Claare Ny Gael - Manx Radio

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

We hear from academic and author, Dr Jennifer Kewley Draskau, about the background to her recently-launched novel, 'Transportee', taking as its starting point the decision in 1698 to commute the death penalty on a dozen felons lying in chains in Castle Rushen to one of transportation to Jamaica. In celebration of Gool Piran, the Feast Day of St Piran (5th March), patron saint of Cornwall, we hear of a Cornish academic, Henry Jenner, and how he gives us a view of the Manx language in 1874, as well as all he did to promote the Cornish language. As dy yannoo ard eailley jeh'n Noo Piran neesht, nyn giaull - HOLMAN-CLIMAX MALE VOICE CHOIR - Trelawny KATIE KIRK & RICK WILLIAMS - Morwenstow MacQUARRIE & TOMS - Abeyance/Kesunyans THE ROWAN TREE & AGGIE BOYS CHOIR - One and all BRENDA WOOTTON - Silver net DAVEY & DYER - An Lanow BUCCA - Re a lever ROGER BRYANT - Cornish lads GWENNO - Eus keus?

Bishop Mark Hildesley and his household were greeted on the morning of 28th February 1760 by the thunder of cannon. From Jurby Head they witnessed the sea battle between three Royal Navy vessels under Commander John Elliot and three vessels of the French Royale under Francois Thurot - a battle in which Thurot was killed. Despite celebrating with the Royal Navy, Thurot was widely mourned in the Island, where he was known from the running trade. As 1st March is Dydd Dewi Sant, St David's Day, we celebrate a Welshman, A S B Davies, who, in 1952 and 1954, produced two booklets of stories in Manx. As ta'n kiaull ain woish y Vretin neesht - ELIN FFLUR & MONIARS - Harbwr diogel MORRISTON ORPHEUS CHOIR - Myfanwy BAND Y BETWS - Rhyd-y-Meirch 9BACH - Ambell hiraeth DAFYDD IWAN - Gorau Cymro, Cymro oddicartref CASS MEURIG - Sbonc bogel CALAN - Synnwyr Solomon BOB ROBERTS - Moliannwn JAMIE SMITH'S MABON - The ridiculous thinkers

Bishop Thomas Wilson enjoyed a long episcopacy from 1697 to 1755. However, relations with his former tutorial charge, James Stanley, who became the Tenth Earl of Derby in 1702, became strained in the early 1700s. We hear of one point of friction over the case of Mary Hendricks. Our short story in Manx is a translation of a mysterious piece by Virginia Woolf. In fact, it's shorter than usual, so we also go back to three pieces of flash fiction based on work by Sheila Elliott, Jenn Linning and Kate Fellowes. As nyn giaull - BARRULE - Illiam boght SOWENA - Jim Stacey DEAF SHEPHERD - Finbarr Saunders/Chloe's passion/Damsadh Chainnach MIM TWM LLAI - Arwain i'r mor FIONA MacKENZIE & CRUINN - A phiuthrag's a phiuthair BAGAD KEMPER - Dans Plin SEOSAMH O hEANAI - Cunnla BRENDA WOOTTON - De Sul vytyn BARRULE - The wheel of fire

The efforts by the Douglas Fire Brigade to deal with a fire in the belfry of St Thomas's Church in Douglas attracted some negative comments from the newspapers of the day. We find out why as we hear a description of the events of Sunday evening, 11th February 1912. Our story in Manx is by a social worker from Sheffield, Amanda Marples, who won a prize as a new author. In this Manx translation the story is called 'Fer y Tattoo'. Even better, it all takes place on a tram. As y kiaull ain: CRIW 1985 - Dwylo dros y mor JULIE FOWLIS - A ghaoil, leig dhachaigh gum mhathair mi BAGAD KADOUDAL - Kan bal Kadoudal ED SHEERAN - Galway girl FIGUREHEAD - Gonna leave her onshore CLARE KILGALLON / BBC SCOTTISH ORCHESTRA - Manx dirk dance CRIW 2020 - Dwylo dros y mor THE MIDDEN - Long time gone LLAN DE CUBEL - Urbies 

We open at random a copy of George Jefferson's Manks Advertiser and Weekly Intelligencer for Thursday 8th February 1821 to get a flavour of what Island life was like at that time. It cost over twice as much per year to licence a greyhound (£2 2s) as it did to have a four-horse carriage on the road (£1), and all the details of owners and how much they paid on what was there for all to read in the newspaper. In Manx, we have the opening two chapters of a modern thriller by Peter James. As y kiaull ain : KATHLEEN MacINNES - Gaol ise gaol i KISTINIDIZ - Gweharral KING CHIAULLEE - Continental stomp ARFON GWILYM  & SIONED WEBB - Nid wyf yn llon CELTIC WOMAN - Tir na nOg BUCCA - An dufunyans BRIAN MAC STOYLL - Arrane sooree CAMBRIDGE SINGERS - I love my love NITEWORKS feat. KATHLEEN MacINNES - Maraiche

In celebration of Noo Breesha, St Bridget, we hear about the custom associated with households vying to attract the saint to lodge with them overnight, which would bring good luck on the household for the rest of the year. We hear an abridged version of the story as told by Kathleen Killip, read by Ian Cottier.  In Manx, we hear the short history of what was reckoned to be the finest vessel ever launched in the Island up to that point, the Parkfield - launched 8th January 1833, left Douglas at 9.00pm on Friday 2nd February, returned to Douglas because of a sudden storm, but was driven on to Conister. It was another stirring rescue by Douglas lifeboat, including, for the final time, Sir William Hillary. All souls were saved, but the Parkfield was lost on Saturday 3rd February 1833. As nyn giaull : RICHARD TRETHEWEY & CAMBORNE YOUTH BAND - Geevor lads RIOGHNACH CONNOLLY - Nil se na la SONERIEN DU - Laride an la mineur KATE REID - The flower of Fochabers YWS GWYNEDD - Drwy dy lygid di MANX YOUTH

Henry Bloom Noble wrote a letter on 25th January 1886 saying that his wife, Rebecca, would present the site and that he would pay for building a hospital in Douglas (now the Manx Museum building in Kingswood Grove). Their offer was announced and accepted on 27th January. Unfortunately, Rebecca didn't live to see the completion and opening of the hospital in 1888. Our story in Manx is another by Simon J Wood. He lives in Lincolnshire and his story about a famous author is set in Boston - but in this case, Boston, Massachusetts. We celebrate the birth of Robert Burns on 25th January 1759 lesh nyn giaull - DOUGIE MacLEAN - Rattlin', roarin' Willie SHEENA WELLINGTON - There was a lad PAOLO NUTINI - For a' that KATE REID - The banks o' Cree BRIAN MILLER - O, Tibbie, I hae seen the day EMILY SMITH & JAMIE MacCLENNAN - Adoon winding Nith DICK GAUGHAN - Now westlin' winds IMAR - L'air Mignonne  

The 'Lord Hill' was a vessel which traded between Douglas and Liverpool in the early nineteenth century, carrying passengers as well as cargo. She appears to have been wrecked somewhere off the mouth of the Ribble in the early hours of Sunday 17th January 1819 with the loss without trace of 29 passengers and crew on board. Our story in Manx is from a poignant original in English by Amber Sparks, an American author inspired by the #MeToo movement. As y kiaull ain y cheayrt shoh - ANNE LORNE GILLIES - An ataireachd ard YWS GWYNEDD - Sebona fi JAMES KELLY & DAITHI SPROULE - The Duke of Leinster's Wife/The boys of Ballysodare BRENDA WOOTON & CHRIS NEWMAN - What's in a name? GRAHAM CROWE & MARILYN CANNELL - Ben-ma-chree GABY KERCONDUFF TRIO - Plinn rast MANRAN - Latha matha THOMAL L THOMAS - Y deryn pur MAGNUS BAREFOOT TRIO - Fathaby jig/My henn ayr/Jem as Nancy

We visit the northern parish of Kirk Andreas and hear about how the Murray family as Dukes of Atholl indulged in nepotism to hasten the advancement of George Murray in the church. However, our main focus is on the church building, and particularly on the very tall tower, designed by Ewan Christian and built in 1869. There was a slap-up supper for the workmen and a party for their wives and family on 6th and 7th January 1870 to celebrate the tower's inauguration. Our story in Manx is a translation of one written by American horror writer H P Lovecraft about three robbers and The Terrible Old Man. As y kiaull ain - GWENNYN - En tu all PHIL GAWNE & BILL CORLETT - Y ghraih my chree 's my stoyr AR LOG - Twll yn y to/Cymro o ble?/Pedwar post y gwely MARTIN CARTHY & BRASS MONKEY - The foxhunt TANYA BRITTAIN & THE CHANGING ROOM - Dus tre TALISK - Echo PLETHYN - Y fwyalchen DAVID FISHER - Eisht as nish SHARON SHANNON & ALAN CONNOR - The Galway girl/Music for a found harmonium