waring wrote: "The so called "celtic" culture in Ireland is way older than the Celts, which is something to be smug about.
Most of us are Basque it appears."

It is difficult to trace the history of a culture where there is almost no written record, and where it has varied expressions over time and in different places.

Yes, many cultural remains in Ireland are recognised as "Pre-Celtic"; Newgrange is an example well-known to many visitors. But it seems that there is also much that has a Celtic character. Herself and I visited the Deutsch Historische Museum in Berlin, and were struck by how similar the exhibition of Celtic materials was to that in the National Museum in Dublin.

The languages of ancient Britain and Ireland seem to have a great deal in common with the Celtic languages and, so far as I know, so do the religious beliefs: the god Lugh seems to have been everywhere, including London and Lyon, as well as all over Ireland.

Yes, I recognise that the people in Ireland are largely descended from migrants from Iberia, and there is not much evidence of migration from central Europe. The supposedly apocryphal Book of Invasions indicates a pattern of settlement from Spain. But the cultural inheritance seems to have a strong Celtic component -- hence my remark about memes and genes. Genetically, I am a mongrel, but I have the soul of a Celt.

As one who managed to learn the basics of Scots Gaelic several years ago can I have my tuppence (or two euro-cents?) worth?

I can still just about translate direction signs in Irish Gaelic. The only other examples of the language I see are song titles on CDs of Clannad, my knowledge of Scots Gaelic lets me make an educated guess at most of these. I've never yet understood a sentence spken to me in Irish Gaelic. This compares with about one in five sentences spoken to me in Scots Gaelic!

I'm told the correct pronunciation for Scots Gaelic is "Gallic" if you are referring to the language but "Gaylic" if used as an adjective, for example in talking about "Gaelic Culture". Just to confuse things even more there are still a few stubborn vestiges of the old language in rural Perthshire where they refer to the language as "Gaylic".

What is beyond doubt is that Gaelic, in it Scots or Irish forms, produces the most hauntingly beautiful music ever written in any language.

I agree completely, craigillachie. I am listening to some as we speak (Port na bPucai).

Scots Gaelic is strongly localised. For instance Barra Gaelic is closer to Irish than in other parts of Scotland. (I an reliably informed)

If you wish to hear what the Irish language sounds like go to www.rte.ie, click on "radio" and then on "radio na gaeltachta". There is a lot of Irish music on that channel too as well as the spoken word.

and you can do the same with Scots Gaelic on the BBC site for Radio nan Gael

Why bother?

Jamesie Cotter: Rab, you and me, we go back a longs ways together.
Rab C. Nesbitt: Aye, we dae, we dae, we dae, aye...
Jamesie Cotter: We started goin in tae pubs together, then we went on tae secondary school.
Rab C. Nesbitt: Aye, what's the point, what's the point...!
Jamesie Cotter: The point, yae big wet slopbledger is - if you're on yer way oot with yer liver like an insole, then so are we! Cos we huv matched you pint for pint for the last 25 bloody years!
Andra: BASTARD!

[passionately] Jamesie Cotter: Rab, there's that much to live for! I mean even a man as yersel must have some ambitions left, somethin you want to do before you finally shuffle off this mortal coil!
Rab C. Nesbitt: Of course I've got ambitions, of course I've got ambitions.
Jamesie Cotter: What are they, Rab?
Rab C. Nesbitt: Jist oncest, Jist oncest. I wid like tae be able talk tae you withoot feelin... like I've jist gargled wie *Preparation X!