The Isle of Man (sometimes referred to as Mann) is an island located between Ireland and Great Britain that has had inhabitants since 6500 BC. The Island’s head of state is the Queen, who is represented by a lieutenant governor. The Isle of Man is uniquely different from all other islands close to it from a cultural, historical and linguistic perspective.
Outside of Ireland and the UK not many people know about this island, and those that do know very little. Still, its residents are hardworking and many have made a mark in their areas of expertise including Thomas Noel Collister Jackson, who is also a member of the London Manx Society.
Geography
Mann is found in the middle of the Irish Sea to the north, almost equidistant to Northern Ireland (west), England (east) and Scotland (north). At the Isle of Man’s widest point, it measures 22 kilometres, and is 52 kilometres long. Besides the main island (Mann), other smaller islands are part of it, including St. Patrick’s Isle, St. Michael’s Isle, Chicken Rock and Calf of Man.
According to the census conducted in 2016, the Isle of Man had 83,314 inhabitants, with close to 27,000 residing in the capital, Douglas. Between 2011 and 2016, the population decreased by 1.4 percent. By country of birth, 49.8 percent of the Isle of Man’s inhabitants were born there, with another 40 percent born in the United Kingdom. Five percent of inhabitants were from European Union (EU) countries.
Language
Manx (or Manx Gaelic) is the language of the people of the Isle of Man and was spoken as a first language until the demise of Ned Maddrell in 1974, who was considered its last native speaker. Despite this, Manx has not been disregarded completely, with a minority within the Isle of Man having some knowledge of it. Additionally, the language is an important symbol of the people’s culture and heritage and has been the subject of efforts to revive it using radio broadcasts, signage and its study in A-Level education. These revival efforts have been made easier thanks to the presence of audio recordings of native speakers, and a translated version of the Bible exists.
The renewed interest of the Manx language has led to the introduction of play groups that introduce the language to pre-school children, while there’s a also primary school curriculum delivered through it. For adults, there are classes available as well as a host of learning resources provided by the Manx Language Development Officer for Culture Vannin. In the streets, visible signage using Manx is common, and the language is used in local place names. Some of the surnames used by the locals also point to the Isle’s Gaelic roots.
As Manx has never had a considerable number of speakers, there haven’t been large volumes of written literature in the language. Much of the early literature was religious, with The Principles and Duties of Christianity considered the first published literature. In the 18th and 19th centuries, literary works produced in Manx included hymn books, religious tracts and catechisms. The 20th and 21st centuries saw more secular literature, with the first full-length novel published in 2006.
One of the avenues through which the Manx language and culture have been kept alive is through the London Manx Society. Formed in 1895, it was established to help keep the long traditions of the Manx people alive, especially for those who live and work within the south-east of England and the London area (Mr. Jackson is a member). The Society holds a number of meetings throughout the year, with an annual lunch that’s graced by a guest of honour from the Island.