folktrax 445 - Folklore
of the Isle of Man - vol 2
Recorded by the Gaelic scholar, Fred Macaulay, in 1961 and featuring two
Manxmen, Ned Madrell and Douglas Farragher. Ned, a fisherman from Craigneash
in the extreme south of the island, and the last to have spoken Manx Gaelic
from birth, is questioned by Fred in a mixture of Scots Gaelic and English.
Those without a knowledge of Manx will be interested in Ned's account of the
fishermen's beliefs and folklore and just what life was like on rthe island
from the time when he was a boy. Of special value to scholars is the conversation
in Manx with Douglas Farragher, who sings his version of a Manx Love Song
Fred Macaulay introduces Ned Madrell as one of the last Gaelic
speakers - He questions him on his Manx as compared to Fred's own Scottish form
of Gaelic - The questions and answers continue - Ned recites "The Lord's Prayer" in Manx - Fred Macaulay questions Ned about some of the single names of objects
- Ned talks about the folklore superstitions of the local fishermen on Man -
And what life was like from when he was a boy in the village of Craigneash -
Ned holds an uninterrupted conversation in Manx with Douglas Farragher - Douglas
sings "Nighean a Bhuachaille Bochd" (The Herdsman's Daughter)
