| It is a common North American misperception that | | | | northwest France. The Eusa tartan is a district tartan, |
| the Celts are the original inhabitants of Scotland and | | | | for which the thread count is K32 Y32 R32 G6 B14 |
| Ireland. Period. Hence we have the Boston Celtics | | | | W14 K14. |
| (the name admittedly Americanized to "Sell-tics") | | | | The Register states the red, yellow and black |
| reflecting the community's Irish heritage. | | | | represent the flag of the Isle of Ushant; and the |
| Some of us may go so far as to recognize a Celtic | | | | black, green and white check represent Brittany. |
| (pronounced Kell-tic) affiliation to the Welsh and the | | | | According to regional counsellor Jean-Yves Cozan, the |
| Brits, but few, it seems, realize that the Celtic | | | | blue and green elements honour the robes of ancient |
| civilization originated in the heart of continental | | | | Celtic druids and bards, and the tartan takes it |
| Europe, so that many Europeans rightly claim Celtic | | | | colours from those of the Eussf clan, "an ancient |
| heritage. | | | | family that gave its name to Ouessant." |
| Archaeological evidence puts the first Celts, deemed | | | | Lest you think the tartan is a tourism promotion ploy, |
| Proto-Celts, in Austria. By the time the Romans | | | | Cozan stipulates: "This tartan is not a gimmick; it's an |
| reached and conquered Britain, Celtic cultures had | | | | act of cultural identity to assert that we have roots." |
| spread to the British Isles; the Iberian Peninsula (Spain | | | | Who are those crazy Celts? They're Scots, and |
| and Portugal); much of Central Europe (where they | | | | Irishmen, Welshmen and Brits, and Frenchmen, |
| were termed Gauls; today, Gaul approximates | | | | Germans, the Spanish, the Swiss, Italians and Turks - |
| France, Luxembourg, Belgium, Switzerland, parts of | | | | and people from points in between. And in the 21st |
| northern Italy and parts of the Netherlands and | | | | century, they're Canadians, Americans, and Japanese. |
| Germany ); and as far east as Galatia (modern | | | | If you feel you can claim a Celtic heritage but not an |
| Turkey). Yep, that's right - Celts in Turkey! | | | | affiliation with a Scottish clan, there is a tartan just |
| Recently, the people of the French Atlantic island of | | | | for you. Designed by American kiltmaker Jared |
| Ouessant had a tartan designed and registered with | | | | Hammond, woven by Fraser & Kirkbright of |
| the Scottish Register of Tartans (reference no. | | | | Vancouver, B.C., this "one tartan fits all" or universal |
| 10236) to reflect their Celtic heritage. It is, in fact, | | | | tartan is appropriately called Celtic Pride. |
| the eleventh Breton tartan to be registered. | | | | The thread count for this fashion tartan (STA |
| Ouessant (in Breton, the island is called Enez Eusa; in | | | | reference no. 6267) is LO8 G86 K44 G16 K4 WW4 |
| English, Ushant) lies about 30 kilometres off the coast | | | | GO6 G20. |
| of Brittany, a region occupying a large peninsula in | | | | |