Claare Ny Gael - Manx Radio

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 accounts. Jonathan Harker has entered Castle Dracula and has met the Count. He enjoys a good supper whilst talking with Count Dracula, and afterwards has an opportunity to observe him. As nyn giaull - jeeaghyn gys Dydd Gwyl Dewi Sant - COR MEIBION TREORCI - Sospan fach DAU CEFN - Cysgu heb y radio GEOFF LILES & ANNETTE DAVIES - Eithin aur CARYL PARRY JONES - Adre DRYMBAGO - Be sy cariad? SIAN PHILLIPS & CHRIS LEWIS - Y gaseg felen/Castell Caerllion BOB ROBERTS - Moliannwn 9BACH - Breuddwyd y bardd ABERJABER - Machynlleth/Pwt ar y bys/Rali Llanofer

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 February 1718. Jonathan Harker is standing doubtful and afraid in the dark forecourt of Castle Dracula. Things, however, appear to improve once he is admitted, to find rooms brightly-lit and warm and a good supper. As nyn giaull - JOHN McCORMACK - The star of the County Down ROGER BRYANT - Cornish lads DAVE MOSS (BANOFFI) - Skelder HEATHER JONES - Lisa lan JIMMY LOGAN - Down in the glen ROBIN HUW BOWEN - Pibddawnsiau sipsi NEEAR NESAN - Domb d'er bal TRIO MANDILI - Kahuri CEOLBEG - Galicia revisited

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, surrounded by a moving circle of howling wolves. The coachman has already displayed his great strength. But he also exhibits other startling abilities. Arriving at Castle Dracula gives little respite from worries. As nyn giaull - BRYHER'S BOYS - Lamorna CAARJYN COOIDJAGH - Ushag varrey CRASDANT - Fairy glen ARTHUR CORMACK - Mo Mhairi mhin PENTOTHAL - Plac'h ar gwele kloz CEILIHOUSE - O'Keefe's MIKE O'CONNOR & CHORUS - The Tregarten anthem MATT CREER - Rear view mirror SWAP - Master Aslund

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 Count Dracula, though he begins to suffer some nervous qualms about it as the carriage sets off, amidst a cacophony of howling from farm dogs and from the mountain wolves. As y kiaull ain - NORMA WATERSON - There is a fountain in Christ's blood FINLAY MacNEILL - O na cuir cul rium CALAN - Rhif wyth JOHN McCORMACK - Turn ye tae me ZAOU - Maison abeilles THE TRADITIONAL PLAYERS - Shetland Isles Marches BRIAN MAC STOYLL & SHORYS Y CREAYRIE - Ny kirree fo niaghtey MEINIR GWILYM - Gormod GOITSE - Tall tales

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 coach as the evening comes and darkness falls, with the driver urgently driving on his horses and the other passengers in a state of nervous excitement. Where is the personal carriage of Count Dracula, which is to be sent to meet him? As y kiaull ain -  GWALARN - Gwerz ar vezhinerien  COR CHOIS FHARRAIGE - Tuirne Mhaire TYLWYTH TEG - Cerddoriaeth ddawns Gymraeg SKYLL GLAS - Farwel EMMA CHRISTIAN - Breeshey, Breeshey TROOR STRENG SIBELIUS - Moirrey ny Gainle GEORGIA RUTH - Madryn DEEELYTED! - Leis a' lurgainn ASTRAKAN PROJECT - Seizh Manez

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 Jonathan Harker gets a lot of pitying looks, signs of the cross and gestures to ward off the evil eye as he sets off for Castle Dracula. However, he quite enjoys the sights on the road, despite the driver's obvious haste to get it done in the shortest possible time. As y kiaull ain - BLIALAM - Comin' thro' the rye SKWARDYA - Pols anella MERA ROYLE & DAVID KILGALLON - Deep in the earth DOM DUFF - An dans veur STIOFAIN O CUALAIN - Caislean Ui Neill SIAN PHILLIPS & CASS MEURIG - Ty a gardd ANNIE KISSACK - O Vannin veg veen FOUR LANES MALE CHOIR - The skippers of St Ives SGOIL CHIUIL NA GAIDHEALTACHD - Zi

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 Harker intends to set out for Castle Dracula, at the invitation of the Count. But there are those who think he should not accept the invitation - particularly if it means being there on a certain day. As y kiaull ain (as paart jeh er yn oyr nagh geayll shin monney jeh y cheayrt shoh chaie) - KAN HA BISKOUL - E garnison JOAN OWEN - Arrane ben drogh hraghtalagh AR LOG - Gwr a'i farch SEAN O hEANAIGH - Ag dul amach thar sceirde BRENDA WOOTTON - De Sul vytyn FIANA NI CHONAILL - The Sligo fancy/The humours of Tuamgraney ANJELA BROUSTEL - Marv ar big MANNIN FOLK - Ramsey town JAMIE SMITH'S MABON - Easy on the ele

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, and Bram Stoker's book being 'Dracula'. We're starting on a translation of Jonathan Harker's Journal which constitutes the first chapter. As nyn giaull - LON DHOO & LON VANE CHOIRS - Mannin veen KAN HA BISKOUL - E garnison FIANA NI CHONAILL - The humours of Tuamgraney JOHN BOLITHO - Maggie May BARLUATH - Donald's puirt AR LOG - Gwr a'i farch GRAINNE HOLLAND - Uiseag bheag ruaidh TRI YANN - Maluron malurette SHOOGLENIFTY - Black dog 

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 supposed to be a hospital, but led by clergymen with no medical staff involved, and of the dangers of Douglas Harbour. Roadworks were also an issue in early 1872. As y kiaull ain y cheayrt shoh - THE MOLLAG BAND - Quoi ta'n dooinney quaagh EMMA CHRISTIAN - Arrane saveenagh THE SULBY PHANTOM BAND - Cur y muc shen magh KATHERINE CROWE - Agh shen mee hene BRIAN MAC STOYLL - Berree Dhone PHYNNODDEREE - Car ny ferrishyn/Car Juan Nan RUTH KEGGIN - She 'neen aeg mish as aalin BILL CORLETT & PHIL GAWNE - Y ghraih my chree 's my stoyr KING CHIAULLEE - Ginantonic

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 were afoot regarding secondary education - but, inevitably, there were arguments and complaints. In keeping with a seasonal tradition, our short story in Manx is a translation of a mysterious tale by Joshua A Spotts. As nyn giaull - BBC CONCERT ORCH. Cond Gavin Sutherland - A Manx country dance (Haydn Wood) FLORRIE FORDE - Has anybody here seen Kelly? (1909) DHOON SCHOOL - Green hills of Dhoon BILLY MERSON - They can't find Kelly (1911) RUTH KEGGIN & AON TEANGA/UN CHENGEY - Manannan CAROL WALKER - Arrane ny fee/Smuggler's lullaby/Lhigey, lhigey BILLY WILLIAMS - I've found Kelly (1913) KATE DOWMAN - Ma

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-known as the writer of the Just William stories, but we hear a Manx translation of her story which, from the dialogue, she set in the rural United States of America. As y kiaull ain y cheayrt shoh -  NEEAR NESAN - Ushtey millish 'sy gharee PLETHYN - Mil harddach wyt LORI WATSON & THE RULE OF THREE - Poppies TRI YANN - An alarc'h EOGHAIN O CEANNABHAIN - An bhaca tu mo Sheamaisin? ANAO ATAO - Sunny Corner/Frogpool MICHAEL HANLY & MICHEAL O'DONNELL - An bothan a bh' aig Fhionnghuala YSBRYD - Hedfan CLASH VOOAR - Roie, ben Juan Tammie

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 Crompton, about a Christmas Present, translated into Manx for the programme. As nyn giaull - ISLA CALLISTER - Arrane ny Killey IEUAN AP SION - Gwn Dafydd Iwan MARY BERGIN - The floggin reel/The ivy leaf/Trim the velvet ANNE KENNEDY TRUSCOTT - Farwel NITEWORKS, feat. SIAN - Ar fair an la JEAN-CLAUDE JEGAT & LOUIS YHUEL - Les filles de Quiberon (kas abarh) PHIL GAWNE - Va billey beg gaase DANGEROUS AGE - Can i mam KEITH DONALD & MAIRE NI BHREATHNACH - Aisling gheal

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'd been born in 1593. Our short story in Manx was written by Japanese writer, Matsuo Basho. It's about an old woman whose ingenuity leads to the reversal of a tyrannical law which would otherwise have led to her death. As nyn giaull - SKEEAL - Billey MARIE-CECILE CHARRIER & JACQUES-ANDRE PRAUVERT - Toutouig  EOGHAIN O CEANNABHAIN - The merry twists of fate ACOUSTIQUE - Canu Myfanwy NA GATHAN - Ga bruidhinne lan-uine BOLINGEY TROYL BAND - Woolly monkey ALAN BURKE - Idir Corcaigh 'gus Dughlais NEEAR NESAN - Kilgallon's dream TRIP - Farewell

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 one by Matsuo Basho.  As nyn giaull - MACGREGOR, BRECHIN, O hEADHRA - A chailin alainn ARFON GWILYM & SIONED WEBB - Nid wyf yn llon MORWENN LE NORMAND & ARZ NEVEZ - Yr yarig CAARJYN COOIDJAGH - Yn maarliagh mooar NITEWORKS - Coisich

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 story as a study or sketch by Cornish writer, Arthur Quiller-Couch, that we hear in a Manx translation of an unusual family living in Yorkshire. As nyn giaull - SHAE APLAND & SHARON WISHART - The end of the world (a Manx spiritual) KATIE KIRK & RICK WILLIAMS - Morwenstow RIOBO - Foliada '85 ELIN FFLUR A'R MONIARS - Papillon CALUM KENNEDY - Morag a Dunbheagan TYMAO - Plinn MOOT - Graih my chree ARFON GWILYM - Hen benillion GRANIT - Till far

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 another written originally by Neel Rana in English, but that's not his native tongue, so the story has been edited in translation - a strange tale of a mad scientist and his wife. As nyn giaull - CARREF LAFAR - Cwyn mam-yn-nghyfraith GWENNO - Tir ha mor JOHN RODGE - Angel falling GWILYM BOWEN RHYS - Da gennyf air o ganu BRIAN WEBB - Ow avon splann CAMBORNE TOWN BAND - Trelawny (concert march) KANERION PLEUIGNER - Suite laride DIAOULED AR MENEZ - Botkol STEVAN VINCENDEAU & THOMAS FELDER - Awen 

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 Holmes on 7th November 1853. Our story in Manx is a translation of a modern version of a faux-mythological tale by Indian-American author, Neel Rana. As y kiaull ain, dy yannoo ard eailley jeh'n Chooish - SKEEAL - Mannin veg veen EMMA CHRISTIAN - Manannan CAROL WALKER - Ta'n bock, aboo! ersooyl THE MOLLAG BAND - S'laik lhiam bine dy yough RUTH KEGGIN - S'feayr yn oie BERNARD OSBORNE - Car ny ferrishyn/Car Juan Nan BERNARD CAINE & CHARLES GUARD - Arrane Ghelbee CLASH VOOAR - Lhiggeyder folley MEC LIR - Earthbound

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 knowing that he had already been executed. The Countess surrendered Castle Rushen in return for safe passage of her household and retainers on 31st October 1651. Our short story in Manx is a translation of one by American writer Alison Pearce and is a time-travelling tale as a guilty conscience is assuaged.  As nyn giaull - CAARJYN COOIDJAGH - Irree shiu SKIPPER'S ALLEY - Ta me i mo shuidhe KEEP IT UP - Pants CAPERCAILLIE - Oran sugraidhe BRIAN MAC STOYLL - Arrane sooree CAOIMHIN O RAGHAILLE & BREANNDAN O BEAGLAOICH - Dha pholca Dalaigh MARY DEADY & SIAMSOIRI NA RIOCHTA - Cait ni Dhuibhir RUNRIG -

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 gave us the Victoria and Battery Piers in Douglas, and the perhaps surprising shopping hours in Castletown. Our story in Manx is by David Barber, taking a wry look at the work of a jobbing author engaged in a 'vanity project' for a lottery winner. As y kiaull ain - BBC CONCERT ORCHESTRA, Cond. Gavin Sutherland - A Manx pastoral scene (Haydn Wood) DIAOULED - L'aquadrature du rond THE CHIEFTAINS - Hewlett MIKE O'CONNOR - The best of autumn FLAIR - Tillidh mi fhathast PATRICK RIMES & ANGHARAD JENKINS - Beth yw'r haf i mi? NEEAR NESAN - Ushtey millish 'sy gharee ELIN FFLUR - Dim gair THE TANNA

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, and negotiate directly with the Parliamentarians to protect the rights and privileges - and the lives - of the Manx people. That took place on 18th October 1651. As nyn giaull - PADDY MOLONEY & THE CHIEFTAINS - Drowsy Maggie PETER DEMPSEY & GUY ROWLAND - It is only a tiny garden THE CHIEFTAINS - Morgan Magan FESTIVAL OF CORNISH MVCs - The song of Cornwall MANRAN - Latha math THE CHIEFTAINS - Morning dew EUGENIE GOADEC & LOUISE EBREL - Seomp d'an unvet DRYMBAGO - Daw'r dydd THE CHIEFTAINS - Manx music