Celtic union

In 1864, Charles De Gaulle proposed a Celtic Union that would establish and develop links between Celtic countries. There should also be a Celtic "Esperanto" to facilitate communication and which would be created from common elements in all Celtic languages and a Pan-Celtic festival.[1][2]^: 108

In 2010, Plaid Cymru and the SNP formed a "Celtic Alliance" with the aim of increasing their influence on a UK government via agreements over policies and funding.[3]

A Celtic union has been proposed as an alternative to Brexit.[4][5]

Following the Brexit referendum there were calls for Pan-Celtic Unity. In November 2016, the First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon stated the idea of a "Celtic Corridor" of the island of Ireland and Scotland appealed to her.[6] Some have proposed this as a potential link for a Celtic union.[7]

In January 2019 the leader of the Welsh nationalist Plaid Cymru party, Adam Price spoke in favour of cooperation among the Celtic nations of Britain and Ireland following Brexit. Among his proposals were a Celtic Development Bank for joint infrastructure and investment projects in energy, transport and communications in Ireland, Wales, Scotland, and the Isle of Man, and the foundation of a Celtic union, the structure of which is already existent in the Good Friday Agreement according to Price. Speaking to RTÉ, the Irish national broadcaster he proposed Wales and Ireland working together to promote the indigenous languages of each nation.[8][9]

In 2020, journalist Gina Tonic suggested a "United Celtic Republic" including Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, Isle of Man, Brittany and a United Ireland.[10]

Journalist Jamie Dalgety has also proposed the concept of a Celtic Union involving Scotland and Ireland but suggests that lack of support for Welsh independence may mean that a Gaelic Celtic Union involving may be more appropriate.[11]

Bangor University lecturer and journalist, Ifan Morgan Jones has suggested that "a short-term fix for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland might be a greater degree of cooperation with each other, as a union within a union." he also suggested that "If they could find a way of working together in their mutual interest, that’s a fair degree of combined influence, particular if the next General Election produces a hung parliament."[12]

In a Plaid Cymru conference in 2019, leader of Sinn Fein, Mary Lou McDonald stated "We need a pan-celtic anti-Tory political culture. A shared political culture that respects each other’s sovereignty and right to nationhood. A shared political culture grounded in principles of common interest and common purpose."[13] She echoed these views in a supportive video message to YesCymru in 2022.[14]

In July 2023, the Welsh Government announced a "Celtic Heritage – Cornwall-Wales Collaboration Agreement" focused on cooperation in the following areas;

• sustainable housing
• achieving net zero
• rural economies
• culture and language[15]

In August 2023, political leaders from Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Cornwall, Brittany, Galicia and Asturias met at the first ever Celtic Forum. Areas of discussion included a "Celtic Erasmus", Maritime transport, fishing & offshore wind power and native languages. Native languages include; Asturian, Breton, Cornish, Galician, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh.[16]

• The concept of Pan-Celticism

Celtic union may also refer to:

• A pan-Celticist society founded in 1853 by Robert Cane (active 1853–1858)
• A pan-Celticist society founded by a faction of the Celtic Congress in 1947 (active 1947–1950), see Celtic Congress