This last weekend was truly a great weekend to be Cornish and to join in the many uniquely Cornish events in the Duchy.

It was also good to welcome those who come to visit us as we celebrated our Celtic culture.

I joined the crowds at St Keverne on Friday evening who came together to remember Michael Joseph 'An Gof' and Thomas Flamank both put to death by the then English King on June 27th, 1497 for their brave actions in resisting an extra tax imposed on the Cornish to pay for an unwanted war against Scotland.

A truly great commemoration which seems to grow in size year on year and with youngsters joining in and so learning something of our Cornish history.

This followed by Mazey Day in Penzance on Saturday, part of the ancient Golowan celebrations where traditionally, the Cornish come together to celebrate Midsummer.

Finally, culminating in a Recognition Session 'Nos Lowen' party at the 'Melting Pot' Krowji centre in Redruth on the Saturday evening, when dozens of Cornish musicians from 'Bagas Crowd' and elsewhere came together to entertain scores and scores of people who sang and danced and sampled Cornish delicacies in an evening sponsored by the Cornwall Branch Celtic League to celebrate the official recognition of the Cornish people and their inclusion into the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities.

It was marvellous to hear the resurgent Cornish language widely spoken and sung at all these events and to see our communities come together under our national St. Piran flag to celebrate our culture, history and heritage which is so different from that of our neighbour, England.

What really pleased me though, was to speak with visitors down from England who informed me that in their consideration, 'Cornwall is a very different country' which is what they found so fascinating.

With our language and national identity now confirmed in law, the future for our little land looks ever more positive and it has been good to see people seizing what is rightfully ours and celebrating it.

Tony Leamon
Assistant General Secretary
The Celtic League