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The Celtic Revolution
A comprehensive pan-Celtic primer surveying the histories and cultures of all six Celtic nations and examining their current political prospects.
218 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1985
3 people are currently reading
73 people want to read
About the author
Peter Berresford Ellis
52 books154 followersPeter Berresford Ellis is a historian, literary biographer, and novelist who has published over 90 books to date either under his own name or his pseudonyms Peter Tremayne and Peter MacAlan. He has also published 95 short stories. His non-fiction books, articles and academic papers have made him acknowledged as an authority on Celtic history and culture. Under Peter Tremayne, he is the author of the international bestselling Sister Fidelma mystery series. His work has appeared in 25 languages.
He began his career as a junior reporter on an English south coast weekly, becoming deputy editor of an Irish weekly newspaper and was then editor of a weekly trade journal in London. He first went as a feature writer to Northern Ireland in 1964 for a London daily newspaper which had a profound effect on him. His first book was published in 1968: Wales: a Nation Again, on the Welsh struggle for political independence, with a foreword by Gwynfor Evans, Plaid Cymru's first Member of Parliament. In 1975 he became a full-time writer. He used his academic background to produce many popular titles in the field of Celtic Studies and he has written numerous academic articles and papers in the field for journals ranging from The Linguist (London) to The Irish Sword: Journal of the Irish Military History Society (UCD). He is highly regarded by academics in his own field and was described by The Times Higher Education Supplement, London, (June, 1999) as one of the leading authorities on the Celts then writing. He has been International Chairman of the Celtic League 1988–1990; chairman of Scrif-Celt (The Celtic Languages Book Fair in 1985 and in 1986); chairman and vice-president of the London Association for Celtic Education 1989–1995, and now is an Hon. Life Member); He was also chairman of his local ward Labour Party in London, England, and was editorial advisor on Labour and Ireland magazine in the early 1990s. He is a member of the Society of Authors.
Apart from his Celtic Studies interests, Ellis has always been fascinated by aspects of popular literature and has written full-length biographies on H. Rider Haggard, W. E. Johns, Talbot Mundy as well as critical essays on many more popular fiction authors. His own output in the fictional field, writing in the genre of horror fantasy and heroic fantasy, began in 1977 when the first "Peter Tremayne" book appeared. Between 1983 and 1993 he also wrote eight adventure thrillers under the name "Peter MacAlan". Ellis has published (as of January, 2009) a total of 91 books, 95 short stories, several pamphlets, and numerous academic papers and signed journalistic articles. Under his own name he wrote two long running columns: 'Anonn is Anall' (Here and There) from 1987–2008 for the Irish Democrat, and, "Anois agus Arís" (Now and Again) from 2000–2008 for The Irish Post. His books break down into 34 titles under his own name; 8 titles under the pseudonym of Peter MacAlan and 49 titles under his pseudonym of Peter Tremayne. He has lectured widely at universities in several countries, including the UK, Ireland, American, Canada, France and Italy. He has also broadcast on television and radio since 1968. With the great popularity of his 7th Century set Sister Fidelma Mysteries, in January, 2001, an International Sister Fidelma Society was formed in Charleston, South Carolina, with a website and producing a print magazine three times a year called The Brehon. In 2006 the Cashel Arts Fest established the first three-day international gathering of fans of the series which is now held bi-annually and receives the full support of the Society
He began his career as a junior reporter on an English south coast weekly, becoming deputy editor of an Irish weekly newspaper and was then editor of a weekly trade journal in London. He first went as a feature writer to Northern Ireland in 1964 for a London daily newspaper which had a profound effect on him. His first book was published in 1968: Wales: a Nation Again, on the Welsh struggle for political independence, with a foreword by Gwynfor Evans, Plaid Cymru's first Member of Parliament. In 1975 he became a full-time writer. He used his academic background to produce many popular titles in the field of Celtic Studies and he has written numerous academic articles and papers in the field for journals ranging from The Linguist (London) to The Irish Sword: Journal of the Irish Military History Society (UCD). He is highly regarded by academics in his own field and was described by The Times Higher Education Supplement, London, (June, 1999) as one of the leading authorities on the Celts then writing. He has been International Chairman of the Celtic League 1988–1990; chairman of Scrif-Celt (The Celtic Languages Book Fair in 1985 and in 1986); chairman and vice-president of the London Association for Celtic Education 1989–1995, and now is an Hon. Life Member); He was also chairman of his local ward Labour Party in London, England, and was editorial advisor on Labour and Ireland magazine in the early 1990s. He is a member of the Society of Authors.
Apart from his Celtic Studies interests, Ellis has always been fascinated by aspects of popular literature and has written full-length biographies on H. Rider Haggard, W. E. Johns, Talbot Mundy as well as critical essays on many more popular fiction authors. His own output in the fictional field, writing in the genre of horror fantasy and heroic fantasy, began in 1977 when the first "Peter Tremayne" book appeared. Between 1983 and 1993 he also wrote eight adventure thrillers under the name "Peter MacAlan". Ellis has published (as of January, 2009) a total of 91 books, 95 short stories, several pamphlets, and numerous academic papers and signed journalistic articles. Under his own name he wrote two long running columns: 'Anonn is Anall' (Here and There) from 1987–2008 for the Irish Democrat, and, "Anois agus Arís" (Now and Again) from 2000–2008 for The Irish Post. His books break down into 34 titles under his own name; 8 titles under the pseudonym of Peter MacAlan and 49 titles under his pseudonym of Peter Tremayne. He has lectured widely at universities in several countries, including the UK, Ireland, American, Canada, France and Italy. He has also broadcast on television and radio since 1968. With the great popularity of his 7th Century set Sister Fidelma Mysteries, in January, 2001, an International Sister Fidelma Society was formed in Charleston, South Carolina, with a website and producing a print magazine three times a year called The Brehon. In 2006 the Cashel Arts Fest established the first three-day international gathering of fans of the series which is now held bi-annually and receives the full support of the Society
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
February 25, 2019
No one is born a “Celt” and there is no “Celtic” ethnicity. The 6 Celtic nations today represent what was once a pan-European linguistic continuity that existed from Iberia to Asia Minor. For hundreds of years there have been concerted efforts by successive British and French governments to eradicate the Celtic languages. Against seemingly impossible odds they have survived.
The book is quite out of date (pre-Good Friday Agreement, pre-Senedd and Scottish Parliament, pre-SWF) but gives a good historical overview of how populations have changed from significantly monoglot to in some cases barely holding on. For example, the number of Manx speakers plummeted from 12,350 in 1874 to 896 in 1921. I enjoyed Ellis’s dissection of internalised and imposed “othering” towards community languages such as in Scotland the “Highlands” being seen as Gaelic speaking only where the “Lowlands” are perceived as Scots/English speaking only. The myth is exploded where evidence shows Fife and Galloway had Gaelic speakers until relatively recently in the language’s history (similarly the south Wales valleys have developed an image of being English speaking only but Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil were majority Welsh speaking well within the 20th century). The book goes on to detail the overwhelming contribution of the Celtic diaspora although save for a few small communities have become linguistically assimilated.
I'm perpetually nervous about the future of Welsh and the decline in Y Fro but since the publication of the book there are some crumbs of hope - Manx and Cornish are now officially recognised and are growing, Scots Gaelic has an impressive TV channel, the number of Welsh speakers has increased in Glamorgan and Gwent, Irish is an official EU language and Breton is supported by public funding. Ellis’s political feelings are evident at the end and I share his view that a globalised homogenised beige future of “unity through uniformity” would be a tragic one for human culture. An interesting read and a powerful rallying cry for pan-Celtic co-operation and linguistic revival but it doesn't form a coherent manifesto of how to achieve these aims.
"Cenedl heb iaith, cenedl heb galon"
The book is quite out of date (pre-Good Friday Agreement, pre-Senedd and Scottish Parliament, pre-SWF) but gives a good historical overview of how populations have changed from significantly monoglot to in some cases barely holding on. For example, the number of Manx speakers plummeted from 12,350 in 1874 to 896 in 1921. I enjoyed Ellis’s dissection of internalised and imposed “othering” towards community languages such as in Scotland the “Highlands” being seen as Gaelic speaking only where the “Lowlands” are perceived as Scots/English speaking only. The myth is exploded where evidence shows Fife and Galloway had Gaelic speakers until relatively recently in the language’s history (similarly the south Wales valleys have developed an image of being English speaking only but Aberdare and Merthyr Tydfil were majority Welsh speaking well within the 20th century). The book goes on to detail the overwhelming contribution of the Celtic diaspora although save for a few small communities have become linguistically assimilated.
I'm perpetually nervous about the future of Welsh and the decline in Y Fro but since the publication of the book there are some crumbs of hope - Manx and Cornish are now officially recognised and are growing, Scots Gaelic has an impressive TV channel, the number of Welsh speakers has increased in Glamorgan and Gwent, Irish is an official EU language and Breton is supported by public funding. Ellis’s political feelings are evident at the end and I share his view that a globalised homogenised beige future of “unity through uniformity” would be a tragic one for human culture. An interesting read and a powerful rallying cry for pan-Celtic co-operation and linguistic revival but it doesn't form a coherent manifesto of how to achieve these aims.
"Cenedl heb iaith, cenedl heb galon"
February 5, 2019
great as a primer of nationalist movements in celtic nations. also useful in how "celticness" as a contemporary cultural politic works, as ellis has been been closely associated with the celtic league.
i have to say, however, i'm greatly disappointed in ellis's "left wing" perspective.
ellis makes a point to profess left-wing politic and that his book is from a left-wing perspective, which is what i think merits this criticism.
ellis's "leftism" bizarrely finds him making excuses for breton nazi collaborators at one point and bemoaning people moving to wales who don't speak welsh in a manner reminiscent of the sort of linguistic chauvinism one finds in settler-colonial states like america.
all and all, a good general 101. however, leftists (as an implied audience for this book) should remain critical.
i have to say, however, i'm greatly disappointed in ellis's "left wing" perspective.
ellis makes a point to profess left-wing politic and that his book is from a left-wing perspective, which is what i think merits this criticism.
ellis's "leftism" bizarrely finds him making excuses for breton nazi collaborators at one point and bemoaning people moving to wales who don't speak welsh in a manner reminiscent of the sort of linguistic chauvinism one finds in settler-colonial states like america.
all and all, a good general 101. however, leftists (as an implied audience for this book) should remain critical.
January 9, 2015
Much interesting detail. This includes such obscure elements as Bretons sponsored by German occupiers in wartime France and later helped by De Valera's Irish government, not only the marxistic types supported by the author later in his career.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews