| Manx | English | |
|---|---|---|
| SKEEAL VOISH JAMYS Y COWLE | A STORY FROM JAMES COWELL | |
| TA mee er ghoaill yn taitnys smoo ’sy theihill shoh erreish dou fakin ny caslyssyn as lhaih ny skeeallyn mychione yn shenn sleih as Gailck oc ass y chlean, dy jarroo t’ad er ghreesaghey mish cho wheesh dy vel mee er ghoaill ayns laue dy screeu fockle ny ghaa mychione dooinney ooasle elley. | I have taken the greatest pleasure in this world after I saw the pictures and read the stories about the old people who had Manx from the cradle, indeed, they have stirred me so much that I have undertaken to write a word or two about another noble man. | |
| Cha nel mee sheiltyn dy bee monney sleih foast er mayrn nish as cooinaghtyn oc er Thomaase Mac Cristen, yn cairteyr, ny “Thomaase Folieau” myr yiarragh ny Manninee rish. Kevys dooys eisht my-e-chione, fakin nagh vel mee agh my ghooinney aeg? She er y fa dy row eh shaner da my voir, as mish my aa-oe dasyn. | I don’t suppose there will be many people still around now that have memories of Thomas Christian, the carter, or “Thomas Seagull” as the Manx would call him. How do I know about him then, seeing that I am only a young man? It is because he was a grandfather of my mother, and I a grandson to him. | |
| Er y chaslys ’sy cholloo shoh hee shiu “Yn Cairteyr” hene shassoo eddyr daa ghooinney elley, cheumooie jeh’n thie echey ayns Straid Ny Collag, Rhumsaa. V’eh mysh y vlein nuy cheead jeig, hoght as feed. Ta’n Olloo Marstrander voish Oslo y fer saa jeu as Mnr. J. Q. Killey y fer elley. Va Mnr. Killey ny ard ’er ayns Scoill Raad Albert, Rhumsaa keayrt dy row. | On the picture in this column you will see “The Carter” himself standing between to other men, outside his house in College Street, Ramsey. It was about the year 1928. Professor Marstrander from Oslo is the younger man and Mr. J. Q. Killey the other one. Mr. Killey was a headteacher at Albert Road School, Ramsey, once upon a time. | |
| Ymmodee keayrtyn ta mee er chlashtyn lught-thie my vayrey loayrt mychione yn olloo va cheet voish Oslo gys Ellan Vannin lesh shilley er yn shenn sleih, as harragh eh gys thie yn Chairteyr tra erbee va caa echey. | Many times I have heard my mother’s family talking about the professor who was coming from Oslo to the Isle of Man to see the old people, and he would go the the Carter’s house anytime he had a chance. | |
| Ta mee dy mennick er n’ghoaill yindys cre’n fa nagh row eer beggan dy Ghailck er ny ynsaghey ec my lught-thie er y fa dy row caa dy liooar ocsyn. Ny yeih, cha daink eh lhieu ee y ynsaghey er y fa dy row cooish erbee Gailckagh coontit dy ve ommidys as faghidys ayns ny shenn laghyn olk. Cha n’yrrys, er y fa shen, dy row sleih soiaghey beg jeh’n Ghailck. | I am often wondering why there wasn’t even a little Manx learnt by family because they had enough opportunity. Nevertheless, they didn’t mange to learn it because any Manx matter was considered to be stupidity and ridiculousness in the bad old days. N wonder, therefore, that people despised Manx. | |
| Agh, myr ta shiu er lhaih ayns “Noon as Noal”, va foast kuse dy leih er mayrn as adsyn slane arryltagh dy ynsaghey Chengey Ny Mayrey Ellan Vannin da peiagh erbee bynney lhee. Foddee dy row enney ec Mona Inney Ghoolish er Thomaase y Chreesteen? Credjym dy row ish gynsaghey Gailck ayns Rhumsaa keayrt dy row. Ansherbee, cha by vie lhiam y caa y choayl gyn imraa y yannoo my e chione. | But, as you have read in “Noon as Noal”, there are still a few people left who are full willing to teach the mother tongue of the Isle of Man to anyone who would love it. Maybe Mona Douglas knew Thomas Christian? I believe that she learnt Manx in Ramsey at a certain time. Anyway, I wouldn’t like to lose the opportunity without making mention about him. | |
| Rug Thomaase ayns Skeerey Lonan ’sy vlein hoght cheead jeig as daeed as cha s’ayms son shickyrys cre hug ersyn d’aagail skeerey e ghooie, agh shen myr v’eh, as rish ymmodee bleeantyn ny lurg shen v’eh cummal ayns Skeerey Maghal ec boayl enmyssit Folieau, raad v’eh ny eirinagh, as, er y fa shen, v’eshyn as e lught-thie far enmyssit “Cristeen Folieau” (Christian of Under the Mountain). Va shen cliaghtey ny cheerey ayns ny laghyn shen as veagh feallagh elley as yn ennym “Chreesteen” oc baghey 'sy skeerey cheddin as myr shen b’egin da sleih jannoo ancaslys eddyr oc as ren ad ymmyd jeh’n sliennoo as ennym-boayl (raad v’ad baghey) dy ve lane shickyr dy row ad loayrt mychione yn lught-thie kiart! | Thomas was born in Lonan Parish in the year 1840, and I don’t know for sure what made him leave his native parish, but that is how it was, and for many years after that he was living in Maghould Parish at a place called Folieau, where he was a farmer, and, therefore, he and his family were nicknames “Christian Folieau” (Christian of Under the Mountain). That was the country custom in those days and there would he others with the name ‘Christian’ living in the same parish and so he people would have to make a difference between them and they made use of the surname and placename (where they were living) to be fully sure that they were talking about the correct family! | |
| Phoos “Yn Cairteyr” rish ben voish Skeerey Noo Jude enmyssit Kennaugh as va nuy paitchyn oc, as erreish daue v’er ny hroggal, ren y lught-thie garraghey veih Folieau gys Rhumsaa. | ‘The Carter’ married a woman from the Parish of St Jude called Kennaugh and they had nine children, and after they been brought up, the family moved from Folieau to Ramsey. | |
| Ayns ny laghyn shen va Thomaase dy mennick ry-akin ’sy valley as daa chabbyl as cairt echey. Verragh eh lesh sleih raad erbee dy baillioo. V’eh aitt ny keayrtyn er y fa dy row eshyn ny ghooinney crauee as sheelt as sharmanaghey ayns ny cabbalyn Saasilagh, ny yeih, son shen as ooilley, cha row shen cur lhiettrimys ersyn tra v’eh cairtey jough gys ny thieyn oast er chor erbee! | In those days Thomas was often to be seen in the town with two horses and his cart. He would bring people anywhere they would like. It was funny sometimes because he was a religious and sober man and gave sermons in the Methodis chapels, yet, for all that, that wasn’t holding him back when he was carting drink to the pubs in any way! | |
| Ta mee dy mennick er chlashtyn skeeal goll er insh mychione fer[1] ny mec echey. Va’n ennym echey Bobbie. V’eshyn feer ghollrish “Yn Cairteyr” hene, kyndagh rish y craueeaght echey as y “skeetys” echeysyn. Va paart dy Ghailck echey. | I am have often hears a story being told about one of his sons. His name was Bobbie. He was very like “The Carter” himself, because of his religiosity and his “gossip”. He had some Manx. | |
|
[1] Fer]
[nane jeh] would be expected here.
| ||
| Va “Bobbie” ny seyir, as keayrt dy row v’eh gobbragh marish kuse dy gheiney elley boayl ennagh. Va fer jeusyn ny ghooinney beg as smeggyl feer vooar echey. Myr shen hug Bobbie y far-ennym Gailckagh ersyn “Fer beg y smeggyl vooar”, ny “Dooinney beg y smeggyl vooar” as eer gys y laa t’ayn jiu ta foast cooinaghtyn ec sleih Rhumsaa er ny focklyn Gailckagh shen. Er son yn dooinney beg hene, cha b’loys dou gimraa e ennym er y fa dy vel eh foast er mayrn, ga dy vel eh nish ny haaue! | “Bobbie” was a joiner, and once he was working with a few other men somewhere. One of them was a small man with a very big chin. So Bobbie gave him the Manx nickname “Little fellow of the big chin”, or “Little man of the big chin”, and even to this day the people of Ramsey still have memories of those Manx words. As for the little man himself, I wouldn’t dare mention his name because he is still alive, although he is now retired! | |
| Va’n braar-ayrey aym gobbragh marish ny deiney shen ennee, bleeantyn er dy henney, myr seyir-chlagh as v’eh ny charrey mooar da Bobbie, dy jarroo — shimmey keayrt ta mee er chlashtyn eshyn gra dy jagh ny focklyn shen “Dooinney beg y smeggyl vooar” er ny screeu tra veagh “Y Smeggyl” ny mast’oc. V’ad ry-akin er laareyn, boallaghyn, far-voallaghyn ny raad erbee elley oddagh ad goll er screeu (agh ’sy Vaarle ny lomarcan). Myr shen, cha dod foill erbee ve currit er Bobbie, ny, lhisin gra, er y Chairteyr, hug yn Ghailck chiart da! | My paternal uncle was working with those selfsame men, years ago, as a mason and he was a great friend to Bobbie, indeed — many a time I have heard him say that those words, ‘Little man of the big chin”, were written when “The Chin” was amongst them. They were to be seen on floors, walls, ceilings or anywhere else they could be written (but in English alone). So, no blame at all could be put on Bobbie, or, I should say, on thr Carter, who gave him the correct Manx! | |
|
[3] As ish]
[as v’ee] or
[as ee] would be expected here.
| ||
| Geayll shiu rieau mychione dunverys Vessie Yuan Y Wyllar, haghyr er y chenn raad dy Ghoolish mysh y vlein hoght cheead jeig, kiare feed as hoght? Va Bessie Crowe yn ennym Anglo-Vanninagh urree, ga dy row ny Manninee gra Bessie Yuan y Wyllar r’ee. V’ee baghey ec mullagh Glion Balley Euar. Harragh ee stiagh ’sy valley dy mennick as oohyn as bainney geyre goll er creek eck. | Did you ever hear about the murder of Bessie Yuan the Miller, that happened on the old road to Douglas around the year 1888? Bessie Crowe was her Anglo-Manx name, although the Manx called her Bessie Yuan y Wyllar (Juan the miller’s Bessie). She was living at the top of Ballure Glen. She would come into the town often with eggs and buttermilk for sale. | |
| Oie dy row, erreish j’ee faagail Rhumsaa as ish shooyl dy valley ny hrooid[2] Glion Balley Euar, v’ee er ny soiaghey urree as ish[3] er ny marroo. V’eh er n’insh dou dy row ee bwoailt lesh clagh. She shen yn skeeal myr ta mee er chlashtyn eh ansherbee. Va lane drogh-ourys er ny meoiryn shee er dooinney dy row as eshyn baghey er gerrey da thie Vessie, ny yei, cha dod ad prowal dy ren eshyn y dunverys dewil as cha row eh rieau goit. | One nght, after she left Ramsey, while she was walking home through Ballure Glen, she had been attacked and she was killed. It was told to me that she struck with a stone. That’s the story as I have heard it anyway. The police fully suspected a certain man and he was living near to Bessie’s house, yet they couldn’t prove that he did the cruel murder and he was never arrested. | |
|
[2] ny hrooid] commonly used in the 1970s for
[trooid]
[3] As ish]
[as v’ee] or
[as ee] would be expected here.
| ||
| Hie ymmodee bleeantyn shaghey derrey yn traa va’n dooinney shen ny lhie trome ching er e lhiabbee vaaish, as, ayns ny laghyn shen va Thomaase Mac Cristen sharmanaghey ayns ny cabbalyn as b’egin da cur shilley er yn dooinney un astyr dy ghoaill padjer marish as dy gherjaghey eh cour e vaase. | Many years went past until the time when that man was lying seriously ill on his deathbed, and, in those day Thomas Christian was in the chapels and he had to visit the man one afternoon to pray with him and to comfort him for his death. | |
| Ec y traa shen haghyr red ennagh feer whaagh dy jarroo, er y fa dy ghow yn dooinney rish dy varr eh Bessie Yuan. V’eh dy baghtal ry akin dy row eh goaill slane arrys roish my derragh y baase dy ghoaill eh. | At that time something very strange indeed happened, because the man admitted to him that he killed Bessie Yuan. It was clear to see that he was completely repenting before death would come to take him. | |
| Moghrey laa er giyn ren y Cairteyr loo y ghoaill kionefenish daa Vriw Beg (Two J.P.s) agh cha dug adsyn monney geill da. Cha daink y chooish gys veg as ren y dooinney ching geddyn baase gyn loght erbee ersyn. Agh jeh un red ta mee hene braew shickyr, dy daink yn dunver, quoi erbee v’eshyn, dy ve er ny briwnys liorish yn Ooilley Niartal ec yn laa jerrinagh echey. | On the morning of the following day the Carter swore in the presence of two Justices of the Peace, but they didn’t give him much heed. The case matter didn’t come to anything and the sick man died without any sin upon him. But of one thing I am quite sure, that the murderer, whoever he was, came to be judged by the Almighty at his final day. | |
| Ta kuse dy gheiney Rhumsaa foast er mayrn as cooinaghtyn oc er “Yn Cairteyr” agh v’adsyn ooilley nyn ghuillyn tra v’eshyn shooyl ny straaidyn ‘sy valley. | There are a few Ramsey men yet left who have memories of “The Carter”, but they were all boys when he was walking the streets of the town. | |
| T’ad er n’insh dou dy row eh ry-akin taaghey yn keiy tra v’eh ny henn dooinney as ny keayrtyn veagh eh geamagh magh ’sy Ghailck reddyn myr “Moghrey mie Bhoy, cre’n aght ta shiu” as veagh paart dy ghuillyn feer vitchooragh roie mygeayrt y mysh gyllagh ersyn “Cre’n aght ta shiu, cre’n aght ta shiu?” “Braew braew!”, jannoo spotch jeh as geabbey dy hayrn y maidjey-laue magh ass e laue. Agh nagh row eh yindyssagh dy row eshyn foast lhiantyn rish y Ghailck? | They have told me that he was to be seen frequenting the quay when he was an old man and he would sometimes be calling out in Manx things like “Good morning, Boy, how are you” and some very mischievous boys would be running around him shouting at him “How are you, how are you?” “Fine fine!”, making fun of him and attempting to pull the walking stick out of his hnad. But isn’t is wonderful that he was still sticking to Manx? | |
| Va recortyssyn jeant jehsyn loayrt ass y Ghailck, liorish yn Olloo Marstrander, eshyn hie mygeayrt yn Ellan lesh shilley er yn shenn sleih ooilley, bleeantyn er dy henney, agh myr dooyrt Markys y Braaid, v’ad jeant er rollianyn kerey as ta fys er jeet hug Yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh er y gerrid dy vel ad cha brishlagh nagh vod ad ve goit eer ayns laue. S’treih eh nagh vel ad ry-chlashtyn as dy vel cho wheesh caillt ain, agh, dauesyn hie mygeayrt Mannin bleeantyn er dy henney, lhied as Markys as Chalse Mooar, Illiam y Radlagh as “Breagagh” hene, Walter Y Chleeree, as y lhied, lesh shilley er y shenn sleih as Gailck oc, by vie lhiam gra, “She shiuish ren sauail Chengey Ny Mayrey veih baase as toyrt-mow er nyn son as er son shen ta shinyn ny saa lane kianglt booise as fo lhiastynys mooar diu ooilley. Gura mie mooar eu son ooilley nyn obbyr yindyssagh!” | There were records made of him speaking in Manx, by Professor Marstrander, he who went around the island to see all the old people, years ago, but as Mark Braide said, they were made on wax cylinders and information has come to Yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh recently that they are so fragile that they cannot be even be picked up. It is a shame they they aren’t audible and that we have lost so much, but, for those who went around the Isle of Man years ago, such as Markys and Big Chalse, Bill Radcliffe and “Breagagh” himself, Walter Clarke, and so on, to visit the old people who knew Manx, I would like to say, “It is you who saved the Mother Tongue from death and destruction for us and for that we who are younger are very grateful and in great debt to you all. Thank you very much for all the wonderful work! | |
| Hooar Thomaase Mac Cristen (ayns Gailck s’anmey “Thomaase y Chreesteen”), baase ’sy vlein nuy cheead jeig jeih as feed as hie eh er oanluckey ’sy chenn rhullick ec Skylley Maghal. T’eh ny lhie marish e vraar Illiam y Chreesteen (Illiam Folieau) as er y chlagh hee shiu ny focklyn shoh ’sy Ghailck:— | Thomas Christian (in later Manx ‘Thomaase y Chreesteen”) died in the year 1930 and he was buried in the old graveyard at Kirk Maughold. He is lying wit his brother William Christian (William Folieau) and on the stone you will see these Manx words: | |
| “Ta’n Chiarn cooilleeney cairys as briwnys er nyn son ocsyn ooilley ta tranlaasit lesh aggair” (Psalm 103, 6). | “The Lord executeth righteousness and judgement: for all them that are oppressed with wrong” (Psalm 103, 6). | |
| As er bun ny clagh, ny focklyn “Lesh Creest te foddey ny bare.” | And on the base of the stone, the words “With Christ it is far better”. | |
| JAMYS Y COWLE | JAMYS (‘FREDDIE’) COWLE | |
| (Yn aa-oe) | (The Grandson) | |
| Mee Ny Boaldyn 1977. | May 1977. | |