President’s Greeting

It sure doesn’t feel like spring as I watch the nine inches of snow accumulate on March 2. This surely is spring coming in as a lion. The positive side is that I’ve spent the morning looking a possible travel options to the Isle of Man for the 2009 Homecoming. Please read about the wonderful plans in the newsletter.

Other good news is that the Badgers beat Michigan yesterday, my mom is doing better after a bout with blood clots, and I have the Wisconsin Manx meeting in May to look forward to.

On request from some of our snowbird members who don’t like to come back to the north in April we have changed our spring meeting date to May 17.

We hope that you will mark it on your calendar and plan to attend. It’s always a good time to catch up after a winter of hibernation. We look forward to seeing you Sunday May 17, 2009.

Georgene Gelling Voutila

President Wisconsin Manx Society

Spring Meeting - May 17

Join us at the Midvale Community Lutheran Church in Madison for a Social Hour starting at 11:00, followed by lunch at 12:00 noon.

TJ’s Catering from Sauk City will provide an excellent soup and sandwich lunch buffet. The cost of the meal is $14.00 per person, payable at the meeting. The general meeting will follow the program.

Make your reservations by calling Judith Bonnett at 608-884-8905 by May 10. When leaving a message, include the number of reservations, your name, the spelling of your name, and your phone number.

http://www.iomguide.com

Manx Language Sounds Like?

Do you know what the Manx language sounds like? The Spring meeting program is about Learning Manx and is presented by WMS member, Mary Kelly.

Mary recently found the Magnum Language System’s program “Manx Pro”, an immersion language program. It has grammar lessons, vocabulary lessons, speech recognition, short stories in Manx and a talking dictionary.

The program is interactive and can show a profile of the digital image of your voice while you try to say each word.

Mary will setup her laptop and demonstrate. Members can give it a try.

If you have been considering a trip "home" to the Isle of Man, one of the best times to go is for the events around Tynwald Day on July 6th. That is the Manx National Day, which celebrates over 1000 years of continuous democracy. We have put together a trip for members to remember for a lifetime.

July 2^nd Depart North America

July 3^rd Arrive on IOM, Check-in to Sefton Hotel

July 4^th Welcome reception in the Villa Marina 4:00-6:00pm Manx folk dancers provide entertainment and US/Manx decor. Optional Gathering Dinner with World Manx Association in Douglas.

July5^th President of Tynwald's Garden Party, International Business School, 3:00-5:00pm. International Business School is the old Nunnery. Grand affair in the magnificent grounds of this former stately mansion. Honour to be included.

July 6^th: Tynwald Day. St Johns. All day. After ceremony coach will depart for Niarbyl to visit this natural scenic area and stop for late lunch. Optional stop back in St Johns en route back to Douglas for those wishing to enjoy the Manx National day celebrations with Manx music and fireworks. Public buses available back to Douglas.

July 7^th Free day. Manx Museum with presentation on the Manx Million project and IOM Ancestry centre. Lunch and time to visit the Museum. 10:30am to 1:00pm. Dinner in Peel followed by Peel Ghost Walk. 6:00 to 9:00pm. Ghost walks are fun and all ages will enjoy. The guided walk tells chilling tales of Peel_s dark past. Folks that are unable/do not wish to walk will be hosted by the World Manx Association.

July 8^th Day hiking tour around the coast from Port St Mary to Port Erin. Stunning coastal scenery taking in the Chasms, Sugar Loaf Rock and other dramatic vistas. With a stop at the Sound cafi and option to take the bus back to Port Erin or continue walking. Those not wishing to walk can take the train to Port Erin and visit railway museum before we meet at the Cosy Nook Cafe on the beach for a Manx BBQ dinner in Port Erin. Full walk approx 3 1/2 hours or half with finish at the Sound.

July 9^th Depart back to North America.

Total package price GBP 570.00pp based on twin/double share. Current rate of exchange will mean the cost is USD 848.00. Extra nights at hotel GBP 65.00pp

RESERVATIONS : DESTINATION ISLE OF MAN - Laurence & Jackie Skelly Corlett's Yard, Union Mills, Isle of Man skelly@manx.net or 001-44-1624-852901

IOM Cretney’s Visit WI

Mary Kelly reports she spent a delightful, information-filled four days last September with a Manx couple, Allan and Norma Cretney, who had sent an e-mail asking if our WMS could help them look for family history in Southwestern Wisconsin.

“We made contact several times by e-mail during three weeks before their visit. We sent Allan and Norma Cretney a couple of maps and brochures about the Iowa, Grant vicinity.

We found family history on the Cretneys in Wisconsin at the Iowa County Courthouse, and the Sw WI Rm at UWP I looked for 'Cretneys' in phone books (found only 1 in the area) and left a voice mail for Steve and Karin Cretney in Mount Horeb.

We met them in Madison on Thursday, August 29th. We took them to the Monona Terrace and the WI State Capitol before visiting the Ridgeway family farms where his relatives had lived. There we met the farmer on the farm who produced an abstract telling some history of the farm.

We visited the UW-P on Friday. Then went to the Iowa County Courthouse before meeting Steve and son, Joel Cretney at the restaurant across Iowa Street. After a long lunch we were joined by several other Cretney relatives: Bev. Zimmerman and Wm. Powell (her father). Bev had the Cretney family history and archives.

From Dodgeville, we went to Ridgeway where they visited the Cretney stone hitching post on the corner of the main street and Cretney St. and then went to the cemetery to visit many of the grave sites. Then we went back to Bev's place to copy many photos.

On the way back to Platteville, we stopped at Laxey Cemetery. It was serene. We stopped in Mineral Point for dinner and then drove around the building where Hazel Cretney once taught school. I had been in her first grade class. What a surprising link! On Saturday we reviewed photos taken during the past two whirlwind days and went to the Mississippi River Museum in Dubuque.

On Sunday, Allan and Frank had lots of computer talk while Norma and I compared notes. All in all, a great time was shared by all!”

Manx Language Extinct, Says UNESCO!

Published Date: 20 February 2009

The Manx language is extinct - according to the United Nations!

The UN's Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisaion (UNESCO) has launched a new edition of its Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger and, in news that may come as a surprise to the pupils of the Bunscoill Gaelgagh in St John's, the Manx language is apparently extinct.

In a statement released to coincide with International Mother Language Day tomorrow, UNESCO says its atlas mentions among the languages that have become extinct as 'Manx, which died out in 1974 when Ned Maddrell fell forever silent'.

When Bunscoill Gaelgagh opened in 2001, it had nine pupils. Today it has 55 pupils on its books and from September its number will rise to over 60.

All Key Stage One lessons are conducted in Manx. In Key Stage Two, all but English are conducted in Manx.
Head teacher Julie Matthews says many parents now learning Manx too.

Manx Language Is Very Much Alive

Published Date: 23 February 2009

mailto:adrian.darbyshire@newsiom.co.imBy Adrian Darbyshire

THE Manx language is very much alive – whatever the United Nations might say!

Manx is listed as extinct in a new edition of the Atlas of the World's Languages in Danger produced by the UN's Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO).

It's news that may come as a surprise to the pupils of the Bunscoill Gaelgagh in St John's – and is the cause of frustration for Manx language officer Adrian Cain who insists the development of the Manx language in the past 25 years has been 'truly remarkable'.

http://www.iomtoday.co.im/news/Manx-language-extinct-says-UNESCO.5001465.jp

[both postings accessed 3/07/2009]

Manx Alphabet

A a B b C c D d E e

aittyn beih couyll darragh eboin

F f G g H h I i J j

faarney guilckagh hibbin iuar juys

K k L l M m N n O o

keirn lhouan malpys neaynin onnane

P p Q q R r S s T t

pobb quinsh rennaigh shellagh tramman

U u V v W w Y y

unjin vervine wooshlagh yiarn

Useful Phrases

English Manx

Hello Dy bannee diu, Ta shiu/oo cheet!

Goodbye Slane Ihiat, Bannaght lhiat/lhium, Hee'm oo/shiu

Good morning Moghrey mie

Good night Oie vie

Cheers Slaynt! (health)

Do you speak Manx? Vel Gaelg ayd?

Yes, a little Ta, beggan

Thank you Gura mie ayd

Manx Numbers

Manx

English

un / nane

one

daa / jees

two

tree

three

kiare

four

queig

five

shey

six

shiaght

seven

hoght

eight

nuy

nine

jeih

ten

nane jeig

eleven

daa yeig

twelve