2.6 Celtic nations

Six nations tend to be most associated with a modern Celtic identity, and are considered 'the Celtic nations'.

• Brittany

• Ireland

• Scotland

• Wales

• Isle of Man

• Cornwall

It is these 'Six Nations' that (alone) are considered Celtic by the Celtic League and the Celtic Congress amongst others (see App №1, Pict №2). These organisations ascribe to a definition of Celticity based mainly upon language. In the aforementioned six regions, Celtic languages have survived and continue to be used to varying degrees in Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Isle of Man, Cornwall and Brittany.

A number of activists on behalf of other regions and nations have also sought recognition as modern Celts, reflecting the wide diffusion of ancient Celts across Europe. Of these, the most prominent are Galicia and Asturias.

In neither Galicia nor Asturias has a Celtic language survived, and as such both fall outside of the litmus test used by the Celtic League, and the Celtic Congress. Nevertheless, many organisations organised around Celticity consider that Galicia (Douro, Minho and Tras-os-Montes) and Asturias "can claim a Celtic cultural or historic heritage". These claims to Celticity are rooted in the long historical existence of Celts in these regions and ethnic connections to other Atlantic Celtic peoples (see Celtiberians, Celtici and Castro culture). In 2009, the Gallaic Revival Movement, sponsored by the Liga Celtiga Galaica (the Galician Celtic League), claimed to be reconstructing the Q-Celtic Gallaic language based on the Atebivota Dictionary and Old Celtic Dictionary compiled by Vincent F. Pintado.

Elements of Celtic music, dance, and folklore can be found within England (e.g. Yan Tan Tethera, Well dressing, Halloween), and the Cumbric language survived until the collapse of the Kingdom of Strathclyde in about 1018. England as a whole comprises many distinct regions, and some of these regions, such as Cumbria, Lancashire, Western Yorkshire and Devon, can claim more Celtic heritage than others. In 2009, it was claimed that revival of the Cumbric language was being attempted in the Cumberland area of England.

Similarly, in France outside of Brittany, in the Auvergne (province) chants are sung around bonfires remembering a Celtic god.

2.7 Migration from Celtic countries

A significant portion of the populations of the United States, Canada, Australia, Argentina and New Zealand is composed of people whose ancestors were from one of the "Celtic nations". This concerns the Irish diaspora most significantly, but to a lesser extent also the Welsh diaspora and the Cornish diaspora.

• There are three areas outside Europe with communities of Celtic language speakers:

• the province of Chubut in Patagonia with Welsh-speaking Argentinians (known as Y Wladfa, started in the 1865)

• Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia with Scottish Gaelic-speaking Canadians

• Southeast Newfoundland with Irish-speaking Canadians.

The most common mother-tongue amongst the Fathers of Confederation which saw the formation of Canada was Gaelic. There is a movement in Cape Breton for a separate province in Canada, as espoused by the Cape Breton Labour Party and others.

In some former British colonies, or particular regions within them, the term Anglo-Celtic has emerged as a descriptor of an ethnic grouping. In particular, Anglo-Celtic Australian is a term comprising about 80% of the population.

The Celtic diaspora in the Americas, as well as New Zealand and Australia, is significant and organised enough. There are numerous organisations, cultural festivals and university-level language classes available in major cities throughout these regions.

The Irish Gaelic games of Gaelic football and hurling are played across the world and are organised by the Gaelic Athletic Association while the Scottish game shinty has seen recent growth in the USA.

Various political and cultural movements and organisations that promote contact between the Celtic nations are called Pan-Celticism. International relations began with the Celts of Ireland and Scotland Relations in the 13th century. There were many disputes and disagreements, both economic and political, until three international conferences have been hold in 1997, 2000 and 2002. Besides, a number of other organizations, linking the Celts, were created. They are Celtic League, Celtic Congress. The first of them was the Royal Celtic Society which was founded in Scotland in 1820.