Shiaght Laa

We join the ceremony to present the Island's highest cultural award, the Reih Bleeaney Vanannan, to Peter Kelly, MBE, CP. As part of the award, Peter requested that £500 be donated by Culture Vannin for the use of the Baillie Scott-designed Onchan Village Hall. We hear Chair of Culture Vannin, Chris Thomas, MHK reading the citation; Vice-Chair, Marlene Maska, MLC presenting the cheque fo...

Fiona McArdle introduces the programme. David Callin's excellent selection of poems is available by contacting David by email - dcallin2bvc@gmail, or you can contact him through Facebook. We hear again the poem which gives its title to the collection, 'Always'. Dr Jennifer Kewley Draskau is a brilliant academic and writer who has has used her research as a foundation on which to develo...

In this edition of 'Shiaght Laa' we hear something of the background to a collection of poems by David Callin. They look at people and places in an affectionate, sometimes wry, and often very moving way. The collection is called 'Always'.  The latest publication by Loaghtan Books is 'Peel : Past and Present', and writer Sara Goodwins and photographer George Hobbes tell...

William Christian of Ronaldsway is better known as Illiam Dhone (meaning Brown William, from the colour of his hair). In 1651 he took responsibility for the Island out of the hands of the Royalist Countess of Derby, Charlotte de Tremoille, and negotiated terms with the Parliamentarians which recognised Islanders' rights and privileges which the Earls of Derby, as Lords of Mann, had denied. In...

Paul Quayle writes poems in the Japanese form, the haiku. He's just published a new book, 'Narrow Road to the Deep South', with 23 haiku and some information about them for context. He tells us about that project. The Manx Music Development Officer of Culture Vannin, Chloe Woolley, tells us about a way to help musicians get ready to play in sessions or for dancing, as Laura and Dave Ro...

Maralyn Crellin introduces a programme in which we meet Yn Greinneyder, the newly-appointed Manx Language Development Officer to Culture Vannin, Ruth Keggin Gell. Culture Vannin began its Bree sessions in 2006 to inspire young musicians, singers and dancers. This year's Big Bree Weekend will be coming up at the end of this month, but this week was an important deadline. Manx Music Development...

Ta Fiona McArdle chebbal y chlaare shoh, as aynjee ta shin clashtyn mychione yn Arrymagh John Quine reesht veih ughtar lioar noa my-e-chione, Julie Quine. Eisht ta shin clashtyn mychione skeeal ass shennaghys yn Ellan va wheesh graih ec John Quine er, as ta shin feddyn magh woish Allison Fox jeh Eiraght Ashoonagh Vannin mychione traa boiragh son Reeaghyn Vannin as ny Hellanyn, as yn aght ren cah n...

James Kewley Ward became hugely rich in North America. Amongst his many philanthropic acts for the people of his native land, he had a library built and furnished on the site of his birthplace in Peel. Current librarian Gemma Quilliam tells us about the modern services available in the beautiful and iconic Ward Public Library which was opened on 26th September 1907. A popular book about Manx life...

Maralyn Crellin introduces a celebration of the birth of Mona Douglas on 18th September 1898. We dip into the Manx Radio archives to hear something about Mona from Annie Kissack, who was a member of Aeglagh Vannin and later a friend of Mona, and who was greatly inspired by her. We hear, too, from Derek Winterbottom, author of 'Sophia Morrison, Mona Douglas & their Enchanted Isle' in wh...

Fiona McArdle tells us a little about Brian Stowell and we hear an extract from his autobiography, written in Manx, 'Gaelg as Fishig : Skeeal my Vea', read by Phil Gawne. Now in its third year, Our Island : Our World celebrates the Island's cultural diversity with people from many traditions now resident here. The festival was the inspiration of Dave Mclean, who tells us about this yea...

Standing in the cross house at Kirk Maughold is the imposing Crux Guriat. We were to have had a poem with an unlikely history of the cross by W W Gill last time, but there wasn't time - so we return to it this time. It's now coming up to the new school year, and we look at the history and the future of the Bunscoill Ghaelgagh with former teacher, Annie Kissack, founder of Mooinjer Veggey,...

Maralyn Crellin introduces this edition of Shiaght Laa. We join Sara Goodwins, author of the book 'Cross Purposes : An Introduction to Mediaeval Manx Crosses', as she illustrates the range of decorative styles with examples from the specially-constructed cross house in Kirk Maughold. Moving southwards, we visit Port St Mary, where there is a joint initiative between Port St Mary Commission...

Laa'l Moirrey Toshee is the Manx celebration of St Mary's principal feast day. The Very Reverend Nigel Godfrey, Dean of St German's Cathedral, talks of St Mary and the many dedications to her in the Island. We visit Chibbyr y Woirrey in Onchan, whilst Sue Woolley tells us of the history surrounding Chibbyr y Woirrey in Ramsey. One of the Maughold stone crosses was found at Keeill Woirr...

Manx Radio's weekly programme looking at Manx life from a different angle, exploring the historical, social, linguistic and academic issues. We join President of the Manx Amateur Drama Federation, Michael Lees, and Chairman of the MADF committee, Sharon Walker, to hear about the participants in this year's Festival of One-Act Plays, Wed 4th March-Sat 7th March. This includes the first stage of the...

Manx Radio's weekly programme looking at Manx life from a different angle, exploring the historical, social, linguistic and academic issues. Fiona McArdle introduces this edition as we look at a piece of history associated with the leap day, 29th February 1760, when a battered French squadron was towed round the Point of Ayre and into Ramsey Bay, after a sea battle the previous morning off Jurby H...

Manx Radio's weekly programme looking at Manx life from a different angle, exploring the historical, social, linguistic and academic issues. Maralyn Crellin presents this edition. There's a thread running through it, as we talk to the Chair of the Isle of Man branch of the Embroiderers' Guild, Marilyn Cullen, before reminding ourselves of the Mannin Quilters exhibition celebrating UNESCO Biosphere...

Manx Radio's weekly programme looking at Manx life from a different angle, exploring the historical, social, linguistic and academic issues. This week we attend a special ceremony in the headquarters of Culture Vannin in St John's for the award of the cultural award, the Reih Bleeaney Vanannan, to Stephen Miller. We hear Director of Culture Vannin, Dr Breeesha Maddrell, Chair of Culture Vannin and...

Manx Radio's weekly programme looking at Manx life from a different angle, exploring the historical, social, linguistic and academic issues. This week we visit the official opening of an exhibition by Mannin Quilters of pieces inspired by the Island's UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man status. We're in Castletown Civic Centre, where the Vice-Chairman of Castletown Commissioners, David Parnell, welcomes...

Manx Radio's weekly programme looking at Manx life from a different angle, exploring the historical, social, linguistic and academic issues. Laa'l Breeshey, St Bride's or St Bridget's Day, falls on 1st February, but the eve of her feast day was very important in the Island's practise of folk ritual. We hear about Breeshey and the customs associated with her with the help of Ruth Keggin and Breesha...

Manx Radio's weekly programme looking at Manx life from a different angle, exploring the historical, social, linguistic and academic issues. Robert Burns, the Scottish poet, is celebrated on the anniversary of his birth, 25th January, and there are at least some tenuous connections between the Island and the world-renowned bard. We also look ahead to 30th January which will be Superhero dressing u...

Manx Radio's weekly programme looking at Manx life from a different angle, exploring the historical, social, linguistic and academic issues. Fiona McArdle has been instrumental in organizing the Island's involvement in the Pan Celtic Festival, held somewhere in the island of Ireland each year in Easter Week. The main competition is for a new song in the Celtic language of each of the six participa...

Manx Radio's weekly programme looking at Manx life from a different angle, exploring the historical, social, linguistic and academic issues. This week we join the annual ceremony in memory of Illiam Dhone, William Christian, who was shot to death on Hango Hill near Castletown on 2nd January 1663. We hear Mark Kermode of Mec Vannin and the Manx Branch of the Celtic League, Devon Watson of the Clima...

Manx Radio's weekly programme looking at Manx life from a different angle, exploring the historical, social, linguistic and academic issues. Last time we heard Sravanti Mazumdar talking about Rabindranath Tagore. Her project is to perform Tagore's work in Bengali and in the Manx language, working with Manx musicians and singers. We hear more from Sravanti about herself , and how Tagore was influen...

Manx Radio's weekly programme looking at Manx life from a different angle, exploring the historical, social, linguistic and academic issues. Professor Angela Little recounts how a book about the Isle of Man published in Norwegian in 1979 by Jon Leirfall was passed on to her by an academic colleague and friend. Unable to read Norwegian, Professor Little discovered that Norwegian was one of the many...

Manx Radio's weekly programme looking at Manx life from a different angle, exploring the historical, social, linguistic and academic issues. Fiona McArdle introduces the programme as we hear about a book called 'Port Erin : Past and Present' published by Loaghtan Books, featuring postcards from the extensive collection of Ray Stanfield, who explains about his archive, with modern photographs by Ge...