January of course brings the annual commemoration for Illiam Dhone and some of the Manx meda are already picking up on this.
However the month is also the anniversary of the death of another more recent Manx heroine and stalwart of the language and culture Sophia Morrison and last year marking as it did the centenary of her death in 1917 there were a number of events held.
Morrison is perhaps most popularly remembered for her ‘Manx Fairy Tales’ a staple for many young people growing up and indeed for their children.
In the Manx Notebook for 1911 Morrison recalled how many of the tales she included were collected from oral tradition:
“Most of the stories are traditional and have been handed down by word of mouth from father to son. I owe hearty thanks to those from whose lips I have heard them -Messrs. J. R. Moore, William Cashen, Joe Moore, Ned Quayle and others. Of the four stories which have not been told to me personally-Teeval, Kitterland, The Wizard’s Palace, and Smererce-the three first have been printed in various folk-lore books, and the Manx of the last appeared in’ Yn Lioar Manninagh’ some years ago. Lastly I must thank my friend Miss Alice Williams for her kind help and valuable assistance in many ways.
SOPHIA MORRISON.”
Link:
http://www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook/…/sm1911/preface.htm:
She was also a great supporter of the early days of the Pan Celtic movement as evidenced by this photograph of her at the 1904 Celtic Congress in Caernarvon.
Link:
https://www.imuseum.im/s…/sophia-morrison-the-first-curator/
All in all a great Manxwoman!
Bernard Moffatt
pp Celtic League
28/12/17