Agree or disagree: the concept of "Celtic nations" in the modern era should be questioned.

[Grace O'Malley]

Notice I have a Celtic banner. Actually it's a lost heritage, as the Belgae were believed to be a Celtic people related to the Gauls. However, Britonic Celts have more claim to that culture than I would ever have, as their languages are recorded and often have a rich literature (Irish literature is among the oldest in post-Classical Europe). They're not completely detached from their root in that regard.

English people however are, they are like us. A lost Celtic heritage they draw ancestry from which isn't recorded. I just am of the believe the Celtic substratum exist Continental Europe as an undefined invisible remnant and is still with us in that way, hence I do use the Celtic banner here.

That's a good point Danielion about the literature. Every Irish child learns about Cú Chulainn, Finn McCool and the Children of Lir. Irish literature is very rich and unique. The same with the Welsh. There is more than Celtic languages tying these countries to their Celticity.

[Crn Volk]

Do the Celtic nations feel an affinity amongst each other? Eg., is there some kind of Pan-Celticism or Celtic nation co-operation?

[Grace O'Malley]

Do the Celtic nations feel an affinity amongst each other? Eg., is there some kind of Pan-Celticism or Celtic nation co-operation?

They do feel an affinity and there are festivals such as Féile Pan Cheilteach.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pan_Celtic_Festival

There is also the Celtic League which is mainly about perserving the present Celtic languages but also working for more cooperation among the Celtic nations.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_League

[Dandelion]

That's a good point Danielion about the literature. Every Irish child learns about Cú Chulainn, Finn McCool and the Children of Lir. Irish literature is very rich and unique. The same with the Welsh. There is more than Celtic languages tying these countries to their Celticity.

Some people did seem to have exceled at Irish classes, others less so.



Not easy to maintain a language.


And it's true. Heritage and people's curiosity after it makes the situation of Celtic language more robust then people might give them credit for.

[Grace O'Malley]

Some people did seem to have exceled at Irish classes, others less so.



Not easy to maintain a language.


And it's true. Heritage and people's curiosity after it makes the situation of Celtic language more robust then people might give them credit for.

It depends on your interest. Some people don't care but there are plenty that do.

[Defiance]

How are the Scots any more Celtic than the English though, for instance?

All of Western Europe spoke Celtic languages at one point. Either they're all "Celtic", or we only count the ones who today speak Celtic languages.

You see, this is precisely why I've said that race is more important than ethnicity; the former is static while the latter is quite fluid.

If you want to get technical about it I'd just say that a Celtic identity is part of our heritage, and leave it at that.

[Tooting Carmen]

Do the Celtic nations feel an affinity amongst each other? Eg., is there some kind of Pan-Celticism or Celtic nation co-operation?

In the past probably more so - unfortunately, the Heineken Cup and Celtic League in rugby union to a large extent wrecked it.

[Tooting Carmen]

And Wales also has plenty of non-Celtic ancestry, be it ancient or modern (at least a fifth of the population here was born in England, plus somewhat smaller numbers in other countries too). Furthermore, only around a fifth of the population can speak Welsh, and most of them live in the rural North and West, although growing numbers have moved to Cardiff in recent years due to the Welsh Parliament and BBC Wales.

[Oliver109]

And Wales also has plenty of non-Celtic ancestry, be it ancient or modern (at least a fifth of the population here was born in England, plus somewhat smaller numbers in other countries too). Furthermore, only around a fifth of the population can speak Welsh, and most of them live in the rural North and West, although growing numbers have moved to Cardiff in recent years due to the Welsh Parliament and BBC Wales.

Even the English ancestry is still of a mainly Celtic nature though being probably mostly from the west and midlands, the term Celtic is very loose though but i would say it is really in relation to traits like the music and physical appearance of people.

[Tooting Carmen]

Even the English ancestry is still of a mainly Celtic nature though being probably mostly from the west and midlands, the term Celtic is very loose though but i would say it is really in relation to traits like the music and physical appearance of people.

Well as we've discussed before, Britain mostly has a West-East cline rather than a South-North one - I don't find people in Bristol, Exeter, Gloucester or Swindon to look much if at all different to people here, and even Birmingham has quite a few darkish Celtic types. It is only when you go further east that you start to notice a difference.