Claare Ny Gael - Manx Radio

Edward Christian was a significant figure in Manx history from about 1630 until his death in 1661, with radical ideas that were well ahead of his time. These were turbulent times, as was his relationship with Yn Stanlagh Mooar, James, the Lord Strange and then VII Earl of Derby. Edward Christian died on 19th January and was buried in the chancel of Maughold Church on 22nd January, 1661. And Jonath...

We heard recently about a trial held over the Christmas time of 1843 in the Halfway House just above Crosby. Was it for trespass on Ballaharry, or was it so that the owner, John Quine, could accuse his sister-in-law of causing the death of some of his animals by witchcraft? After the Mona's Herald reported on it, there was a lively debate in its pages about it during January of 1844. Jonathan...

Although there had been books of poetry by Cushag - Letitia Margaret Josephine Kermode - since 1907, a collection called 'Manx Melodies' was published one hundred years ago in 1922. We hear some of the poetry from that volume. In 1897, a Dubliner living and working in London, Bram Stoker published a book dedicated 'To my dear friend Hommy Veg' - Hommy Veg being Thomas Hall Caine, a...

Our translation of a short story by Anthony Dezenzio into Manx  turns out to be a bit shorter than expected, so we also hear translations of flash fiction by Justin Rulton, John M Carlson and Bianca Sanchez.  We dip into the first newspaper of the new year 150 years ago in 1872, and we hear of children in squalid rags, of poverty and destitution. We also hear criticism of what is suppose...

We look to the newspapers to get a feel for what was happening in the Island one hundred years ago, round about the Christmastime of 1921. Mail delivery was obviously important, and the postal service got little respite. Prohibition in the USA had started in 1920, and there were those in favour of it in the Island, and those opposed to it, as the Island discussed a new licensing bill. And moves we...

In 1843, the reporter in the Mona's Herald was incredulous that, in that modern and enlightened age, people in Marown believed in witchcraft. However, a trial for trespass on Ballaharry somehow became a hunt for the person who was bewitching the farmer, John Quine, who was also a preacher, and apparently supported in his endeavours by two other preachers on the jury. Richmal Crompton is well-k...

We hear how HMS Racehorse came to grief on Langness on 14th December 1822, which unfortunately resulted in the loss of six crewmen and three of the crew of a boat from Castletown that had made four trips, rescuing the rest of those on board, before being swamped as it returned from its fifth mission.  Our short story in Manx is the first part of one written by well-known author, Richmal Cromp...

On 6th December 1878, there was a great concourse of more than 700 people who assembled in the new premises of the Philip Christian Endowed School in Peel, funded by the Clothworkers' Guild of the City of London, of which Philip Christian had been a Warden, and had left London property in his will to the Guild's trust to use the rental to pay for education in his native Peel, where he'...

In a short programme this time because of a Covid briefing, we hear how a case of mistaken identity brought a second celebration of St Maughold, with Shenn Laa'l Maghal Geuree, the old style St Maughold's winter feast day, on 26th November - the day when people elsewhere, particularly in Brittany, celebrate the feast day of St Malo. And only time for part of a story in Manx this time, from...

Belle Vue was a very popular resort presenting circuses, model villages, a replica of HMS Victory and much more at a site about a mile from the centre of Douglas, beween the Rivers Doo and Glass just before they converge to become the Douglas River. We get a glimpse of what was there as we hear of the destruction of quite large parts of it in a fire on 23rd November 1895. It's not so much a st...

We're just about half way through November by now. Or are we? And are we at the start of a new year? For many years, the Hop tu Naa tradition was celebrated on 11th November and on the northside, leases took effect from 12th November. These are the dates as they appear on the modern calendar, but by the unreformed calendar, these would be 31st October and 1st November. Our story in Manx is ano...

The Douglas and Isle of Man Bank was opened on the South Quay in Douglas in 1815. It was run by the Holmes family, a Liverpool-Manx family. The death of John Holmes in Liverpool was followed very shortly by the death of the last surviving brother, James Holmes, in Douglas. Their bank had been greatly trusted, but its affairs were found to be in disarray. This was uncovered on the death of James Ho...

Colonel Robert Duckenfield led a large force against the Isle of Man, but their arrival was dogged by bad weather. By the time they arrived, Illiam Dhone had led a rising against Charlotte, the Countess of Derby, and was able to conclude terms with the Parliamentarians on behalf of the people of the Island, rather than allowing the Countess to use them as pawns in trying to save her husband, not k...

It's a lucky dip of news as we look through the pages of the Manx Sun newspaper, in the edition for Saturday October 21, 1871. We've looked at pieces of history in and around that year, but we get a glimpse of what was exercising the minds of people in general, with the launch of Isle of Man Railways two years before its first line opened, an unflattering view of the harbour works which ga...

We recap on our short story, written in English by American author Joe Giordano and translated into Manx for Claare ny Gael, and then follow it to its sad conclusion. Meanwhile, we trace the circumstances that led to 800 armed Manx militia men assembling at the house of Illiam Dhone, William Christian, to take an oath of allegiance to him to make a stand against Charlotte, the Countess of Derby, a...

Our short story in Manx takes us to New York, where Craig is besotted with Brede but loses her close affection, though they remain friends.  When Brede becomes the victim of violence, Craig steps in to help.  Laa'l Vial, the Feast Day of St Michael the Archangel - Michaelmas - (which falls on 29th September, but continued to be celebrated by the old style, on or around 10th October)...

The Bank of Mona had its head office in Douglas and branches in Castletown, Peel and Ramsey. However, it was a subsidiary of the Bank of Glasgow. However well-run the Bank of Mona was, the Bank of Glasgow crashed, and so the Bank of Mona also shut down, on Wednesday 2nd October 1878. Its former Douglas head office today forms the 'Wedding Cake' of the Island's Legislative Buildings. An...

The Laxey Wheel is iconic, but combines a pleasing appearance with a serious purpose and some outstanding engineering. We hear how the London Illustrated News reported - and illustrated - the official opening on 27th September 1854. In our story in Manx, we take the road in the canary yellow gypsy caravan so beloved of Mnr Toad - for the time being, at any rate. As nyn giaull y cheayrt shoh - THE...

In the wreck of the herring fleet at the mouth of Douglas Harbour on 21st September 1787, 21 men died. The number injured is not recorded. In the longer term, there were serious economic consequences because so many fishing vessels were damaged beyond repair. The herring fishery was important domestically as part of the Manx crofting way of life and in international trade.  We look at the Man...

The coxswain of Douglas lifeboat, William Curphey, said that the lifeboat station on the corner of the Harris Promenade and Church Road Marina was in the wrong place for launching into stormy waters. Unfortunately, he was proved right. Three men drowned whilst the lifeboat was delayed in going to the rescue of the smack 'Hero' on 13th September 1873. William Curphey resigned as a matter of...

A large crowd assembled near the foot of Castle Street in Peel on Thursday, 6th September 1906 for the laying of the foundation stone of the Ward Public Library, a presentation by the hugely successful entrepreneur, James Kewley Ward to the people of the town of his birth. In our Manx translation, the Roddan Ushtey takes Kyaghan to meet Mnr Toad in his fine house - only to find out that he's n...

The Battery Pier in Douglas was opened with an official "handing over" of the Battery by the designer, Sir John Coode, and Resident Engineer, William Powell, to the Receiver-General, Ridgeway Harrison, who was the Chairman of the Harbour Commissioners, on 29th August 1879. In our story in Manx we come to the end of the first chapter with the whisper of the wind, not in the willows, but i...

The fierce King Magnus Olafson of Norway, better known as Magnus Barefoot or Barelegs, came and took the throne of the Kingdom of Man and the Isles from the dynasty of Godred Crovan from 1098 until his death on 23rd August 1103 in Ulster as he set out to conquer Ireland. Our two animal friends, yn Kyaghan as y Roddan Ushtey, enjoy a picnic alongside the river and are joined by another friend, yn M...

From the Island's transport history, we hear of the Upper Douglas Tramway, a cable-car system that went from the Jubilee Clock, up Victoria Street and the steady climb to upper Douglas, then back down via York Road and Ballaquayle Road to the foot of Broadway. The line opened to the public at 8.00am on Saturday 15th August 1896.  Our story in Manx tells of how y Kyaghan as y Roddan Ushtey...

The Mooragh estate was a rough wilderness when Ramsey Commissioners first bought it. However, plans were drawn up for it and the first stone of the North Promenade was laid - and the promenade was named - and the first sod of the Mooragh Park was cut by the Lieutenant-Governor Spencer Walpole on 11th August 1887. We look at the opening of a translation into Manx of The Wind in the Willows, a book...