AberFest is a spectacular day of events celebrating the very best of Cornish and Breton culture in Falmouth on Saturday 7^th April.

Watch the Grand Procession of Cornish & Breton musicians & dancers as it snakes its way through the town at 12.30pm. Then, during the afternoon, take in one of the many free Cornish & Breton performances in and around Custom House Quay.

To end a memorable and unique day come along to the Cornish & Breton dance night spectacular – the AberFest-Noz – held at the Princess Pavilion. Acoustic performances in the bar start at 6pm and the main event at 7pm.  Adults £11    Under 18’s £4.

AberFest-Noz tickets are available from

The Cornish Store or Princess Pavilion, Falmouth,

Hall for Cornwall, Truro and at AberFest  pre-events.

For more information please see our AberFest Facebook page or visit our website www.aberfest.org

PRESS  RELEASE –  AberFest ‘ 12  

AberFest ‘ 12 – Falmouth – Saturday 7th  April – Remembering Ron 10 years on. 

AberFest ’12   returns to Falmouth to celebrate all things Cornish and Breton. The Grand Parade at 12.30 is followed by free performances of Cornish & Breton music and dance in and around Custom House Quay throughout the afternoon. The day’s events culminate with a special Cornish & Breton party dance night held at the Princess Pavilion. In all – a memorable and unique day!

Once again we expect many people to descend on Falmouth this Easter Saturday to watch and take part in one of the many free events that will be on in the afternoon in and around Custom House Quay. Many of our visitors will, I’m sure, be unaware that the first time the Bretons came en masse to Falmouth was at Easter 2002 and to specifically remember Ronnie Williams who died in December 2001 aged 80. The festival has evolved from this simple act of remembrance into the altogether bigger event we enjoy today.

Ronnie was a well known character in Falmouth who is fondly remembered by many people. He was born and lived there for most of his life and, after the tragic loss of his wife Iris at the tender age of 25 back in 1954, he threw himself into youth projects and other community activities. He was also a passionate supporter and performer of Cornish folk music as he was of the traditional music of Brittany. In later life he spent increasing amounts of time in Brandivy, Brittany, with his ‘adopted’ family and friends. He was well loved wherever he went; so much so that (since his passing) the people of Brandivy have created a beautiful Cornish Garden the “Jardin Cornuaillaise” in their village dedicated to his memory.

Another little known fact is that all the AberFest musicians, dancers and helpers give their time to the festival in the true spirit of friendship, that special quality Ronnie exemplified so well himself when he was alive and that is still felt throughout the festival today.

So when the good people of Cornwall line the streets and watch the AberFest Grand Procession as it snakes its way through the town or take in one of the free performances in and around Custom House Quay please remember that those taking part do so to honour the memory of one of the kindest people of his generation. Someone who, in spite of personal tragedy, threw himself into his community and really made a difference, someone whose kindness and passion is still remembered 10 years on.

The AberFestNoz is a Cornish & Breton dance night spectacular held at the Princess Pavilion. Acoustic performances in the Garden Bar start at 6pm and the main event at 7pm.  Adults £11  Under 18’s £4. AberFest-Noz tickets are available from

The Cornish Store or Princess Pavilion, Falmouth and the

Hall for Cornwall, Truro.

For more information please see our AberFest Facebook page or visit our website www.aberfest.org

AberFest is a constituted not for profit organisation. This year the Bretons come to us, next year we will go to Brittany. It has been this way since 2002. Families here will host our Breton guests in the true spirit of friendship, as will they when we go to Brittany.  We only raise money in order to cover the cost of holding the festival.

We very much appreciate all help you may be able to give with raising the profile of our event.    

STUART HODGES  1933 – 2010

The Gentle Giant

Stuart was born in Port Navas, son of Sydney and Iris Hodges and the youngest of 1 brother, 4 sisters and 7 half sisters and brothers. He lived in Chestnut Cottage in the centre of Port Navas, a former pub called the ‘Jolly Sailor’. His elder brother Leonard was, just as grandfather and father before, manager of the Oyster Farm so Stuart joined him where he learnt how to dredge and cultivate native Helford oysters.

Having gained carpentry skills by spending time with a carpenter in Port Navas, Stuart used these skills to renovate two cottages in Well Lane, Constantine which he and his wife Jill bought after their marriage in 1965. He made the two cottages into one and stayed there with Jill and their two sons, Lee and Adrian until 1975.  He left the oyster farm and they all went to Falmouth where they bought and ran Wentworth Guest House for 13 years.

Stuart loved the sea and was proud of the boats they owned, 18ft gaff rigged sloop, 16ft oyster punt and a 12ft rowing boat, all clinker built and moored in Port Navas.

After retirement Stuart developed his skill of painting. His love of the sea and the Cornish countryside is featured in all his paintings. He made authentic stone engine houses, the smallest of which measured 12 inches by 10 inches.  They were built of local stone and slate.  Stuart had cards printed from his paintings and together with these, his paintings and engine houses, he took them to local craft fairs where he sold many.  So his memory lives on.

Towards the end of his life he decided to draft an account of some of his early life and oyster farming. The subject of oyster farming is now dying out and he wanted the methods used to be preserved, but sadly he could not finish the project.

SEE Stuart’s collection http://tinyurl.com/3q23yko

Have a geek at Geoff Provis’ book section in our on-line shop

http://tinyurl.com/Geoff-Provis-books

The Celtic Congress, Scotland 2011

This year, the International Celtic Congress met in Fort William, Scotland for its annual gathering, where the Scottish Branch was celebrating its centenary, and 150 years of the production of one of its local papers, the Oban Times.  Most of the six countries were well represented, including a delegation from Kernow/Cornwall.  Cornish members included Tony Piper, chairman, Jerry Rogers, treasurer and International treasurer, Will Manley entertainer from the Group, Pentorr, Ann Trevenen Jenkin, Life President and several other members.

The speaker on the Congress theme, with specific reference to Islands, how geography influences people in their linguistic and Cultural Landscape, was Dr Loveday Jenkin, environmental biologist and recently in charge of the Great Trees of Cornwall Project. Her illustrated power point presentation, on Cornwall as ‘almost an island’ both historically, linguistically and culturally, was extremely well received and was one of the best of the presentations.

The following motion was drafted and presented by Phil Rendell of the Cornish Branch and seconded by Dr. Loveday Jenkin at the AGM:-

This International conference of the Celtic Congress, meeting in Fort William, Scotland in 2011, calls on the UK government to pay full heed to the arguments outlined in the Cornish National Minority Report 2, to remove the barriers whereby the Cornish remain unrecognised, unequal and uncounted, and to enable the Cornish to receive the full protection they deserve as a national minority within the spirit of the Council of Europe Framework Convention for the Protection of National minorities.

This motion was passed unanimously by the voting delegates from each country, and will now be sent to central government and to interested minority leaders in Parliament and other places.

Apart from the lectures and the AGM, other events included a welcome and reception from the Provost of Fort William, Gaelic lessons, a Young Peoples’ concert, a visit to a whisky distillery, an outing to Mallaig and Skye, a church service in Gaelic, and entertainment, good food and good company. It was one of the most successful and enjoyable congresses I have attended over the past fifty years.

Next year, the Congress will meet in August 2012 after the Lorient Festival, in Guingamp, Brittany and the following year in 2013, it is to return to Cornwall. For further information or to become members, please email Tony Piper jamesapiper@btinternet.com or telephone 01209- 711509.

From: Ann Trevenen Jenkin, Kernow. An Gernyk, Fordh an Chapel, Leedstown, Hayle TR27 6BA. Tel. 01736-850332. Email: pellgowser@btinternet.com

© July 30^th. 2011

240 years ago, on April 13^th 1771, a Cornish Genius was born, Richard Trevithick, the engineer and inventor of The First Steam Locomotive in the world.

In 1801 Richard Trevithick produced a large steam road locomotive, the Puffing Devil. On Christmas Eve, 1801, his new locomotive took him and some friends on a short journey. Although the results were positive, Puffing Devil could not hold steam for long, which made its use impractical.

Despite that, proud Cornish folk and choirs all over the planet are still singing “Goin’ up Camborne Hill comin’ down”.

To honour his 240^th anniversary we have produced a set of add-on stamps showing Penydarren , the first Steam Locomotive, built in 1804 by Richard Trevithick. It successfully run on rails and made three journeys between the Penydarren ironworks near Merthyr Tydfil and the Merthyr-Cardiff Canal. http://tinyurl.com/RichardTrevithick

Like many inventors and artists he died as a fairly poor, but justifiable proud man.

“However much I may be straitened in pecuniary circumstances, the great honour of being a useful subject can never be taken from me which, to me, far exceeds riches.”

Relatives of Richard Trevithick can be found all over the world including Japan. These Eastern descendants of Richard Trevithick presented Camborne on Trevithick Day 2004 with a golden replica of this very first Steam Locomotive in the world which can be admired in the Camborne Town Council Chambers.

Richard Trevithick advocated the use of high-pressure steam, and his experiments paved the way for all subsequent developments in railway engines with Stevenson being one of them, but Cornishman Richard Trevithick was first, make no mistake!

Richard Trevithick 13^th April 1771 – 22^nd April 1833

Lee Hodges, Falmouth man, went to South America sending this picture flying the Cornish Flag. “Had an 8 day hike in Torres de Paine which is near the bottom of Chile.  The hike was a real challenge with full packs including 8 days of food plus tents, sleeping bags etc.  Slept in different sites by big rivers, glaciers and wooded valleys.  it is an incredible place, I have never seen anywhere quite like it.”

THE COACHING INN presents:

All the way from Chicago Illinois: the singing Bard

JIM WEARNE. Singing favourite songs including:

♫ ‘This isn’t England

♫ ‘Mushy Peas’

♫ ‘The Universal Game’ (a song celebrating the St Columb hurling!)

Backed by local band An Dyskenn – with a blend of original and traditional songs in Cornish and English.

Start Shrovetide with an evening of entertainment at The Coaching Inn

DATE: Monday 7^th March (Hurling Eve) St Columb

TIME: 8:00 pm