Who were the Celts ? by Barry Cunliffe

Shallit Lecture given at Brigham Young University  on March 17, 2008.

The Celts living in the middle of Europe were the fearsome opponents of the Greeks and Romans and in c. 390 B.C. they actually besieged Rome.

The classical writers have much to say about their warlike activities but where did they come from?

Until recently it used to be thought that they emerged in Eastern France and Southern Germany and spread westwards to Spain, Brittany, Britain and Ireland taking their distinctive language with them which survives today as Breton, Welsh, Gaelic and Irish.

But recent work is suggesting that the Celtic language may have developed in the Atlantic zone of Europe at a very early date, and DNA studies offer some support to this.

So who were the Celts?

We will explore the evidence and try to offer an answer.

See also : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Lhuyd

Yr Aflonyddwch Mawr says Plaid Cymru retaining a European Member of Parliament may avoid the necessary debate about the future of Wales and European Union

 

Hercules raising Antaeus off the ground to undermine his powers

The rise of a British Nationalist party like UKIP from 87,000 votes in Wales in 2009 to 201,000 in the Euro elections 2014 should cause some serious thinking in Plaid Cymru.

We are not hopeful has retaining a seat in the European Parliament by Plaid Cymru even with a reduced percentage of the vote and lower number of votes in 2009 will probably be enough to silence the critics of membership of the European Union in Plaid Cymru.

Currently the dominant mode of thinking in Plaid Cymru is that Wales being part European Union suits Wales best and helps Welsh Independence and National and Social Liberation.

At the Aflonyddwch Mawr we have fundamentally disagreed with that idea from our inception in 2012 as we saw the European Union has essentially wedded to the Treaty of Rome and free market capitalism.

That free market idea was challenged by the social market idea in the 1970's for a limited period, but was buried by Thatcher with the accession of the Eastern European States who were committed to neo liberalism and NATO and shifted the European Union permanently to the political right.

Welsh National and Social development as we outlined in our 10 point Emergency Plan for Wales requires a Welsh national currency - not the Euro or the pound but a Welsh Banking System with a Welsh Central Bank that serves Welsh Economic development.

Public Enterprise is also another essential element in regeneration of Welsh economic life and we want key sectors like energy brought under public ownership in Wales and Energy policy to be linked to sound ecology for Welsh Land development.

All such Welsh National developments bring conflict with membership of the European Union and would not be facilitated by its membership.

A Welsh Land Act and a Welsh Land Commission remain at the heart of our regeneration not only of economic but also the cultural life of Wales has we believe the Crachach serve only their own personal interests and will not defend Welsh Land and not even ulimately defend the Welsh language, although they may speak Welsh they act English and constitute a traitor class in Wales- they are profit patriots .

Therefore Plaid Cymru just retaining a seat in European Parliament should be a wake up call.
Plaid Cymru came within about 7500 votes of losing their seat.

The opposition of Welsh People to the European Union is fundamentally democratic and in the interests of Welsh National development and not opposed to it

- learning from the people is necessary for any poiltical movement if it is to correct its mistakes and grow and we hope Plaid Cymru learns from the people.

Therefore rejecting the Euro and The Pound and membership of the European Union allows for the reconstitution of a new vision for the national and social liberation of Wales that is truely democratic rather than bureaucratic and reminds us that the road we must take must be to build our own democratic institutions like a Welsh Republican Congress or a Senedd Glyndwr.

I know that may sound daunting to some but it is the only guarantee of Welsh National and Social development as the Welsh Assembly, Westminster and European Parliament are institutions created by others and not the Welsh people and will not serve Welsh interests and will absorb much Welsh energy which will ultimately prove unproductive to the national and social liberation of the Welsh people.

The source of power of any political movement is the people and if its political feet are firmly on the ground then it will gain political power - this election has reminded us like the Greek hero Antaeus that Plaid Cymru's feet were not firmly on the ground and the result it's power is being undermined with the very resistable rise of British Nationalism - if Plaid Cymru adopts an anti EEC policy and listens to the people - then British Nationalism will have less of a future in Wales.

The Last Word on UKIP and Immigration by Stewart Lee

Nigel Farage's 'car-crash' LBC interview halted by Ukip spin doctor over expenses queries

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At last an interviewer that asks the right questions and exposes Nigel Farage - we have waited a long time for such interview - well done James O'Brien.

James Connolly Tribute - His last speech and the song 'Irish Citizen Army'

Yr Aflonyddwch Mawr says James Connolly can best be remembered today by struggling against Capitalism and Imperialism.Especially the fight against bourgeois cosmopolitanism on the Left which we detest along with Comrade Connolly..

 

 

See our articles carrying forward James Connolly's fighting contribution on the National Question Today.

 

 

http://democracyandclasstruggle.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/remembering-james-connolly-and-exposing.html

 

http://democracyandclasstruggle.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/the-cosmopolitan-left-and-national.html

 

 

  

Pete Ramand-Author-YesThe Radical Case For Scottish Independence-WhyYou Should Support Independence

A public forum with Chris Bambery (author, A People's History of Scotland) and Pete Ramand (author, Yes: The Radical Case For Scottish Independence). Hosted by Counterfire. 07.05.

See Also: http://democracyandclasstruggle.blogspot.co.uk/2012/10/britishness-is-political-synonym-for.html

No to European Union - Abstain from Voting

 

Yr  Aflonyddwch  Mawr in association with Partisans Cymru call for people to abstain from voting in the European Elections has such institutions has the European Union do not advance the cause of the democratic struggle of working people in Wales and are dominated by undemocratic Corporate Power and bureaucratic elites in Brussels.

 

The European Union since its foundation has been bound up with the neo liberal free market and is not the road to the regeneration of  the Welsh Economy and Welsh National Life.

 

SEE OUR 10 POINT EMERGENCY PLAN FOR WALES HERE:

 

http://greatunrest2012.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/tir-iaith-gwlad-rhyddid-land-language.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

May Day Message to Wales from Gethin Ap Gruffydd

 

 

New: Wales Socialist Flag produced by Partisan Cymru,

* RED = Our peoples past struggles for Liberty and Justice.

* BLACK = Heavy Industry, Our Coal Miners and Iron Workers.

* GREEN = Agriculture Workers, Peasants and Land Laborers.

* GREY = Quarry men and Sailors.

Representing in and around all Workers, men and women down thru the ages, have made this flag now just waiting for opportunity to fly at first radical event of the year I can get too or otherwise will rise up on Mawr to symbolically signal a National Peoples Struggle to rid the Land of all Absentee Landlords be they aristocrats with their roots in our past conquest or modern day capitalist Utility companies seeking to make of our land a Corporate Colony Cymru by means of Cheque Book Conquest. 

In conclusion suffice to say that the betrayal by WAG political careerists aka 'Devolution Dilettantes' and in particular the total failure of the so called 'Nationalist Party' Plaid Cymru 'Renewable Republicans' also with other WAG Quislings, all Tan 8 Terrorists has opened the door not only to increased Cheque Book Conquest but to letting in UKIP an English Nationalist Party who by all signs may bring about a disaster for Plaid Cymru, National Struggle and the future of our Country, Communities and People. 

All to sadly many Plaid Cymru, so called 'Activists' are seeking in response to this the advance of an 'Independence Rally' via yet another meeting in a Cardiff Pub, what is this another pointless CBRD II? We say No Way! It is time all 'Radical Republicans' woke up and realise that true national struggle will not be born in pubs and neither will talk! talk! talk! advance the dying cause of Welsh Freedom only by Radical Resistance on the streets and on the mountains of Cymru/Wales will we win Independence and I remind there can be no true freedom with out Land and Liberty and justice. 

Thus let the call go out to those with the Courage and Commitment it is time for Fight not Flight - TARO NOL! the struggle I suggest is not in yet another pointless CBRD nor in a so called 'Independence Gathering' in another Cardiff Pub nor parading around at Cilmeri but must begin anew upon Mawr in Mis Awst 2014 and spread across the land and continue unto Victory and the first victories must be driving the 'Beaufort Bunch' off Mawr and 'Severn Trent' and 'United Utilities' out of the Vyrnwy Estate. Now prepare and organise to take up the Partisan call to action and rise up the Red Pitchfork of Revolt and Rebellion in spirit of the Gwerin Owain, Pobl Ceffyl Pren (Corn Rioters), Rebecca and Tarw Scotch also those who rose up in 1910 - 1911. Now do it and not talk about it, see you at 'Bryn Barcud Goch' and Penlle'r Pebyll (Mynydd Pysgodlyn) at Awst 2014 - our date with destiny to fulfill that

 

 'Dream of Freedom'.

Do please pass this email on.

Partisan Gethin.

 

See Also :

 

http://greatunrest2012.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/tir-iaith-gwlad-rhyddid-land-language.html?spref=fb