Bob Carswell

Taishbynys James Franklin – A Presentation by James Franklin

Manx Dialect Plays

The Guild Room was packed for the presentation by James Franklin of Culture Vannin about Manx Dialect Plays. The audience was treated to a very interesting, entertaining and well-illustrated explanation and analysis of the inspiration and development of Manx dialect theatre.

Even before James Franklin came to […]

Professor Angela Little is originally from Port le Moirrey, where her father was headmaster of Rushen Primary School. Education proved to be a central theme in Professor Little’s illustrious academic career, including the chair of Education and International Development at the University of London and being involved in international bodies advising on education matters throughout […]

Moylley as soylley da Ruth Keggin Gell as ish yn Greinneyder noa da Culture Vannin – congratulations to Ruth Keggin Gell who’s become the new Manx Language Development Officer for Culture Vannin.

Ruth is well-known as a singer and musician with an international career which has included releasing two albums under her own name, two with […]

It is with great sadness that we have to announce the loss of a good friend and committee member of the Manx Branch of the Celtic Congress with the death of Pat Skillicorn. Pat has also attended the International Celtic Congress on a number of occasions in recent years.

Patricia Skillicorn was born in Douglas and […]

The Mona Melodies is a collection of ten songs and three tunes – the first time that music from the Isle of Man ever appears in print.

To celebrate the bicentenary of the publication of The Mona Melodies, Yn Chruinnaght’s Celtic Gathering included a presentation on its background by Robard y Carsalagh which can be viewed by clicking […]

We have all known Brenda Bridson as a stalwart of the Celtic Congress for many years, as joint secretary with her friend Brenda Williamson, as a committee member and as Eaghtyrane (President), but most of all as a friend. Her irrepressible sense of fun will be sorely missed. She had a profound knowledge of the […]

Katie Newton was inspired to explore the Island’s keeill sites after a presentation on them by Andy Johnson of Manx National Heritage. With her friend, Nicola Curphey, Katie set out on an unofficial project to visit a variety of sites. Many of them are on private property, so she and Nicola had to get permission […]

Chris Callow opened several interesting books for our inspection – the Liber Assedationis, or setting books, listing all the Lord of Mann’s lands and the names of tenants from the early 16th century; the Liber Vastarum, the wast books, showing changes of tenancy; plus Barony records, composition books and property deeds. James Wood’s Atlas of […]

Janice Quilliam has quite a project on the go, working her way through the thousands of slide photographs taken by her father, Leslie Quilliam, RBV and digitizing them. This has enabled her to share some of the fascinating images, particularly of Peel, which feature some views which have changed little over the years, others of […]