The constitutional framework of the Kingdom of Man and the Isles set up by Godred Crovan in 1079 was seriously impaired by his grand-daughter’s husband Somerled, less than a century…
There used to be a wise old woman living near St. John’s on the Isle of Man, who was making charms against witchcraft, and curing many things with herbs and…
Most precious of all things in my childhood is the remembrance of my grandmother. Tall and stately even to the end, she had all the dignity of some high-bred dame…
Lovely visit last week to the tholtans and well. Blue skies and a deceptively piercing wind on occasion, it was like needles penetrating exposed skin. I could not tell if…
Together they sit in the eventide, A mongrel dog by his master’s side, Both of them bowed by the weight of years. A trembling hand strokes the silky ears; Brown…
Lovely visit last week to the tholtans and well. Blue skies and a deceptively piercing wind on occasion, it was like needles penetrating exposed skin. I could not tell if…
Drift Nets Herring and mackerel used to be caught entirely by drift nets. Drift nets drift in any direction that the tide may take them and act as barriers to…
For thousands of years great shoals of herring entered the coastal waters of the Isle of Man. Probably there were herring fleets in the days of the Norse Kings of…
Below is the final chapter from Lancashire Sketches (third edition) published by Edwin Waugh in 1869. It is quite lengthy but a delightful read. I do not know how accurate…
‘Nan Wade’ was a well-known Manx wise woman whose gifts of healing and charming were held in high esteem and much sought after. She specialised in producing herbal remedies and…
It is very hard for us to imagine homes without a gas or electric cooker and a fridge or freezer to keep food fresh. How did Manx people manage when…
I was at a mini-workshop today at Cregneash and went for a walk around the village afterwards. The village was very quiet with no tourists, the odd jogger, a few…
Bannaghtyn ec yn shass greiney souree shoh. Greetings/Blessings on this Summer Solstice.
