Alastair Kneale's blog

Blein Vie Noa (Manx Gaelic)

Bliadhna Mhath ùr (Scottish Gaelic)

Bliain Nua Fe Mhaise (Irish)

Bloavezh Mat  (Breton)

Blwyddyn Newydd Dda (Welsh)

Bledhen Nowyth Da (Cornish)

Today (21st December) Keir Starmer, the leader of the British Labour Party, made his much hyped speech on YouTube about devolution plans under under any possible future Labour government. Although purporting to voice Labour's commitment to delivering a wave of devolved government across the Britain, it was really a desperate attempt to sabotage any desire for independence by the Scottish people.

A man has appeared at the Isle of Man Courts of Justice (Manx: Quaiylyn Cairys Ellan Vannin) after a bizarre and dangerous crossing across the Irish Sea from Scotland to the Isle of Man. Dale McLaughlan aged  28 from Irvine in North Ayrshire made the journey on a jet ski despite having never driven one before. The Scottish coast is the closest in distance to the Isle of Man (Manx: Mannin) of all its neighbouring countries. The Point of Ayre (Manx: Kione ny Hayrey) is the northernmost point of the Isle of Man being just 16 miles (26 km) south of Burrow Head in Scotland.

Tonight the Ellan Vannin Memorial Service took place in the Our Lady, Star of the Sea & St Maughold Catholic Church on South Promenade in Ramsey, Isle of Man (Manx: Rhumsaa, Mannin) at 6.30pm. The service remembered those who perished on this day, December 3rd, in 1909 when the Isle of Man Steam Packet ship SS Ellan Vannin sank in the Irish Sea. 

The Christmas lights are being turned on in ceremonies and celebrations in the Isle of Man (Manx Gaelic: Mannin) over recent days. The most recent being in the town of Peel (Manx: Purt ny h-Inshey) where people thronged the town streets and a fireworks display was held. The Isle of Man scrapped social distancing rules on 15th June, the first in the British and Irish Isles  to do so. A relaxation that has since allowed for the opening of restaurants, cafés and pubs, and the reopening of gyms.

Wake up and smell the coffee! When the English refer to "Great Britain" they mean "Greater England". There has been some shock expressed over recent days that British Airways wished the England rugby team “good luck” in the rugby match against Wales today 28th November. But is it that much of a surprise?

Standing on its original site in the churchyard of St Adamnan's Church in the Parish of Lonan (Manx Gaelic: Skyll Lonan) on the Isle of Man (Mannin) is a very beautiful Celtic Cross. It is one of a number of Celtic Crosses in the churchyard that date back to the 5th century. One of the early Keeils (a Manx Gaelic word for a church), St Adamnan's Church is on the site of an earlier keeill dating from the 5th century. Often simply referred to as "Lonan Old Church" it was originally known in Manx as Keeill ny-Traie, or "the chapel by the shore" and is on the eastern side of the Island.

Media release from Culture Vannin:

Illustrator receives Londeyr award for her work to promote the Manx language

Jeebin, the Manx Language Network, was delighted to present illustrator Vicky Webb with the annual Londeyr award, at the Cooish Manx Language Festival 2020 earlier this month.

There was a notice placed in the Manx paper the Ramsey Courier on August 16th, 1918. It was placed by the wife of William Percy Kneale. He was killed on the first day of the Battle of Passchendaele in Belgium during the First World War on July 31, 1917. The notice read:

"KNEALE - In memoriam and loving memory of my beloved husband, who was missed from "Roll Call" on July 31st, 1917.

If those that caused this awful war

Were the only ones to fight;

Media Release from Culture Vannin:

Manannan’s Choice of the Year – nominations sought for cultural award

Last year, folklorist, collector and author, Stephen Miller received the Isle of Man’s highest award for contributions to Manx culture. Now is the time to start thinking about who you would like to nominate for this year’s ‘Reih Bleeaney Vanannan’ award, to recognise them as ‘Manannan’s Choice of the Year.’