Claare Ny Gael - Manx Radio

Rev Thomas Stephen's 1832 publication, 'A Poetical Guide to the Isle of Mann', has brought us to what he calls 'Dunlop's Ellerslie left in the lurch'. We start to find out about one-time owner of the farm, Anthony Dunlop, and we two personal glimpses of him, one as an older agriculturalist by Hannah Bullock in 1816, and the other by Scottish poet, Robert Burns, in a letter...

We return from Dalby to Douglas before setting out again on another excursion, led by Rev Thomas Stephen's 'A Poetical Guide to the Isle of Man' published in 1832. We find out something of the history behind the houses and farms he points out on the road, going west as far as St Runius and Ellerslie. In our Manx translation of Bram Stoker's 'Dracula', Mina Murray is writing...

The author of our 1832 publication, 'A Poetical Guide to the Isle of Mann', Rev Thomas Stephen, seems to have a particular interest in Sir George Moore, but we also find out about other notables that he refers to as he takes us out to Glen Maye - or Glen Moij as it was in his day. In this week's episode of a translation into Manx of Bram Stoker's 'Dracula', Dr John Seward d...

We set off on the second day of our excursions, and Rev Thomas Stephen leads us from Castletown up and over the slopes of Barrule to Foxdale, down to St John's and on to Peel. In our Manx translation of Bram Stoker's Dracula, Lucy Westenra has written to her friend, Mina Murray, about receiving three marriage proposals in a day. She's turned one down from Dr John Seward, and now she&#3...

We're visiting the Chasms with the Rev Thomas Stephen, following 'A Poetical Guide to the Isle of Mann' which he published in 1832. We'll return to Castletown by a circuitous route for our evening meal and accommodation - but not before the Rev Stephen leads us on yet another sight-seeing stroll before we sit down to eat. Not knowing of the perils facing her fiance, Jonathan Harker...

We're on an excursion, the first of several following Rev Thomas Stephen's 1832 'A Poetic Guide to the Isle of Mann'. We left Douglas via the Nunnery, Kewaigue, Richmond Hill and Newtown, and had reached Ballasalla. Onwards, then, to the Island's former capital, Castletown, where Mrs Kneen is to provide an evening meal. Despite his hopes of slipping out when the Szganee and the...

Rev Thomas Stephen is recommending that we go on excursions to see more of the Island as he describes it in rhyme in 1832, following our ramble through Douglas and surrounding area. He's critical of tourists trying to cram too much into a visit and recommends taking time to look around as he leads us off for our first excursion. Jonathan Harker knows that Count Dracula intends to hand him over...

We find out about the Fort Anne as a house and later as a hotel, before the Rev Thomas Stephen takes us down to the edge of a storm-tossed sea. Then we head inland to the Nunnery - still associated here with the Heywoods, though they had sold it many years before to the Goldie-Taubmans.  Jonathan Harker makes a bid to leave Castle Dracula immediately when the Count seems to be so disposed - o...

There is a good variety of meat and fish to be had in Douglas market, according to Rev Thomas Stephen's poem of 1832, before he takes us out onto the Red Pier, designed by George Steuart and clad in Annan sandstone. George Steuart also was the architect of the Castle Mona for the Duke of Atholl. Jonathan Harker was being lulled - hypnotised - by dancing lights, but when they started to take th...

Rev Thomas Stephen takes us for a stroll round parts of Douglas and out to old Kirk Braddan, and we look at the background to some of the things he mentions in his 1832 poem, 'A Poetical Guide to the Isle of Mann'. Jonathan Harker has been disappointed by the Szgany, who turned his letters over to Count Dracula. His renewed hope of getting information out through a part of Slovaks is soon...

We continue to follow Rev Thomas Stephen's 1832 work, 'A Poetical Guide to the Isle of Mann', in which we hear of the work of the hobblers, the harbour boatmen, and one lady's misfortune on being helped ashore at Douglas.   Jonathan Harker's hopes are raised by the appearance of a group of gypsies in the courtyard of Castle Dracula - perhaps he can send letters clandestine...

Writing in 1832, Rev Thomas Stephen is giving us 'A Poetical Guide to the Isle of Mann'. He includes the Island's government, including the role of the Legislative Council - though without mentioning that he, as Vicar-General, was an ex officio member of it. Jonathan Harker realises that he was not dreaming when he was faced with three beautiful women for whom he felt lust, which turne...

We continue with Rev Thomas Stephen's 1832 publication, 'A Poetical Guide to the Isle of Mann', but we step aside every now and then to find out more about things he mentions in his text. In our translation into Manx of Bram Stoker's 'Dracula', Jonathan Harker is exploring part of Castle Dracula where it appears the ladies of the household used to live. Feeling tired, he de...

We dip once again into 'A Poetical Guide to the Isle of Mann' by Rev Thomas Stephen, published in 1832. It mixes proud bombast and hyperbole with tongue in cheek cheesiness and a sense of humour and awareness of its own mix of purple prose and bathos. Jonathan Harker can hardly believe his eyes as he witnesses Count Dracula's way of leaving his room to exit the castle. With the Count o...

We turn to 'A Poetical Guide to the Isle of Mann', written by Rev Thomas Stephen and published in 1832. He wrote in the Manx language as well, but we hear from his work in English this time. Thomas Stephen was Vicar of Kirk Patrick for 15 years and was also Vicar-General - though some parts of his work perhaps belie his day job! In our story in Manx, Count Dracula is pressing Jonathan Hark...

In 1975 Kathleen Killip published a collection of fourteen short stories under the title 'Saint Bridget's Night'. In 2017 Ian Cottier recorded ten of them, and we hear him reading 'The White Horse of the Curraghs'. Jonathan Harker listens to some of the history of Transylvania and of the family Dracula from the Count, before looking to the Count's business affairs. It seems...

By the Gregorian Calendar Act, the day after 2nd September 1752 was deemed to have been 14th September. Those 11 days are the reason why high days and holy days are often associated with dates a little later than might be expected. Two days in point are Shenn Laa'l Abban, the Old Style Feast Day of St Abban, and Shenn Laa'l Pharick, the Feast Day of St Patrick by the Old Style. Jonathan Ha...

We heard recently of the controversy when the IOMSPCo Ltd named a vessel the Viking, launched on the Tyne in 1905. We hear this time of the next vessel launched for the company, this time at Vickers, Son and Maxim Ltd in Barrow.  No quibbles about the name when the Ben-my-Chree (III) was launched on 23rd March 1908. Having a shave leads to a surprise for Jonathan Harker, which causes him to n...

William Forster was consecrated as Bishop of Sodor and Man on 9th March 1634, having been appointed to the episcopacy in December 1633. His term of office was cut short when he died in February 1635. He held a court in Douglas in 1634, and his questionnaire, known as Bishop Forster's Visitation, to the churchwardens and sidemen gives a glimpse of life in the Island at that time.   Jonatha...

On 6th March 1905 the Isle of Man Steam Packet Company Ltd had a new vessel, its first turbine steamer, launched on the Tyne. We hear of the war of words about a suitable name for it. Jonathan Harker has found a library with a lot of books, newspapers and magazines in the English language. It seems that Count Dracula has been studying the language, customs and manners of the English, prior to a mo...

In late February 1903 a storm - described as a cyclone and a hurricane in the newspapers - caused a lot of structural damage throughout the Island. In Douglas, the tin tab of All Saints' church was damaged, as was St George's, but in the early hours of Friday 27th February 1903 St German's Church in Peel - now the Island's cathedral - was severely damaged. We look at contemporary a...

The early eighteenth century was a time of friction between church and state. One flash point came in 1718, when an appeal against the ecclesiastical courts went to the Earl of Derby. Bishop Thomas Wilson pointed out it ought to go to the Archbishop of York and refused to attend a court called by James Stanley, the 10th Earl of Derby. Wilson was fined £10 for contempt of court on 19th Februa...

Some time ago in 'Claare ny Gael' we were going through A Book of Manx Poetry, chosen and edited by  William Cubbon. When he was about 85 years of age in 1950, his grand-daughter, Thelma, published a collection of poetry called These Things I Would Remember, dedicated to her grandfather. We dip into that. Jonathan Harker is having a troubled ride in a carriage to Castle Dracula, surro...

After frosts and general cold weather, Wednesday 6th February 1895 saw a fall of snow which began at 7.30am and didn't let up, and with a strong wind created blizzard conditions which piled the snow up to 14 ft deep and smothered the Island and its normal activities. We hear how the Isle of Man Examiner described the conditions. Jonathan Harker has now transferred to the personal carriage of C...

The Isle of Man Times and General Advertiser hailed the passing by a sitting of Tynwald on 2nd February 1872 of the Public Elementary Education Act. The Act required the Bible to be read and explained as part of the curriculum. The editorial was concerned that that this might lead to "denominationalism", as churches and chapels sought to influence what was taught. Jonathan Harker is on a...