KUNO MEYER - PRAISE INDEED!

Kuno Meyer is one of the important figures in the Celtic revival in the late 19th century. He was one of a group of people who established the Irish Text Society to focus on the language in 1898 after the formation of the Gaelic League 1893. Meyer then at Liverpool University was often fulsome in his praise of the Manx in efforts to retain their language and folklore. In a paper for the 1901 Pan-Congress in Dublin he wrote:

"The smallest Celtic land, the Isle of Man puts Scotland to shame by the activity of its Celtic scholars. To mention only the chief event of the year. Mr A. W. Moore has brought out a comprehensive history of' the Island, from which it appears the pre-Norse history of the Island has not been worked out from Irish sources, which still contain a good deal of unpublished material on early events in that Island. Mr Kermode may, I hear, be soon expected to publish a revised and enlarged edition of his “Manx Runic and Ogham Inscriptions."

“We shall await with interest the translation and publication of the old Irish manuscripts. Many of them, no doubt, will throw a great deal of light upon the early history of the Island, much of which is at present involved in obscurity”.

There was a hope that the next Pan-Congress (1904) could be held in Mann but there was pessimism over this and its recorded that:

There appears to be no prospect of the prospect Pan-Celtic Congress homo held in the Isle of Man next year. The excuse for this is that the Island is still suffering from the depression caused by the Dunbell's Bank disaster. This may be partly true, but it is a very paltry excuse at best. The real fact of the matter is that Manxmen have not yet begun to realise the inheritance which is slowly but quietly slipping through their finger-. There is too much of the " traa dy liooar" policy about the average Manxman; he will realise his loss when it will be too late”.

The Congress was eventually held in Wales at Caernarfon.

There's a good biography of Meyer at this link:

https://www.dib.ie/biography/meyer-kuno-a5810

Bernard Moffatt