FOCKLE AYNS DTY CHLEAYSH

SHOH YN SOUREY!

She'n sourey t'ayn, ta blaaghyn cheet my vlaa, ta'n cheer glass, ta ushagyn kiaulley ayns ny biljyn as yn kegeesh shoh chaie va cronnane dowin bog ny roaryn bree ry-chlashtyn ayns dagh ard jeh'n ellan ain. Ta shiaghtin, ny kegeesh myr t'eh nish, TT cur raaue dooin ooilley dy vel yn imbagh preissal as chionn er chee cheet orrin.

S'mie lhiam yn imbagh shoh cheet agh s'bastagh dy nee traa tarroogh t'ayn. Ayns y raiee shoh roin bee feaillaghyn jeh dagh sorch, hed ny taishbynysyn eirinys er cummal, bee feailley chiaull Ellan Vannin ayn as Yn Chruinnaght, ymmodee reddyn ry-yannoo er y ghowaltys, as hed ny coorseyn Gaelgagh er cummal neesht. Ta mee skee jus smooinaghtyn my nyn gione.

COWRAGHYN-POSTAGH NOA

Dy firrinagh shoh shenn skeeal nish agh s'feeu yn skeeal shoh y aa-insh dhyt er lhiam. Mysh mee er dy henney hie ny cowraghyn-postagh Gaelgagh er lunney 'sy Thie Tashtee Vannin. Shiuish nagh vel er nakin ny cowraghyn-postagh as ny cliejeenyn aalin va jeant ec Charles Alexander shegin diu shirrey orroo - ny cowraghyn-postagh 'syn oik postagh as ny cliejeenyn 'sy Thie Tashtee as shapp Charles Alexander neesht.

She red yindyssagh t'er ve jeant ec yn oik postagh dy reayll ayns cooinaght keeadoo blein ny Sheshaght Ghailckagh. Ta kiare cummaghyn er lheh son ny cowraghyn-postagh shoh as adsyn soilshaghey dooin yn geurey, yn arragh, yn sourey as yn fouyir. Ta Gaelg baghtal ry-akin er ny cummaghyn as ta ny focklyn soilshaghey magh stayd y chengey ec jerrey yn keead shoh er lhiam. Focklyn gollrish bree, niart, bio, ooir, noa as aase cur diu spyrryd ny sheshaghtyn as obbreeyn Gaelgagh 'sy lhing t'ayn nish.

Cha nel agh un red cur boirrey beg orrym 'sy chooish shoh as shen nagh vel ny cowraghyn-postagh shoh feer chronnal mygeayrt yn ellan. S'doogh lhiam nagh vel ny cowraghyn-postagh shoh ry-akin dy cadjin er screeunyn - er lhiam nagh vel agh jeih 'sy cheead jeh ny screeunyn t'er jeet gys my hie car y vee shoh chaie as ny cowraghyn-postagh Gaelgagh orroo.

Strooys nagh vel yn oik postagh cur er hoshiagh ad 'syn aght va shin jerkal rish. Agh ny yei shen she red mie mirrilagh t'er ve jeant, as fodmayd hene jannoo smoo ymmyd jeh ny cowraghyn-postagh shoh. Yn nah keayrt t'ou kionnaghey cowraghyn-postagh vrie jeh'n 'er postagh son ny fir Gaelgagh. Red elley fodmayd jannoo son y chooish shoh as shen kionnaghey ny cliejeenyn aalin veih Charles Alexander ny'n thie-tashtee. T'ad feer waagh as bee oo toishaghey y Ghaelg my vees oo ceau ad.

Here Comes the Summer!

The summer is here, the flowers are in full bloom, the countryside is green, birds are singing in the trees and over this past fortnight the deep and mellow drone of motorbikes was heard throughout the island. TT week, or TT fortnight as it has become, warns us that the hectic and pressing times of summer are once more upon us.

I do like this season but its a pity its always so busy. Over the next three months there will be all kinds of fairs festivals, the agricultural shows, the Isle of Man Music Festival, Yn Chruinnaght, loads of work on the farm, and of course the Manx Gaelic week long courses. I'm exhausted just thinking about it.

New Manx Stamps

I must confess that this is old news, but hopefully it will benefit in being retold to you. About a month ago some new Manx Gaelic stamps were launched at the Manx Museum. Those of you who have not yet seen these stamps, and the beautiful jewellery made by Charles Alexander on which they are based, must go and look out for them - the stamps in the post office, and the jewellery in the Manx Museum and Charles Alexander's shop.

The Post Office have done a fantastic thing for the 100th anniversary of yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh. There are four special designs for these stamps depicting the winter, the spring,the summer and the autumn. Manx Gaelic is clearly seen on the designs and the words I believe show something of the state of the language at the end of this century, Words such as energy, strength, life, fresh, new and growing give you a sense of the spirit of the Manx Gaelic societies and workers in this time.

There's one thing that worries me slightly about all this and that is that the stamps are not particularly visible about the island. I'm disappointed that the stamps do not appear to be being used regularly on letters - I reckon that only about 10% of the mail I've received this month has had the Manx stamps on.

It seem to mee that the post office is not pushing the stamps as much as we had hoped. But after all that they have done a really marvellous job in the production of the stamps, and we ourselves can make a point of using the stamps more. The next time you're looking for stamps at the post-office ask the post man for the Manx Gaelic stamps. Another thing we can all do is go to Charles Alexanders or the Manx Museum shop and buy some of the splendid jewellery. It is very beautiful and you will be promoting the Manx Gaelic if you wear it.

Phil Gawne.