FOCKLE AYNS DTY CHLEAYSH

Lhig dooin aavioghey yn Kegeesh Ommidjagh!

Ayns ny shenn laghyn va'n ''eailley Nollick' goaill toshiaght er yn chied laa as feed (Laa'l Fingan) as cha row obbyr erbee jeant nagh row ymmyrchagh derrey Shenn Laa Nollick, Laa'l Chibbyrt Ushtey (yn cheyoo laa jeh'n vlein noa). Car y chegeesh (yn Kegeesh Ommidjagh) shoh va gienseyn dy liooar, kiaull, daunsin as dy chooilley sorch dy ghennalys.

Ayns y lhing ain jiu, ta'n ''eailley Nollick' goaill toshiaght ayns Mee Houney, as mennick dy liooar t'ee jeant roish my jig Laa Nollick Noa (yn wheiggoo laa as feed, Mee ny Nollick). Ta ny shappyn jannoo ymmyd jeh dy chooilley sorch dy aght croutagh as follit dy hayrn yn argid ain magh ass nyn boggad as stiagh ayns ny shappyn oc car yn imbagh shoh, as ec y jerrey ta ram trustyr kionnit as currit myr giootyn.

Dagh blein ec yn traa shoh ta mee smooinaghtyn dy by chair dooin aavioghey yn Kegeesh Ommidjagh, as dagh blein t'eh ro anmagh dy yannoo veg my-e-chione. Agh eer nagh bee monney scansh currit da ny shenn cliaghtaghyn tradishoonagh as crauee mleeaney (cheayll mee jea nagh bee claare crauee erbee er y chellveeish laa Nollick) bee shirveishyn Nollick dy liooar son ny credjuee, as ta foast ram sleih goll shelg yn drean, bee guillyn baney ry-akin as quaaltagh ny ghaa neesht.

Son shickyrys tra t'ou lhaih shoh veagh ny guillyn baney er ve magh er ny straidyn jannoo yn cloie oc mychione baase as aavioghey - red cooie son yn laa s'girrey 'sy vlein. Ta'n cloie oc cadjin da bunnys dy chooilley ard jeh ny h-Ellanyn shoh.

Er Oie'l Verrey (kiarroo laa as feed) va cliaghtey ec ny shenn Manninee dy ghoaill arrane ny carvalyn va scruit oc. Va'n lheid shoh goll er rish tammylt foddey lurg va'n Saggyrt ersooyl. S'treih lhiam gra nagh bee yn lheid shoh goll er cummal mleeaney.

Er moghrey Laa'l Steoin bee ymmodee sleih goll shelg yn drean. Paart jeu goaill arrane as paart jeu daunsin neesht agh cha nel monney dreanyn er ve goit 'sy lhing ain. Lurg jinnair ta tradishoon noa ayn. Ta possan mooar dy vraane as deiney dunnal goll gys Balla Keeill Eoin dy chloie 'Cammag'. Shoh gollrish hockey agh gyn reill erbee. Ta jough as kiaull ry-gheddyn dauesyn ta ro agglit cloie yn gamman.

Tradishoon noa elley shen 'Mollag Ghennal'. Cuirrey kiaull reaghit ec yn possan Mollag er yn nuyoo laa as feed ec y Villa mysh hoght er lhiam. Bee ny guillyn baney ayn as kiaull Vannin yindyssagh.

Ta foast quaaltaghyn dy liooar ry-akin moghrey yn chied laa jeh'n vlein noa (Laa Nollick Beg). Keayrt dy row va'n drane shoh oc:

Nollick Ghennal erriu as blein feer vie
Seihll as slaynt da'n slane lught thie
Bea as gennallys eu bio ry-cheilley
Shee as graih eddyr mraane as deiney
Cooid as cowryn stock as stoyr
Palchey puddase as skeddan dy liooar

Ny jarrood dy jed Shirveish Nollick yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh er cummal er yn trass laa ec 3 'syn 'astyr ec Parick.

Ta foast Oie'l Verrey ny ghaa goll er cummal ayns y chied shiaghtin jeh'n vlein noa. Foddee dy vel shoh cheet veih'n chenn oie'l verrey cha syms, agh ta fys aym dy nee oieghyn braew mie vees ayn.

As er Laa'l Chibbyrt Ushtey heese lesh ooilley ny jesheenyn as shen traa Nollick jeant as harrish rish blein elley.

The Foolish Fortnight - a tradition
worth reviving!

In the old days the Christmas festival began on the 21st (St Fingan's day) and only essential work was carried out until old Christmas day, the day of the water wells (6th January). Throughout this fortnight (the Foolish Fortnight) there were many parties, music, dance and all kinds of merriment.

In our time, however, Christmas appears to start early in November, and is often finished before Christmas day. The shops use all kinds of tricks to part us with our money during this time, and an excess of presents are bought and given to children who will never get round to playing with the half of them.

Each year at this time I think that we should try to revive the old foolish fortnight, but of course owing to the new way Christmas is celebrated many Christmas events have already taken place. Even though the traditional old customs and religion generally will be largely ignored this Christmas, there are still plenty of Christmas services held (though none on TV for Christmas day I hear) and a number of the traditional Christmas customs will be practised.

For sur by the time you have read this, the white boys will have been out on the streets, performing their play about death and resurrection - appropriate enough bearing in mind that it used to be performed on the shortest day.This play is common to most parts of these islands and is still regularly performed in other areas.

On Christmas eve, the old Manx people used to gather in church. There was a very short service after which the parson left, and the assembled company sang carvals (Manx carols written by various members of the congregation) 'til late on in the night. These occasions often became quite riotous affairs and after an evening of hearty singing and merriment the congregation would depart. What a pity this custom was ended.

On the morning of St Stephen's day many people will go out to hunt the wren. Some of them will be singing, other dancing and some both. To my knowledge no wrens have been caught for many years, but a good time is had by one and all. After dinner a new tradition is practised. The annual cammag match is held in St Johns - like hockey but with no rules it is not for the faint hearted. Drink and music is available in local hostelries for those of a cowardly disposition.

Another new tradition is the Mollag Ghennal concert. This will be held at the Villa on 29th at about 8 pm - contact Greg on 843318 for more details.The white boys will most likely be there, and of course loads of excellent Manx music.

There are still lots of quaaltaghs to be found on new year's day morning. They used to say this rhyme (well the Manx version of it):

A merry Christmas on you and a good new year
Luck and health to the whole household
Life, pleasantness and sprightliness to you together
Peace and love between men and women
Goods and riches, stock and store
Plenty of spuds and herring enough.

Yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh holds its Manx Gaelic Christmas service on the Sunday nearest to old Christmas day (3pm on the 3rd at Patrick Parish Church).

There are still Oie'l Verrey's held usually towards the end of the first week of the new year.Oie'l Verrey probably means the eve of the birth, but it could also mean Mary's eve - either way these nights are excellent entertainment.

On Laa'l Chibbyrt Ushtey, the day of the water wells (6th January), down with the decorations and the Christmas time is over for another year.

Phil Gawne 834844