Island factfile - Introduction
When introducing the Isle of Man, it is very tempting to wax lyrical about its many charms and brush over the not-so-attractive bits but to really live here is to experience an often contradictory combination of the very beautiful and the very ordinary, the sophisticated and the old-fashioned, the progressive and the traditional. Similar, certainly, to many other evolving British communities - but also a separate, independent, ancient kingdom with its own unique 'Manx' character.
The Isle of Man is located in the middle of the Irish Sea, 83 miles from Liverpool and 90 miles from Belfast and is approximately 221 miles or 572 kilometres square, being 32.5 miles (50 kilometres) long from north to south and 13.5 miles (20 kilometres) wide from east to west. Scenically it has a little of everything that is attractive about the British Isles - a central mountain, Snaefell (2,036 feet or 620 metres), surrounded by hills that lead down to seventeen national Glens, fertile farmland and a varied coastline.
The Island's resident population numbered 79,805 in April 2006 - roughly half being Manx born and the rest largely British, although an increasingly varied mix of nationalities are moving here to work in the financial and service industries.
The capital town is Douglas, the seat of the Manx Government and main centre of population (25,308). Other major settlements are Onchan (8,706), Ramsey (7,626), Peel (3,779), Port Erin (3,351), Castletown (3,082) and Port St Mary (1,927). New housing in estates and village outskirts is gradually changing the traditional look of the Island but there is still plenty of 'green' space and quiet, unspoilt countryside.
Just off the southern tip of the Island lies a two square kilometer islet called the Calf of Man, an official Bird Sanctuary which is owned by the Manx National Trust. The Calf's only year-round resident is a warden but it is open to public visits during the summer.
The Island typically enjoys 'British' weather tempered by the effects of the Gulf Stream that runs through the surrounding Irish Sea. Exposure to sea breezes keeps average summer temperatures in the early to mid twenties centigrade, while winters tend to hover around 9 degrees and snow sometimes strikes in late February/ early March. The thick sea fog that occasionally smothers the island's lowland areas is known locally as Manannan's Cloak, a reference to the Island's ancient Sea God swathing his kingdom in mist to protect it from unwanted visitors.
The Isle of Man has the unusual status of being one of the British Isles that is neither part of Great Britain nor the United Kingdom. People born here are known as 'Manx', classified as British (as opposed to English). Despite the steady integration of new residents from other countries, some locals still refer to newcomers as 'comeovers' and England as 'across'.
The Queen is the Island's constitutional head of state - the Lord of Mann - and she is represented here by a resident Lieutenant Governor. The IOM is not a full member of the European Union but has associate status. This allows Island-traders free trade with the rest of the community but means we're not liable for financial contributions nor eligible for EU grants.
The IOM is not represented in the UK parliament as it has its own parliament - the Tynwald, an institution founded by the Vikings over a thousand years ago.
English is the first language of modern Manx people but the 'old' language is Manx Gaelic. There are no longer any native Manx speakers but a growing number of enthusiasts have kept it alive and it is a learning option for all schoolchildren over the age of 7. Government departments use English and Manx titles on all official documents, correspondence and vehicles and Manx is also used on town and road signs and increasingly by commercial businesses.
Common Gaelic place names include Beg (little), Balla (place, farm or home of), Creg (rock), Bayr (road), Purt (harbour), Cronk (hill). Norse place names include the use of fell (mountain), rick/wick (cove or bay), howe (hill) and ayre (gravel beach).
The Manx National Flag comprises the white, grey and yellow 'Three Legs' set against a red background. It is flown by many residents at the time of the Manx National Holiday, - Tynwald Day, on July 5th. On this day, new laws are publicly promulgated on the ancient Tynwald Hill at St Johns - a ceremony that dates back to Viking times.
The National Anthem was written, in English, to an adapted Manx tune by W.H.Gill and dedicated to the Lieutenant-Governor's wife Lady Raglan in 1907. The full version has eight verses but only the first is commonly used and that goes as follows:
"O Land of our birth,
O gem of God's earth,
O island so strong and so fair;
Built firm as Barrule,
Thy throne of home rule makes us free as thy sweet mountain air".
The National Symbol is the Three Legs of Man, first officially used in the early fourteenth century on the Manx Sword of State. The legs, clad in armour and bearing spurs, run in a clockwise direction and bear the Latin motto 'Quocunque Jeceris Stabit' or 'Whichever way you throw it, it will stand' - a testament to islanders' independence and resilience. The Three Legs also appear on the Manx Coat of Arms, flanked by a Peregrine Falcon and a Raven.
The source of the legs emblem is subject to many theories including the legend of the Island God Manannan, who is said to have set fire to the Legs in a fit of rage and hurled them down the hill in a burning wheel. The Legs are also related to Sicily's emblem of three naked legs surrounding the head of Medusa, and the swastika, both of which can be traced back to pagan symbols representing the Sun.
As befits a country with Celtic roots, the Island has its own Tartan - a combination of pale blue to represent the sky, yellow for the gorse, white for Manx cottages, green for the hills and purple for heather.
The unofficial Manx National Flower is the yellow Ragwort, known locally as Cushag, which blooms in late summer. However landowners are legally obliged to clear it as it's poisonous to cattle. Gorse, spurned by farmers in many other parts of Britain, is an integral part of the Manx landscape and many gorse and earth sod hedges date back to Viking times.
The Island is home to many breeding and migratory birds which are being comprehensively recorded in the Manx Bird Life. Local 'specialities' include Manx shearwaters and the red-legged chough. Trees and flowers benefit from the temperate climate - Manx Palm trees are not uncommon and thousands of wild orchids bloom in Spring at Close Sartfield, one of Britain's most important wildflower sites.
Best known amongst the Island's unusual Flora and Fauna is the Manx cat which in the pure 'rumpy' version has no tail at all while a 'stumpy' has a vestige of a tail. Loaghtan sheep - with four horns - are also unique to the Isle of Man. During the summer, giant Basking sharks are often seen in Manx waters. These huge creatures grow up to 35 feet long and two tonnes in weight but they are harmless to man and live on a diet of plankton. Small animals not found on the Isle of Man include badgers, squirrels, snakes and moles. Foxes are forbidden by law but some were illegally introduced in the 1980s and a handful still survive. There are also small numbers of feral goats and descendants of red-necked wallabies that escaped captivity many years ago.
On a more down-to-earth note, the Manx economy has been steadily expanding since the 1970's, mainly due to Government promotion of the island as an international offshore financial centre, with a low, two-tier tax rate, financial incentives for manufacturing and light industry and an absence of death, wealth or capital gains duties.
Travel to and from the Island is either by air or sea. A number of airlines serve the Isle of Man and a full list of flights can be found at the Isle of Man airport website. Shortest flying time is Dublin 30 minutes with London the longest at an hour. Sea travel is either by private vessel or with passenger/freight ships and 'fastcraft' belonging to the Isle of Man Steam Packet company. Average journey time across the Irish Sea is 2 ½ hours by fastcraft and 4 ½ by conventional ferry Further information regarding crossings can be found at the Steam Packet website. If you're traveling to and from UK destinations you don't need a passport or visa.
The Manx legal system is entirely separate from that of the UK and Manx Lawyers are known as advocates and the two senior Judges who preside over civil cases in the High Court and criminal cases in the Court of General Gaol Delivery are known as Deemsters.
Acknowledgement: Manx Heritage Foundation