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Campaigners have renewed calls for the establishment of an annual public holiday in Cornwall on the feast of St Piran.
The Celtic League says creating a "national" day could tap into the "huge reservoir" of Cornish pride around the world and provide a massive economic boost for the county.
Bernard Moffatt, the league's information director, said the initial costs of creating a public holiday would be outweighed by extra tourism in the long run.
Mr Moffatt said the week-long celebrations on his native Isle of Man and those in Ireland could soon be replicated in Cornwall, drawing thousands of expatriates back home.
"It is an important symbol of national identity and pride which is easy for me, as a Manxman, to understand," he added.
"Initially there is the cost of paying for a public holiday but, as events grow up around the day, it should generate its own value and worth.
"Our Tynwald day encourages people back from overseas and Cornwall could also see a big economic spin off – the efforts to revitalise the language show that there is a huge reservoir of national pride there."
St Piran – said to be an Irish holy man who founded an oratory at Perranporth – is the patron saint of tin miners but is considered the county's patron. Legend has it that he was cast out of Ireland and sailed to Cornwall tied to a millstone. His arrival is re-enacted each year at Perranporth beach.
Following previous campaigns, a total of eight town and city councils across the county have now declared his feast day of March 5, a day off for its staff.
The Kernow Branch of the Celtic League is now calling on county councillors and newly-elected MPs to support the move and wants Cornwall Council to formally call on the Government to consider the issue.
An online petition on the Cornwall Council's website – the first of its kind – has so far attracted 128 signatures in the past few days. Titled Dy' Gool Sen Peran in Cornish, the petition has set a target of 5,000 signatures and wants the full council to debate the issue before St Piran's Day 2012.
The league has also written to the town councils in Cornwall who have not yet voted in favour of making the day an annual holiday in a bid to change their minds.
It has also written to all six of the county's MPs asking them to highlight their stance on the issue.
If Cornwall Council were to back the move it would join Scotland and the Northern Ireland which recognise their national days of St Andrew and St Patrick.
In 2000, the Welsh assembly voted for a St David's public holiday on May, 1 but it was rejected by Whitehall.
BBC - Homepage
Campaigners have renewed calls for the establishment of an annual public holiday in Cornwall on the feast of St Piran.
The Celtic League says creating a "national" day could tap into the "huge reservoir" of Cornish pride around the world and provide a massive economic boost for the county.
Bernard Moffatt, the league's information director, said the initial costs of creating a public holiday would be outweighed by extra tourism in the long run.
Mr Moffatt said the week-long celebrations on his native Isle of Man and those in Ireland could soon be replicated in Cornwall, drawing thousands of expatriates back home.
"It is an important symbol of national identity and pride which is easy for me, as a Manxman, to understand," he added.
"Initially there is the cost of paying for a public holiday but, as events grow up around the day, it should generate its own value and worth.
"Our Tynwald day encourages people back from overseas and Cornwall could also see a big economic spin off – the efforts to revitalise the language show that there is a huge reservoir of national pride there."
St Piran – said to be an Irish holy man who founded an oratory at Perranporth – is the patron saint of tin miners but is considered the county's patron. Legend has it that he was cast out of Ireland and sailed to Cornwall tied to a millstone. His arrival is re-enacted each year at Perranporth beach.
Following previous campaigns, a total of eight town and city councils across the county have now declared his feast day of March 5, a day off for its staff.
The Kernow Branch of the Celtic League is now calling on county councillors and newly-elected MPs to support the move and wants Cornwall Council to formally call on the Government to consider the issue.
An online petition on the Cornwall Council's website – the first of its kind – has so far attracted 128 signatures in the past few days. Titled Dy' Gool Sen Peran in Cornish, the petition has set a target of 5,000 signatures and wants the full council to debate the issue before St Piran's Day 2012.
The league has also written to the town councils in Cornwall who have not yet voted in favour of making the day an annual holiday in a bid to change their minds.
It has also written to all six of the county's MPs asking them to highlight their stance on the issue.
If Cornwall Council were to back the move it would join Scotland and the Northern Ireland which recognise their national days of St Andrew and St Patrick.
In 2000, the Welsh assembly voted for a St David's public holiday on May, 1 but it was rejected by Whitehall.
BBC - Homepage
