Lewis Crellin (1901–1990) also known as Louis Crellin or Lewis y Crellin was a

Manx language Manx ( or , pronounced or ), also known as Manx Gaelic, is a Gaelic language of the insular Celtic branch of the Celtic language family, itself a branch of the Indo-European language family. Manx is the historical language of the Manx peop ...

scholar and teacher who was involved with the revival of the

on the

Isle of Man ) , anthem = "O Land of Our Birth" , image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg , image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg , mapsize = , map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe , map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green) in Europe ...

in the 20th century and the

Manx independence movement Manx (; formerly sometimes spelled Manks) is an adjective (and derived noun) describing things or people related to the Isle of Man: * Manx people **Manx surnames * Isle of Man It may also refer to: Languages * Manx language, also known as Manx ...

in the 1960s.

Early life

Lewis Crellin was born in

Foxdale Foxdale (; glv, Forsdal ; on, Fors-dal – 'waterfall dale or valley') consisting of the districts of Upper and Lower Foxdale on the A3 Castletown to Ramsey Road with the junction of the A24 Foxdale to Braaid road and the A40 ''The Hope'' road ...

on the

, but was orphaned at an early age and raised by his grandparents. Although Crellin was raised in an area that still had a significant number of older Manx speakers, he took no interest in it himself until he was much older.

Manx language

Crellin started learning Manx was he was nearly 40 years old. He learned Manx by visiting the elderly native speakers around the Island, who in turn introduced him to the small community of Manx language enthusiasts that included figures such as Walter Clarke,

Doug Fargher Doug Fargher (1926 - 1987) also known as Doolish y Karagher or Yn Breagagh (The Liar), was a Manx language activist, author, and radio personality who was involved with the revival of the Manx language on the Isle of Man in the 20th century. He ...

, and Charles Craine. By this time Crellin was living in Peel and was attending Manx classes with the former Peel Harbour Master, Captain James Kinley, and Caesar Cashin. In later years, Crellin himself taught Manx classes in Peel and shared his knowledge of Manx history, folklore, and wildlife in summer walks that he led. He achieved a high standard of Manx and has been described as "one of the most enthusiastic and talented linguists of his generation."

Other interests

Crellin also collected folklore and stories and wrote his research on them. He had a keen interest in horticulture, botany, ornithology, and astronomy and during his lifetime was considered an authority on "all things Manx". He was known for having a beautifully maintained garden where wild birds would come "to his hand to be fed." He was a founding member of

Mec Vannin () is a political party operating in the Isle of Man. Formed in 1962, it seeks to revoke the status of Man as a British self-governing Crown dependency and establish a completely sovereign state, which would be a republic. It describes its a ...

, a small political party aimed at gaining full independence and establishing the Isle of Man as an independent sovereign state. His collection of stories based on his own experiences, as well as a lifetime of research, was published by

Yn Çheshaght Ghailckagh , also known as the Manx Language Society and formerly known as Manx Gaelic Society, was founded in 1899 in the Isle of Man to promote the Manx language. The group's motto is (Without language, without country). History Following the decline ...

in 1976. Recordings were later made and distributed for free to accompany the book.

References

External links

Skeealyn Lewis Crellin
A collection of Manx language stories written by Crellin {{DEFAULTSORT:Crellin, Lewis Manx writers Manx language 1901 births 1990 deaths Manx educators Manx nationalists Manx language activists