To be sure, Scott would be bringing upon himself the wrath of all the people of the Emerald Isle, little and large, by calling it part of the British Isles, begorrah... [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]
To continue with the hairsplitting...Brythonic languages are as related to Goidelic ones as the English language is to German. Both English and German belong to the Germanic language group, but they are not the same thing, are they? Anglo-Saxon is another Germanic language, it is not Celtic.
But back to more serious points. I would reiterate my original assertion. Tolkien knew Irish mythology, of course, and was influenced by it, but not as much as he was by that of Northern Europe. I think I remember reading some mildly scathing things he said about Celtic culture? Perhaps someone else can give chapter and verse...
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Out went the candle, and we were left darkling
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