n.d.). Manx Heritage Foundation Act 1982. [online] Available at: Manx Heritage Foundation Act 1982 [05 Dec 2024]

Culture Vannin c (n.d.) Ne Kirree Fo’n Sniaghtey: A Manx song from ‘Mona Melodies’ (1820). [online] Available at: O Sheign Doin: A Manx song from 'Mona Melodies' (1820) - YouTube [06 Dec 2024]

Ellis, M. (n.d.). A short history of the Celtic Congress. [online] Available at: - A short history of the Celtic Congres [07 Dec 2024]

ENTR en (2023). No time to die: the resurrection of Manx Gaelic. [online] Available at: No time to die: the resurrection of Manx Gaelic - YouTube [04 Dec 2024]

Isle of Man Department of Education, Sport and Culture (n.d.). Bunscoill Chaelgagh. [online] Available at: Bunscoill Ghaelgagh [04 Dec 2024]

Koch, J. and Minard, A. (2012) The Celts: History, Life, and Culture. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. Available at: http://qut.eblib.com.au/patron/FullRecord.aspx?p=1887898 [04 Dec 2024]

Learn Manx. (n.d.) Bunscoill Ghaelgagh. [online] Available at: Bunscoill Ghaelgagh | Learn Manx [04 Dec 2024]

Lovelygreens. (2016). Explore these 12 Ancient and Neolithic Sites on the Isle of Man. [online] Available at: Explore these 12 Ancient and Neolithic Sites on the Isle of Man [07 Dec 2024]

ManxMusic (n.d.). Manx Traditional Music. [online] Available at: Manx Traditional Music | Manx Music | Isle of Man [06 Dec 2024]

Manx Music Festival (2024). The Manx Music, Speech & Dance Festival Founded 1892. [online] Available at: Home - Manx Music Festival [08 Dec 2024]

Manx National Heritage. (2003). Celts in Mann. [online] Available at: Celts-4.0 (Page 1) [07 Dec 2024]

Manx National Heritage, a. (2024). Peel Castle -Cashtal Phurt Ny H-Inshey. [online] Available at: Peel Castle - Cashtal Phurt Ny H-Inshey : Manx National Heritage [08 Dec 2024]

Manx National Heritage, b. (2024). The Great Laxey Wheel – Queeeyl Vooar Laksey. [online] Available at: The Great Laxey Wheel - Queeyl Vooar Laksey : Manx National Heritage [08 Dec 2024]

Mec Lir (2023). Mec Lir at Celtic connections 2023. [online] Available at: Mec Lir at Celtic Connections 2023 - YouTube [06 Dec 2024]

Sarah. (2021). Why It Pays to NotUpset Fairies on the Isle of Man. [online] Available at: Why It Pays to Not Upset Fairies on the Isle of Man – uTalk Blog [07 Dec 2024]

The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica (2024). Isle of Man. [online] Available at: Isle of Man | History, Geography, Facts, & Points of Interest | Britannica [04 Dec 2024]

TT (2024). Isle of Man TT Races. [online] Available at: Isle of Man TT Races© - Welcome to the official home of the Isle of Man TT Races [08 Dec 2024]

Tynwald (2024). Tynwald Parliament of The Isle of Man. [online] Available at:  Tynwald - Parliament of the Isle of Man [08 Dec 2024]

Tynwald Parliament of The Isle of Man (2024). Tynwald Day. [online] Available at: Tynwald - Tynwald Day [07 Dec 2024]

Woolley, C. (2003). The Revival of Manx Traditional Music: From the 1970’s to the Present Day. [online] Available at: Microsoft Word - 1. Beginning Thesis.doc [06 Dec 2024]

Yn Chruinnaght Celtic Gathering. (2024). Celtic Music, Song & Dance Festival. [online] Available at: Yn Chruinnaght | Celtic Gathering – Yn Chruinnaght | Celtic Gathering [07 Dec 2024]

Blog 3: Celtic brand identity - Celticity, Celtitude and Celticism

Whilst some share a type of Gaelic language, other Atlantic Arc countries do not have linguistic commonality, they do, however, share a deep rooted Celtic heritage stemming back to the ancient Celts, as well as, a modern day globally recognised brand identity. This identity covers tradition, landscape and history that can be shared across the nations through music, art, dance and stories allowing their progressive community to remain resilient.

Brand identity can be split into three categories:

1. Celticity: A shared cultural and spiritual identity across The Atlantic Arc.

2. Celtitude: A solidarity amongst the Celtic region population.

3. Celticism: The study, appreciation and promotion of Celtic heritage.

Celticity

Celticity is a shared cultural and spiritual identity across The Atlantic Arc which allows the different countries to uphold their own regional identities within a bigger community. Each country's population feels connected to its own unique landscape i.e., Scotland has mountains and Wales has valleys. Whilst both landscapes are very different, the feeling the people who call it home have, is the same - a deep rooted compulsion, both physically and mentally, to be at one with their surroundings. There is a shared appreciation of Celtic symbolism across the nations which involve Celtic art i.e., knot designs, Celtic crosses and burial mounds. Again, this encourages connection to a certain place through history and archaeology. We know the Celts arrived across the countries of The Atlantic Arc at various historical times - post-Roman times but pre-Viking times (Koch, J. and Minard, A. 2012). Spirituality is linked to the land and nature both in visual landscapes and surrounding nature. Different trees grow in different countries so when the wind blows there will be different environmental sound through the leaves but for someone who has lived in a place all their life it will define the sound of "home". This can also be true for animal and bird sounds i.e. an Irish forest will sound different from any other forest in the world because only coal tits and jays are found there (UCC, n.d.). Storytelling is a way of instilling Celtic heritage in children as well as entertaining incomers and travellers with myths and folklore that are both exciting and mysterious. Who doesn't love a story about a unicorn, leprechaun, giant or fairy? (Sarah, 2021). Music and dance as cultural practice includes traditional dances and musical instruments that are specific to an area i.e., a Breton bombard - akin to an oboe (Maclewis, E. 2024), a Galician charrasco - wooden instrument that jingles when shaken (Fernandez, P. 2012) and the Royal Scottish Ceilidh Dancing Society in Scotland (RSCDS, n.d.). Finally, perhaps the core of Celticity is celebrating linguistic ancestry i.e., Gaelic in Scotland, Brythonic in Wales and Manx in Isle of Man. Whilst most of the Celtic lands speak English, in order to preserve their past many also speak the traditional language of their area (Koch, J. and Minard, A. 2012)  

Celtitude

Celtitude is a solidarity amongst the Celtic region population throughout not just The Atlantic Arc but the world. Through colonial immigration many years ago, people as far afield as U.S.A., Australia and New Zealand still cling to their Celtic heritage in honour of their forefathers -

"The Scots were the first of three major ethnic groups to organise a national body in Port Phillip, with a St. Andrews Society being mooted as early as 1839. The purpose of such an organisation, however, was not for any sentimental wallowing in nostalgic reminiscences of some Celtic dreamtime. The practical consequences of these national groups was seen to lie in binding the Scottish community closely together, reinforcing the Scottish identity, and in caring for the educational, spiritual and social needs of Scots with the result of each individual member ‘being socially and morally benefitted’. Their common identity would be their strength and their means of influencing the whole of society as the advantage each Scot gained ‘would benefit the country of their adoption." (Cumming, C. 1993).

Despite being many generations down the line, there is still the human need to be part of something bigger, something that brings them peace and a better understanding of where they came from. This follows on nicely to resisting cultural assimilation, whereby, societies like the Royal Scottish Ceilidh Dancing Society and The Manx National Heritage both strive to keep traditions alive in order to stop the erosion of Celtic heritage. Each environment is hugely important and falls in with spirituality and the feeling of being at one with the homeland. This feeling on your own home soil also helps us understand our deep connection and respect for each other's heritage across The Atlantic Arc and in return a further feeling of belonging to a bigger community. Pride in linguistics is noticeable across all the regions as they preserve their native languages i.e., Isle of Man with Manx and Scotland and Ireland with Gaelic. Finally, common culture and heritage can include the preservation of music, dance and art ie. all community dances across the Celtic regions like Irish dancing, Highland dancing in Scotland, The Gavotte in Brittany and The muineira in Galicia.

Celticism

Celticism is studying, appreciating and promoting Celtic heritage through festivals and celebrations which help to strengthen connections between the Celtic regions ie. Celtic Connections in Scotland and Festival Interceltique de Lorient in Britanny.

Photo: James Toose (@portablepeopleproductions) | Unsplash Photo Community

Photo: Benjamin Simier (@benjaminsimier) | Unsplash Photo Community

Trying to reach a wider audience through music, literature, art, film and theatre is known as popular culture. The likes of Celtic Connections attracts a lot of traditionalists but if Celtic heritage is to be attractive and seen by everyone then there has to be a more commercial aspect that can be shown on TV, cinemas and theatres i.e.,

Braveheart - a Mel Gibson film about a staunch Scottish warrior who never gives up.

Braveheart (1995) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers - YouTube  

Riverdance - an Irish dance theatre show that came from a break on the Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin in 1994.

Riverdance at the Eurovision Song Contest 30 April 1994, Dublin - YouTube

Disney’s animated film, Brave, about a young girl who is Scottish, strong and feisty.

Brave Trailer - YouTube

CBBC's Katie Morag - in this particular episode two well known traditional Scottish musicians play Katie's Uncle Struan (Hamish Napier Music | Facebook ) and Uncle Sven (Findlay Napier). Bringing together music, tradition and a wider audience.

Katie Morag S02 E11 Katie Morag and the Grand Concert - video Dailymotion

Celtic art is also important as it preserves the longevity of Celticism whether it is art on postcards, greetings cards or framed prints, jewellery with Celtic designs or even tattoos that people carry around with them everyday for life. Celtic Tattoos & Traditions - YouTube

Mythology goes along with spirituality and folklore, whereby, heroes are made ie. in Scotland we have the likes of Rob Roy and Nessie – The Loch Ness Monster. And, we've already met Finn The Giant in Blog 2. British Council ELT - MYTHS & LEGENDS Loch Ness Monster - YouTube

Language is to be preserved through music, educational programs and TV stations ie. Alba in Scotland is a Gaelic speaking TV channel. Alba provide news, documentaries and children's programmes. Finally, Celtic Studies as a subject at universities includes archaeology, ancient texts, speech patterns, folklore and the evolution of Celtic cultivation.

The above three topics, celticity, celticism and celtitude, when brought together become a human experience whereby the emphasis is on belonging, heritage and identity. A celebration of Celtic life through literature, music, art, festivals and the revival of language. Whilst it seems resilient, it is still an ongoing struggle to keep preserving and moving forward. However, the new generation is engaging in Celtic language, history and culture at primary school age which means it will become the norm as opposed to historical. Proving that the pride and resilience of campaigning and preserving Celtic heritage have been worth it.

References

Alberro, M. (2004) The Celticity of Galicia and the Arrival of the Insular Celts. Proceedings of the Harvard Celtic Colloquium, 24-25, pp. 1–15.

Clarke, K. (n.d.) An Island Nation: Re-Reading Tacitus’  Agricola  *. Journal of Roman Studies, 91, pp. 94–112. Available at: https://doi.org/10.2307/3184772.

Cumming, C. (1993). Scottish National Identity in an Australian Colony. The Scottish Historical Review, 72(193), 22–38. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25530567

Dietler, M. (2006) Celticism, Celtitude and Celticity. The consensus of the past in the age of globalisation. Celtes et GAulois, l’archeologie face a l’histoire, 1 pp237-48.

Facebook (n.d.) Hamish Napier. [online] Available at: Hamish Napier Music | Facebook [10 Dec 2024]

Fernandez, P. (2012) The Charrasco: Shaking the Jingles. [online] Available at: FolkWorld #47: The Charrasco [20 Oct 2024]

Fish, P. (2016) Celtic Tattoos & Traditions. [online] Available at: Celtic Tattoos & Traditions - YouTube [10 Dec 2024]

Jamesallen15. (n.d.) Katie Morag SO2 E11 Katie Morag and the Grand Concert. [online] Available at: Katie Morag S02 E11 Katie Morag and the Grand Concert - video Dailymotion [10 Dec 2024}

Koch, J. and Minard, A. (2012) The Celts: History, Life, and Culture. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO. Available at: http://qut.eblib.com.au/patron/FullRecord.aspx?p=1887898 [04 Dec 2024]

Lucia Garo. (2022) Horizons Celtiques – festival Interceltique Lorient 2022. [online] Available at: Horizons Celtiques - Festival Interceltique Lorient 2022 - YouTube [10 Dec 2024]

Maclewis, E. (2024) The Bombard. [online] Available at: The Bombard [09 Dec 2024]

Napier, F. (2024) Finlay Napier. [online] Available at: Findlay Napier [10 Dec 2024]

Piccni, A. (1996) Filming through the Mists of Time. Current Anthropology, 37(S1). [09 Dec 2024]

Pixar. (2011). Brave Trailer. [online] Available at: Brave Trailer - YouTube [10 Dec 2024]

Riverdance (2014). Riverdance at the Eurovision Song contest 30 april 1994, Dublin. [online] Available at: Riverdance at the Eurovision Song Contest 30 April 1994, Dublin - YouTube [10 Dec 2024]

Rotten tomatoes (2018). Braveheart (1995) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers. [online] Available at: Braveheart (1995) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers - YouTube [10Dec 2024]

Ryan, P. (2006) Celticity and Storyteller Identity: The Use and Misuse of Ethnicity to Develop a Storyteller’s Sense of Self: Research Article. FOLKLORE -LONDON-, 117(3), pp. 313–328.

See You Jimmy. (2013) Celtic connections 2013 – Full concert BBC TV. [online] Available at: Celtic Connections 2013 - Full Concert BBC TV - YouTube [10 Dec 2024]

UCC (n.d.) Bird diversity in Irish forests. [online] Available at: FinalBirdPoster.pdf [07 Nov 2024]

RSCDS (n.d.) Popular Ceilidh dances. [online] Available at: Popular Ceilidh dances | Royal Scottish Country Dance Society [10 Dec 2024]

Wise, E. (2021). British Council ELT – MYTHS & LEGENDS Loch Ness Monster. [online] Available at: British Council ELT - MYTHS & LEGENDS Loch Ness Monster - YouTube [10 Dec 2024]

Xuan, W.Z. and Ying, L.F. (2022) The Development of Celtic Music Identity: Globalisation and Media Influences. Media Watch, 13(1), pp. 34–48. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/09760911221086047.

Blog 4: Pan-Celticism

Photo: Chrisje Stultiens (@wereldgenieter) | Unsplash Photo Community

What is it?

The Pan-Celtic Movement promotes further appreciation of shared Celtic Nation heritage through culture, politics and linguistics. It came about through the ideal of romantic nationalism - a cultural and ideological movement that appeared during the late 1800's/early 1900's. It came about as a reaction from activists, intellects and artists to industrialisation (see link below) and Enlightenment (see link below) through nationalism, identity, cultural heritage and emotion (New World Encyclopaedia, n.d.). The Celtic activists were particularly interested in reviving the dying Celtic languages in Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall and Isle of Man. They felt this revival was needed to make sure their ways were preserved and not lost through colonialism and the new world.

Louis L. Schnyder, American historian on pan-celticism:

"Macro-nationalisms – or a synonym, the pan-movements – may be regarded as extended nationalisms on the political scene. They paint nationalism on a much broader canvas to include all (pan) those who by reason of geography, race, religion, or language, or by a combination of any or all of them, are included in the same group category. It is the outcome of an aggressive nationalism, by which the we-group enlarges its unity to include all those who ‘should belong’ to the fatherland or motherland." (Giladi, A. 2020).

Timeline - Pan-Celticism: U.K. politics, culture, autonomy and growth

Photo: Christian Cooper

Late 1800's - Early 1900's

Romantic nationalism was the focus in the late 1800's/early 1900's which meant that despite England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales being a United Kingdom it was also a time of discontent amongst the people over economic, political and cultural suppression. The Pan-Celtic movement was born from romantic nationalism whereby the main aim was for Celtic nations to work together on a Celtic revival (Wikipedia, n.d.)

1900

The first Pan-Celtic Congress annual meeting was held consisting of six Celtic nations - Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Brittany, Cornwall and Isle of Man (Kiddle, n.d.). Previous to this, the Celtic nations met at Eisteddfod, the Welsh arts, language and culture festival in Wales.

1916

leaders of The Irish Republican Brotherhood (IRB), stood on the steps of the Post Office and declared Ireland an independent republic with a provisional government made up of fellow IRB members. However, due to lack of support from their fellow Irish men, they were defeated when Britain declared martial law. All leaders of IRB were executed one week after storming Dublin (History.com Editors. 2019).

1919 - 1921

The Irish War of Independence was started by The Irish Republican Army (IRA) in 1919 against the Irish Constabulary as they were upholding British rule. The IRA stormed the barracks at Cork and burned it to the ground and stole their arms. The IRA used guerilla tactics so Britain sent more forces to Ireland and the bloody war continued until 1921 when Michael Collins and Arthur Griffith (IRA representatives) were invited to London to discuss peace (Ask about Ireland, n.d.).

1921-1922

In December 1921, Michael Collins, Arthur Griffiths and the British government came to an agreement known as The Anglo-Irish Treaty which allowed 26 of the 32 states of Ireland to have free rule but still be under crown governance. It was implemented exactly one year later in December 1922 (House of Commons Library, 2022).

1930

All six Celtic nations met for a congress, in London. A report was made of the whole event. William Farrell had the following to say:

“There is encouragement in numbers, and association would diminish the sense of smallness and loneliness of each Celtic people in the great world. Yet no branch should, for the sake of some vague union with another branch, neglect to advance to the utmost its own language and nationality.”

“Each Celtic land should push ahead for itself in accordance with its own individual circumstances and opportunities as the most effective way to further Pan-Celticism in the world.” (Farrell, W. 1930)

1950

The Pan-Celtic Flag (on the left) was designed by Robert Berthelier from Brittany in 1950. It consists of two triskelions whereby each point is one of the Pan-Celtic nations. The triskelions are entwined to show the connection between all the nations. Many other flags have since been commissioned like this one that shows the flags of all six nations together as one with a triskelion in he centre (on the right).

1997

Scotland and Wales both got autonomy in 1997 – this meant that whilst both nations remained under UK rule, they each held power over everything apart from foreign affairs and defence (Gov.UK, 2019).

20th Century

Celtic awareness and passion for belonging saw growth in the Pan-Celtic Movement due to global interest in Celtic heritage, language, literature, music, art and politics:

"The final decades of the century had seen an escalating public fascination with the past as a detached artifact, encapsulating not recent memories but lost memories: history not so much as a source of enlightenment
about the present but rather as an illustration of how very different things had once been … The present was depicted not as heir to history but as its orphan: cut off from the way things were and the world we have lost." (Clark, S.H. and Connolly, T.J. (eds.) (2015).

Celtic revival

The perseverance of everyday men and women, has enabled new generations to be part of something that they would not otherwise have known existed. This obsession and foresight of keeping traditions in language, music and cultural heritage documented is not only beneficial but wonderfully sentimental. The human need for community whereby we form a group identity within a common culture is no different through the centuries. Where our forefathers fought hard, quite often to the death for their beliefs, we now have a much easier task of simply passing on what they have left. Festivals around the world encompass that community feel passing on traditions to other countries that can then pass their traditions to us. What started as smaller communities wanting to keep their traditions alive has escalated into a worldwide phenomenon that includes those in the likes of America looking for their genealogy. It seems Celtic revival has risen like a phoenix from the ashes and is now part of a much bigger universal community.

References