Claare Ny Gael - Manx Radio

With elections to some of the local authorities during the week, it also happens to have been the anniversary of the first local authority election held in the Island. It took place in Douglas on 24th July 1860 - ironically as the result of legislation at a time when the House of Keys was unelected and unaccountable. Neddy Beg Hom Ruy's reminscences of the herring fishery bring us to the end of the season. As nyn giaull - FLATS & SHARPS - Boat CAARJYN COOIDJAGH - Harrish y cheayn HELMUT ZACHARIAS & HIS ORCHESTRA - Tokyo melody MACMASTER/HAY - Reason and love GAI TOMS - Haul hydref y Moelwyn STRIICHMUSIG ALPEGRUESS - De blend Appezeller CAROL WALKER - The maid of Port y Shee BRIAN GULLAND, ROBIN JEFFREY, TIM LAYCOCK & ROBERT ALEXANDER WHITE - Sailing over the Dogger Bank KOHANN - Wendyland

Yn Chruinnaght's Celtic Gathering 2021 will be taking place from Monday 19th July to Sunday 25th July. We look ahead to what will be happening with Chloe Woolley and Jo Callister. You can find out more at  https://ynchruinnaght.com/ or at https://www.facebook.com/pg/CelticGatheringIOM/ We also hear more about the nineteenth century herring fishery from a first-hand source, the reminiscences of Neddy Beg Hom Ruy. As y kiaull ain - KATE REID - Caroline BRETON-MANX COLLABORATION - War Enezenn Manav/Abraham Juan SCRAN - Our ship did sail/Dhooraght POL HODGE, BERT BISCOE & ANGUS LAMOND - An goel meur a vernans DAOIRI FARRELL - Bound for Van Diemen's Land BAND Y BETWS - Sawdl y Fuwch/Cath Sion Dafydd CHRISTINE COLLISTER - Point Scarlett BRYHER'S BOYS - Little Lize DEAF SHEPHERD - The Braemar Gathering

A parish and the ancient and modern cathedral are dedicated to Noo Carmane, St German, and he is celebrated in the Island on 13th July.  His story is an inter-Celtic one, starting in Brittany, and coming to Mannin via Ireland and Wales. Neddy Beg's reminiscences, written by him in Manx, continue to focus on his time at the fishing. Some of them were included in letters he wrote whilst he was away on a fishing trip, and he also recalls stories told to him by other fishermen. As nyn giaull - CALUM KENNEDY - Brochan lom ANNIE EBREL - Robardig THE SKYMASTERS DANCE ORCHESTRA - The dear little shamrock DALLA - Dean younk o Gernow DAVID FISHER - Eisht as nish UNKNOWN ORGANIST - St Garmon (Edward Meredith Price) MANAU - Mais qui est la belette? DE DANANN - Two Jewish reels LUNASA - Freylech Yitzikel

Reform of the calendar in 1753 - deemed to have been backdated to 1752 - means that the Great Midsummer Fair is held in St John's on 5th July by the modern calendar, but 24th June (formerly reckoned to be midsummer) by the old style. Midsummer was a fire festival associated with Manninan, but the church made it St John the Baptist's Day. However, the Tynwald ceremony includes links with the old god. We hear more about Neddy Beg's time as a youth at sea with his father as skipper and a crew much given to drink. As y kiaull ain y cheayrt shoh - NY SLOMMAGHYN - O Vanninee CAARJYN COOIDJAGH - Eubonia soilshagh CHRONICLES - Mylecharaine's march TWISTED ANGELS - Ellan Vannin BRIAN MAC STOYLL & SHORYS Y CREAYRIE - Mannin veg veen JOHN TURNER & KEITH SWALLOW - Ode to Mananan (Peter Crossley-Holland) GREG JOUGHIN & BARRULE - In search of Manannan SKEEAL - Manannan CZECHO-SLOVAK RADIO SYMPHONY ORCH, Cond Adrian Leaper - Rhapsody Mylecharane (Haydn Wood)

Robert Corteen was born in 1790 and was something of a polymath, successful in many fields of study and achievement, and not only in the Isle of Man. Whilst working for Messrs Gelling in Douglas, he constructed machinery to supply gas to light St Matthew's Church and other businesses on Douglas quayside. This was first used on 27th June 1832. We continue to hear about the exploits of Neddy Beg Hom Ruy at the fishing out of Port St Mary when he was still young, among crewmen who were much given to drink.  As nyn giaull - CAARJYN COOIDJAGH - Y folliaght ANNETTE WYN MERRIMAN & JENNIFER JONES - Y cobler du bach NEIL CLARK - Troy’s Wedding/Glasgow City Police Pipers/Kenny Gillies of Portnalong, Skye OLL AN GWELLA - The white rose KISTINIDIZ - Kerfank NEIL MULLIGAN - The Newport Lass/Port an Bhrathair GWERINOS - Mynd yn ol MARGARET BENNETT - Gaoil ise gaol i BREE - Gaelg aboo! MEC LIR - Chase the ace

King Robert the Bruce is a well-known figure in Scottish history. Perhaps less-known is the fact that he spent a month here in the Island, arriving on 18th May 1313 and leaving after the fall of Castle Rushen after a siege, when the Lord Dougal Mac Dowyl held out for a month. A W Moore gives the date of the end of that siege as 21st June 1313.  Neddy Beg Hom Ruy's reminiscences give us a good description of how the herring fishery was conducted in the mid- to late-nineteenth century. As y kiaull ain y cheayrt shoh - BREABACH - Coisich a ruin MEIC STEVENS - Ar y mynydd THE SKYMASTERS DANCE ORCHESTRA - The garden where the praties grow BRENDA WOOTTON & NICHOLAS MATTHEWS - The mermaid RUNRIG - Mairi THE FOLK DANCE BAND - Nancy's fancy                                                                          &nbs

A meeting of Ramsey Commissioners on 13th June 1928 became the cause of quite a lot of interest and sundry mocking comments, not only in the Island's newspapers, but in the British national dailies and on the BBC. Should they put out the flags on the promenade on a Sunday, or was that commercialising and compromising the Sabbath? Even the ministers of religion thought it was a minor matter. In Manx, we continue with Neddy Beg Hom Ruy's reminiscences of life at the fishing in the 1840s as a boy and later as a man, fishing round the Island and off Ireland. As y kiaull ain y cheayrt shoh - BOB DELYN A'R EBILLION - Morgan Jones ANNIE KISSACK - Y maarliagh mooar STORVAN - Kas ha barh JOHN McCORMACK - Down by the green bushes MABE LADIES CHOIR - Maggi Me KEEP IT UP - Hector THE GENTLE GOOD - Antiffoni CAARJYN COOIDJAGH - Tar shiuish ooilley ANAM - Cornish gavottes 

We find out more about Neddy Beg Hom Ruy and his work in Manx. In his Skeealyn Aesop he was translating from the English. In his letters, reminiscences and other stories, he writes the Manx as he hears it and thinks it, so it gives a window on the language in the nineteenth century. The foundation stone for Peel Breakwater was laid 6th June 1863 by the Lieutenant-Governor, Henry Brougham Loch. We hear an overview of how the day went and about some of those who took part. As nyn giaull - CAZ DOUGHERTY & PAUL ROGERS - Birlinn Ghorree Chrovan HOLMAN-CLIMAX MVC (as Sydney Mitchell) & CAMBORNE TOWN BAND - Proper job LIGHT MUSIC SOCIETY ORCHESTRA Cond. Sir Vivian Dunn - Molly on the shore (Percy Grainger) NEVER MIND THE BOCS - Ffoles Llantrisant JAMES GRAHAM & CRUINN - Gheibhin cadal math BAGAD KEMPER - Chal ha dichal LILLIS O'LAOIRE - An t-oilean ur DALLA - Anna Tremellan/Farwell, maidens all BRETON-MANX COLLABORATION - Ar plac'h a Rianteg/Jerrey yn theihll

We finish off those of Aesop's Fables that were translated into Manx by Neddy Beg Hom Ruy - twenty-five of them were published by Karl Roeder in 1901. We also hear excerpts from a letter from Neddy Beg from his son's Derbyshire  home to his friend, Rev John Kewley, in 1899. Bishop Samuel Rutter had a short episcopacy, and is well-known for the epitaph he wrote for himself, about sharing a home with his brothers, the little worms. He was a surprisingly robust existentialist when it came to his songs of drinking and carousing. He was buried in the chancel of St German's Cathedral on 30th May 1661. As nyn giaull - QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, Cond. Andrew Perry - Op 91, Four Cornish Dances (Sir Malcolm Arnold) - 1. Vivace SKEEAL - Ushtey millish 'sy gharee/Peeldog QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA - 2. Andantino DONAL LUNNY, COOLFIN & CAARJYN - Dulaman QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA - 3. Con moto e sempre senza parodia ANNE MARTIN - Gur tu mo chruinneag bhoidheach QUEENSLAND SYMPHONY ORCH

In the early nineteenth century, there was very little money of a small denomination in circulation. The effect was to stifle trade, so from 1804 enterprising traders began to issue their own tokens for small denominations, known as 'card money' . Some issued more that they could redeem. However, the biggest problem was of forgery. The situation came into such disrepute that Tynwald passed the Bankers' Notes Act on 23rd May 1817 to put an end to small demonination card money. We look once again at translations into Manx made by Neddy Beg Hom Ruy of Aesop's Fables, which were published by Karl Roeder in 1901. As nyn giaull - 9BACH - Llyn Du SEOSAMH Ó hÉANAÍ - An gréasaí bróg ROBIC & GUILLARME - Gavottes JULIE FOWLIS - Hùg air a' bhonaid mhòir/Da thàbh air an fharaidh BRIAN WEBB - Ow avon splann KING CHIAULLEE - Continental stomp NINA & FREDERIK - Listen to the ocean THE SPUNKIE CLOOTIES - Puirt-à-beul JAMIE SMIT

By 1911 there were no visible remains of a keeill known as Cabbal Rhullickey. Renowned scholar J J Kneen traced its name to an earlier Cabbal Ronnican, named for an Irish saint who was celebrated on 15th May with a fair in Ballaugh. Nearby, Bishopscourt was the scene of a fire which destroyed much of the middle block and led to the death of Mary Gardner in the early hours of Tuesday 16th May 1893. We have a series of short stories in Manx, Skeealyn Aesop, in the translation by Neddy Beg Hom Ruy, Edward Faragher of Cregneash, published in 1901. As y kiaull ain - MARCAS MAC AN TUAIRNEIR - Nochd CALAN - Blodau'r flwyddyn SEAMUS ENNIS - Ask my father/Pat Ward's jig LORS LANDAT & THOMAS MOISSON - Ar paotr youank koz/Ton berr gavotenn MARLENE HENDY - The secret island RACHEL HAIR - Hubcaps and potholes SALT & SKY - Estren dyworth an mor PERERIN - Symffoni lawen MAIRTIN TOURISH, LUKE WARD & STIOFAN O BRION - Piper in the cave

At 6.00am on Monday 10th May 1897, the morning shift of 35 miners climbed down into the shaft of the Great Snaefell Mine. Within a short time, 19 of them were dead, overcome by a build up of carbon monoxide after a fire which had occurred some time after the final shift on Saturday and during the Sunday when the mine was not being worked. Our short story in Manx is about a tourist in Florence and the caprices of fate - is it wise to know the future or not? As nyn giaull - RUTH KEGGIN - Holdfast THEO LE MAGUET - Les gars de Locmine DA CAMERA - The Irish ground (Thomas Tollett) MAGI TUDUR - Jim JIMMY McBEATH - The bonnie lass o' Fyvie PRINCE'S BAND - Helston furry dance MOOT - Graih my chree COR MEIBION PONTARDDULAIS - Diolch i'r Ior MACMASTER/HAY - Pibroch

A party of 37 men left Peel aboard a two-masted schooner called the Vixen to sail to Melbourne in Australia. The idea was that they would seek their fortune in digging for gold. We hear a poem about their departure and then entries in the diary kept by Henry Maddrell Graves about some of the events on their voyage. After 92 days - which included 21 days becalmed - they reached Melbourne on 2nd May 1853. Our short story in Manx is about a self-confessedly boring man, rather old-fashioned and lacking in confidence, whose life is changed when he's unexpectedly tempted to buy an electric tooth brush.  As y kiaull ain - CARREG LAFAR - Y gleisiad yn y gwanwyn SINEAD O'CONNOR - Baidin Fheilimi MIKE JAMES & YVES LEBLANC - Pas a sept DOOLISH Y KARAGHER & BRIAN MAC STOYLL - She inneen jeh'n vochilley boght GWENNO - Amser DA CAMERA - Andante/Minuet (Spring - The Ranunculus : James Oswald) KATHERINE JENKINS & CATRIN FINCH - Dafydd y Garreg Wen THE POGUES & THE DUBLINERS - The Irish Rove

We look back 200 years to the  first edition of a newspaper called The Rising Sun, or, Mona's Herald, which was published on Tuesday 24th April 1821. We then look at the sweep of the history of the newspaper itself, which ran from 1826 to 1906 as The Manx Sun. Our informant is the man who was the final editor of the newspaper, and later Librarian and Director of the Manx Museum, William Cubbon. Our short story in Manx takes us back even further, to the days of the cavedwellers, but enjoys, and makes the most of, some amusing anachronisms. As y kiaull ain - MAC-TALLA - Barcelona KLERVI RIVIERE - Chanig Manuel COBLA BARCELONA - La Santa Espina SORELA - Blode PATRICK WOLF - Vaeety Breau ROYAL SCOTTISH NATIONAL ORCH Cond Sir Alexander Gibson - The Wreckers Overture (Ethel Smyth) VAIL O FLATHERTA - Amhran an Phuca CORNCROW - Sweet Nightingale RACHEL HAIR & ADAM RHODES - Arrane y Chlean MUCYN CAGGEE - Lhig da'n Theihll Chyndaa Mygeayrt

Having looked last time at the enthronement in April of a Bishop appointed the previous November, we do the same this time, but rather than going back to 1697-8 in the case of Thomas Wilson, we look only as far as 1911-12 in the case of James Denton Thompson. His enthronement took place in St George's Church in Douglas on Thursday 18th April 1912. Our short story in Manx is about a young scientist, new out of university, whose expertise enables him to attach a radio signal to a tachyon - tachyons theoretically travel faster than the speed of light - to try to contact an alien from a planet in another galaxy a number of light years away. As y kiaull ain : GWERINOS - Fflat Huw Puw SGOIL CHIUIL NA GAIDHEALTACHD - Thoir mo shoraidh LESKI - Crested hens/Ewon an mor THE MOLLAG BAND - 24 Keys LISETTE MARECHAL - 'Benn Desul EOGHAN O CEANNABHAIN - The bunch of green rushes/The merry twists of fate SIAN JAMES - Y gwydd THE MOLLAG BAND - Arrane ny fee GWERINOS - Nyth y gwcw/Nyth y gog/Cyw o'r nyth

The figure of Bishop Thomas Wilson looms large in Manx history. We go back to the very start of his episcopacy, with his appointment in November 1697 and the other official stages leading up to his installation and enthronement in St German's Cathedral on St Patrick's Isle on 11th April 1698. There then followed a long tenure of office until his death in 1755. Our short story is based on one written originally in English by Simon J Wood - but without the emphasis on a heavy Scottish accent. In this translation it's called Cheer Cooie da Treanee - A Land Fit for Heroes. As nyn giaull: PLETHYN - Hon yw fy Olwen i MUNROE - An bothain a bh'aig Fionnghuala PHILIP FOWKE & RTE CONCERT ORCH, Cond. Prionnsias O Duinn - Cornish Rhapsody (Hubert Bath) ARTHUR CORMACK - Mairi ruadh a dannsa an nochd KAREN TRENEER & BUCCA - Ny woer hi MEC LIR - The ram ALAN STIVELL - Tri martolod ERNESTINE SCHUMANN-HEINK - Danny boy ARAN - Xotas galegas

We look at the background to yn Chaisht, the Eastertide - , starting with the origin of the names of this moveable feast of the church in English and in the Celtic languages. The Manx traditions of Jeheiney Caisht, Good Friday, include an apparently pagan element. Overall Manx farmers were pessimistic about stock born at this time and by some it was considered an unlucky time. Our short story in Manx is another of Virginia Woolf's allusive pieces about Miranda sleeping 'In the Orchard'. As nyn giaull - SAMLING - Giulleachan/Gakkori LINDA GRIFFITHS A SORELA - Can Mered MILLADOIRO - Axeitame a polainina THE MOLLAG BAND - Quoi ta'n dooinney quaagh? MARIE-ALINE LAGADIC - Ma labousig er c'hoad CORNCROW - Pysk pi DARACH O CATHAIN - Amhran na tra baine OSKORRI - Aita semeak MACTULLAGH VANNIN - Flitter Dance/Cum yn shenn oanrey cheh

Johnson's Guidebook of 1850 describes Laxey as a cluster of cottages down by the shore, with a dangerous, steep approach down from Fairy Cottage on the south side and Minorca on the north. Leech's Guide of 1861 shows a larger, bustling Laxey with a mining industry. Contemporary newspapers tell of the New Road, opened 28th February 1854, with its magnificent viaducts, giving travellers a view up to the Great Laxey Wheel.   Our story is a Manx translation of an English translation from the original Spanish of Colombian writer, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, about a dentist and a mayor. As y kiaull ain - THE MOLLAG BAND - Graih foalsey MARIE-ALINE LAGADIC - A Kerity PHILIP FOWKE & RTE CONCERT ORCH, Cond Prionnsias O Duinn - The dream of Olwen SGOIL CHIUIL NA GAIDHEALTACHD - Tobair, tobair siolladh MEREDYDD EVANS - Cyri'r geifr BIRLINN JIARG - Animal farm PILOCHA - A fiandeira THE STATIONARY WILBERRIES - The Laxey wheel DAVEY & DYER - Dynamite Quay

The steamer Victoria from Fleetwood for Belfast had run aground at Port Mooar in Maughold. Edward and Isabella Christian of Baldromma were fined for keeping goods from the wreck. However, two servants at Baldromma stashed away more loot in the adjacent churchyard. This led to a parochial visitation and remonstrance by Bishop Thomas Vowler Short with the police and other officials on 21st March 1842. Our short story in Manx is about an actor whose fantastic skills - and one particular role - brought him only too closely to the attention of an unscrupulous politician. As nyn giaull : KEVIN CONNEFF - The pride of Pimlico MABSANT - Fe drawodd yn my meddwl GUILDFORD SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, cond. Tom Higgins - A Manx Overture: The Isle of  Mountains and Glens (Haydn Wood) BARBARA GALE, CHRISTINE BREGAZZI, ERNIE THORN & GRAHAM CROWE - Come back to Mona KISTINIDIZ - Kerfank GLENBERVIE FOLK DUO - Roslyn Castle/Gyn ennym/Roxburgh Castle ARDENTIA - Muinera e xota de Ancares# AALIN CLAGUE - Snaih NIALL & CAOIM

We recap and hear more from brilliant academic and author, Dr Jennifer Kewley Draskau, about her latest novel, 'Transportee', available as a book or in a Kindle edition. Jennifer explains how she has based it on the transportation of felons from Castle Rushen to Jamaica in 1698, and on her research into slavery and indentured servitude and much more. With the feast day dedicated to St Patrick on the 17th March, we hear of a man who was involved in the foundation of Irish language and musical societies and who did much to encourage the formation of similar support for the Manx language and culture. However, he was not himself Irish. We hear something of the personal history of Edmund Edward Fournier d'Albe, a great Celtophile who enjoyed a celebrated career as a scientist. As y kiaull ain (fakin dy nee noo patroonagh Nerin ta Noo Pharick, agh scanshoil ayns Mann neesht!) - BERNADETTE MORRIS - Molly na gCuach Ni Chuilleanain DAOIRI FARRELL - The shamrock shore EMMA SWEENEY - The singing kettle SIN