Shiaght Laa

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 of the RBV award panel, Chris Thomas MHK, and from Stephen Miller RBV.

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 guests and introduces the Chief Minister, Howard Quayle. We then hear from Chair of Mannin Quilters, Chris Eastham, and also from Mannin Quilters' resident performance poet, Di Benson. Music is supplied by young harp player, Lucy Gilmore.

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 Maddrell of Culture Vannin. Laa'l Moirrey ny Gainle is the Manx name for the Christian celebration of Candlemas, which falls on 2nd February. Mera Royle plays a tune associated with the day.

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 up/down day to raise awareness and money for Crossroads Care Young Carers, as Children's Services Officer Hannah Murphy explains.

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 participating nations - Brittany, Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Cornwall and the Isle of Man. We hear this year's Arrane son Mannin to choose a song for that, plus some young singers from the Bunscoill Ghaelgagh and the Island's winning entry in Ireland in 2014, Shenn Scoill's 'Tayrn mee thie'.

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 Climate Change Coalition and former teacher and now a promoter of information about climate change, Paul Craine, and also briefly from Maxine Cannan, who laid a wreathe on behalf of the Isle of Man Post Office.

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 influenced by the work of Robert Burns, which gives us an opportunity to hear his Bengali versions of two of Burns's most famous poems, and translations of them into Manx - and about a Manx connection with one of the tunes.

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 languages at the command of Dr Jennifer Kewley Draskau, who quickly translated what has been published by Culture Vannin as 'A Thousand Years in Man'. She speaks about the book and about other books in Norwegian which she has been championing. And we hear of Bengali polymath, Rabindranath Tagore, and a proposed project by singer and broadcaster, Sravanti Mazumdar, bringing together Tagore's work in Bengali with versions in the Manx language. She tells us something about her background in Bengal and her love of the Island, which has been her adopted home since 1994.

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 George Hobbes and explanatory text by Sara Goodwins, who tell us about their work on the book. Not far from Port Erin there was a traditional fair held at Bell Abbey in Colby to celebrate Shenn Laal Catreeney, and we hear a song associated with the event sung for us by Brian Mac Stoyll. This leads us on to visit the Culture Vannin headquarters in St John's for the launch of an autobiography by Brian Mac Stoyll entitled 'Gaelg as Fishig : Skeeal my Vea'. We hear from Yn Greinneyder, Culture Vannin's Manx Language Development Officer, Adrian Cain, and the amanuensis who helped prepare the book, Dr Wendy Mercer.

Manx Radio's weekly programme looking at Manx life from a different angle, exploring the historical, social, linguistic and academic issues. In this, the first of a new series, we celebrate Laal Andreays, St Andrew's Day, with a visit to the northern parish dedicated to the Biblical saint in the company of Kirk Andreas churchwarden, Michael Ellis. We also hear from David Kilgallon as he tells the Moghrey Jedoonee in the Afternoon team about Manannan's Winterfest 2019.

A podcast only of Manx Radio's weekly programme looking at Manx life from a different angle, exploring the historical, social, linguistic and academic issues. In it you can hear researcher Zoe Russell of the University of Stirling talking about her week of investigations into the background of the Isle of Man UNESCO Biosphere status, which she'll be comparing with that of Wester Ross in Scotland as part of a three-year research programme. We also hear how glimpses of Manx history emerge from recordings of one of the late native speakers, John Kneen, known as y Gaaue.

Manx Radio's weekly programme looking at Manx life from a different angle, exploring the historical, social, linguistic and academic issues. This weekend sees the second Our Island : Our World festival, celebrating the world's variety of cultures in music, food and much more. Christy DeHaven talks to the man whose idea it is, Dave Mclean. If you're wondering about the merriment with reference to Latin music band Lava that Dave is looking forward to hearing, vocals feature one Christy DeHaven! We also have a brief overview of events. Last weekend came the announcement that Zoe Cannell has been appointed as the Sixth Manx Bard. We hear from Zoe and from young poets who read their work as part of the celebration - Kinley Clugston, Meri Wade and Finn Franklin of the Bunscoill Ghaelgagh, and the Manx Youth Bard, Holly MacRae, and another young poet, Esther Walters.

Manx Radio's weekly programme looking at Manx life from a different angle, exploring the historical, social, linguistic and academic issues. Language is very much to the fore in this programme which looks ahead to the announcement of the 6th Manx Bard on Sunday 25th August by celebrating the work of all the Manx Bards so far: from the 1st Manx Bard, the person recognised by many as the Manx National Poet, T E Brown, to the Manx Bards of today : Stacey Astill; John 'Dog' Callister; Sara Goodwins; and Annie Kissack.

Manx Radio's weekly programme looking at Manx life from a different angle, exploring the historical, social, linguistic and academic issues. We hear more about Manx involvement in the Festival Interceltique de Lorient in Brittany as Sarah Hendy is joined by Chief Minister Howard Quayle and Marlene Maska MLC. Music from Skeddan Jiarg, The Mollag Band and Mera Royle. Meanwhile, the National Eisteddfod is taking place in Llanrwst. Eaghtyrane yn Chruinnaght Annie Kissack and Phil Gawne are there to represent the Isle of Man and Yn Chruinnaght, and Phil Gawne finds out about the Cornish language from former Grand Bard of the Cornish Gorseth Merv Davey and about the Breton language, particularly singing in it, from Breton singer (and organiser of the Lorient festival) Lors Landat.

Manx Radio's weekly programme looking at Manx life from a different angle, exploring the historical, social, linguistic and academic issues. We meet a return visitor to the Island - after more than 40 years - from the Netherlands, a broadcaster and journalist, Wieky Beens. She recalls her earlier visit and comments on the Island today - and tomorrow. 2019 is the year of indigenous, lesser-used languages. Francis Boutle Publishers of London has undertaken a series of publications in and about such languages and the cultures they represent. Clive Boutle was a recent visitor to the Island for Yn Chruinnaght's Celtic Gathering, and he explains how he got involved.

Manx Radio's weekly programme looking at Manx life from a different angle, exploring the historical, social, linguistic and academic issues. Once again we look at Yn Chruinnaght's Celtic Gathering 2019, and in particular at an exciting Breton-Manx collaboration involving Breton singer Lors Landat and accordionist, composer and arranger Thomas Moisson with Manx multi-instrumentalist, composer and arranger David Kilgallon and harp player Mera Royle, the current holder of the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award. Plus an action-packed weekend in Peel.

Manx Radio's weekly programme looking at Manx life from a different angle, exploring the historical, social, linguistic and academic issues. This week, a look ahead to Yn Chruinnaght's Celtic Gathering, taking place from Monday 15th July to Sunday 21st July.

Manx Radio's weekly programme looking at Manx life from a different angle, exploring the historical, social, linguistic and academic issues. Today, 4th July, is the old style eve of midsummer, and we hear of old customs associated with today and with tomorrow, 5th July, the old style midsummer - an ancient fire festival dedicated to the Island's great god, Manannan Mac Leirr, in whose honour rushes are still strewn on the ceremonial area for the open air Tynwald, which is held on the old Midsummer Fair day. We also hear from Joyce Crook about an opportunity for people to display their performance skills - and there are cash prizes.

Manx Radio's weekly programme looking at Manx life from a different angle, exploring the historical, social, linguistic and academic issues. We look at the events which bring the 45th Mananan Festival to a close, with the Brodsky Quartet, the Scott Brothers Duo and Kabantu - with the added bonus of an organ recital by Jonathan Scott. We look at some of the films made for Culture Vannin, exploring the history and folklore of the Island. A first-time visitor to the Island is Anthony Callow, of a Manx family which emigrated to Canada in 1928. Whilst he still has relatives in Canada, Anthony himself was born in Costa Rica. He's in the Island bringing a 2-volume family history to the Manx Museum. And there are two forthcoming talks at the Manx Museum: Dr Margaret Bennett talking about the legacy of Eric R Cregeen; and Dr Andrew McDonald talking about the Sea Kings of Man and the Hebridean Isles. His research is helping them to emerge from the forgotten pages of British mediaeval history.

Manx Radio's weekly programme looking at Manx life from a different angle, exploring the historical, social, linguistic and academic issues. The 45th Mananan Festival at the Erin Arts Centre in Port Erin provides a great opportunity to see leading artists in an intimate setting - and perhaps to provide inspiration for new ways to look at and present Manx culture. From the south to the north, where we join George Hobbs at Dreemskerry on the Manx Electric Railway for a conversation about tramway matters, arising from his recent publication for Loaghtan Books. 'Power, Poles & Platelaying : Keeping the MER on Track'. As well as hearing George, we hear several passing trams, including two who feature in Sara Goodwins' three Tales of the MER, now available on a CD. And finally, we look ahead briefly to a Culture Vannin film night on Thursday 27th June.