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, also known as the Manx Language Society and formerly known as Manx Gaelic Society, was founded in 1899 in 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 Europ ...
to promote the
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 pe ...
. The group's motto is (Without language, without country).


History

Following the decline of Manx as a community language on the Isle of Man during much of the 19th century, there was renewed interest in the language most notably among educated men; this mirrors the founding of in Ireland as part of the
Gaelic Revival The Gaelic revival ( ga, Athbheochan na Gaeilge) was the late-nineteenth-century national revival of interest in the Irish language (also known as Gaelic) and Irish Gaelic culture (including folklore, mythology, sports, music, arts, etc.). Ir ...
. From 1897–1899 several meetings were held in
Peel Peel or Peeling may refer to: Places Australia * Peel (Western Australia) * Peel Island, Queensland *Peel, New South Wales * Peel River (New South Wales) Canada * Peel Parish, New Brunswick * Peel, New Brunswick, an unincorporated communi ...
to discuss the Manx language. In the wake of these meetings, language classes began, as well as lectures given on Manx music and customs. The group's first president was A.W. Moore, later
Speaker of the House of Keys The Speaker of the House of Keys () is the principal officer of the House of Keys, the lower house of the Isle of Man legislature. The Speaker is elected from the membership of the House at its first sitting after an election. He is responsi ...
. Several other prominent members of the Manx language revival, such as
J. J. Kneen John Joseph Kneen (12 September 1873 – 21 November 1938) was a Manx linguist and scholar renowned for his seminal works on Manx grammar and on the place names and personal names of the Isle of Man. He is also a significant Manx dialect play ...
,
Dr John Clague Dr John Clague (10 October 1842 – 23 August 1908) was a Manx people, Manx physician and a collector of Music of the Isle of Man, Manx music, songs, dances, and Culture of the Isle of Man, customs. Early life and education Clague was born in ...
, and Edmund Goodwin, were all founding members of in 1899 in Peel. was not concerned only with the preservation and promotion of the Manx language, but rather with all things related to Manx culture:
Though called the Manx Language Society, it should, I think, by no means confine its energies to the promotion of an interest in the language, but extend them to the study of Manx history, the collection of Manx music, ballads, carols, folklore, proverbs, place-names, including the old field names which are rapidly dying out in a word, to the preservation of everything that IS distinctively Manx, and, above all, to the cultivation of a national spirit.
In 1948, after a visit to the Isle of Man by
Éamon de Valera Éamon de Valera (, ; first registered as George de Valero; changed some time before 1901 to Edward de Valera; 14 October 1882 – 29 August 1975) was a prominent Irish statesman and political leader. He served several terms as head of governm ...
, the
Irish Folklore Commission The Irish Folklore Commission (''Coimisiún Béaloideasa Éireann'' in Irish) was set up in 1935 by the Irish Government to study and collect information on the folklore and traditions of Ireland. History Séamus Ó Duilearga (James Hamilton De ...
was tasked with recording the last remaining native speakers on fragile
acetate disc An acetate disc (also known as a ''lacquer'', ''test acetate'', '' dubplate'', or ''transcription disc'') is a type of phonograph record generally used from the 1930s to the late 1950s for recording and broadcast purposes and still in limited use ...
s. Members of , Walter Clarke and Bill Radcliffe, helped
Kevin Danaher Kevin Danaher ( Irish, ''Caoimhín Ó Danachair'') (30 January 1913 – 14 March 2002) was an Irish folklorist with a special interest in ethnography and military history. Danaher is the author of 10 books about Irish traditional customs an ...
in the tedious and delicate work of setting up the recording equipment. After the visit by the Irish Folklore Commission, members of continued to record the remaining native speakers despite technical and financial restraints: "We just – we wanted to record the old people but we didn't, we had neither the money nor the means of doing it".Clarke, Walter. "Oral History Project Transcript: Time to Remember" (Interview). Interviewed by David Callister. Eventually they were able to make these recordings, but often at significant financial expense to themselves;
John Gell John Gell may refer to: *Sir John Gell, 1st Baronet (1592–1671), Parliamentarian in the English Civil War *Sir John Gell, 2nd Baronet (1612–1689), lead mining magnate and MP for Derbyshire *John Eyre Gell (died 1739), known as John Eyre before i ...
for example loaned them £8 to purchase the necessary equipment.


Recent years

After a long period of relative inactivity, in the 1970s
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. ...
helped to reinvigorate by organising ('Manx Language Nights') and publishing new learner material. has been involved in organising
Cooish The ''Cooish'' is the name of a festival that promotes Manx language and culture that takes place on the Isle of Man each November. The word 'Cooish' is a Manx word that has many meanings. It can translate to mean a chat, a meeting, a cause, an i ...
, an annual inter-
Gaelic Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...
festival of language and culture on the Isle of Man every autumn since the 1990s. The festival aims to promote Gaelic and Manx identity and is "an opportunity to come together, enjoy the culture and celebrate one of the really unique ways of belonging to the Isle of Man". The festival includes musical performances, workshops, lectures, and language classes for children and adults. A stamp celebrating the centenary of the Society was issued in the Isle of Man in 1999. In more recent years, has been heavily involved with the publication of Manx language and culture works, and the society works closely with
Culture Vannin Culture Vannin is the trading name for the Manx Heritage Foundation, established in 1982 by the Isle of Man Government to promote Manx culture, heritage and language. It was rebranded in February 2014, having previously been known as the "Manx Her ...
.


Selection of published works

* ''Conversational Manx'' by
John Gell John Gell may refer to: *Sir John Gell, 1st Baronet (1592–1671), Parliamentarian in the English Civil War *Sir John Gell, 2nd Baronet (1612–1689), lead mining magnate and MP for Derbyshire *John Eyre Gell (died 1739), known as John Eyre before i ...
* ''First Lessons in Manx'' by Edmund Goodwin * ''Manx is Fun: A New Course in Spoken Manx for the Beginner'' by Paul Rogers * by
Brian Stowell Thomas Brian Stowell (6 September 1936 – 18 January 2019) also known as Brian Mac Stoyll was a Manx radio personality, linguist, physicist and author. He was formerly ("The Reader") to the Parliament of the Isle of Man, Tynwald. He is consi ...
* by Koizumi Yakumo (translated into Manx by R. W. K. Teare) * by Ré Ó Laighléis (translated into Manx by R. W. K. Teare) * by Christopher Lewin * by
John Gell John Gell may refer to: *Sir John Gell, 1st Baronet (1592–1671), Parliamentarian in the English Civil War *Sir John Gell, 2nd Baronet (1612–1689), lead mining magnate and MP for Derbyshire *John Eyre Gell (died 1739), known as John Eyre before i ...
* by Lewis Crellin


See also

* * *


References


External links

* {{Authority control Manx language Cultural organisations based in the Isle of Man Organizations established in 1899 1899 establishments in the Isle of Man Celtic language advocacy organizations