One of the leading figureheads of Manx Culture and Language is to be remembered with the release of a commemorative CD and DVD.

A memorial concert, held on the 25th anniversary of the death of Mona Douglas, has been released on DVD, and music from the concert, along with some specially -written tunes and songs have been compiled together and released on CD, under the name ’Mona’s Isle’.

Mona was introduced to Manx music, culture and language by Sophia Morrison in the early part of the 20th century, who became her friend and mentor.

She went on to become a key figure in the Celtic revival, and was instrumental in keeping interest in the language and culture going throughout the post-war years.

Dave McLean was the driving force behind the concert, which took place in 2012 and featured Manx music, poetry, song and dance.

He was a member of Mona’s ’Aeglagh Vannin’ youth group in the early 1960s, which taught groups of children about Manx culture and language.

It was while watching a memorial concert for the English folklorist Cecil Sharp, that Dave and his wife Lizzie came on the idea of producing a similar tribute to Mona.

That led to a series of workshops with fellow musicians that resulted in the memorial concert, which was filmed with the intention of one day releasing it as a DVD.

’When that was done, I was listening back to it and I thought that it was a shame to just leave it at that, as some of the songs would have benefited from being recorded properly. I persuaded them all to come back and record them all again so it is not just this DVD.

’The most interesting thing to me about the CD is David Kilgallon’s idea of actually getting a recording of Mona herself singing in the 60s and putting an accompaniment to it, which became ’Arrane ny Niee’.

’We have ended up with Mona actually on the CD, which is fabulous.’

There are 13 Manx musicians who take part on the CD, including Aalin Clague, Breesha Maddrell, Bob Carswell, Annie Kissack, Claire Kilagallon, Greg Joughin and Chloe Woolley, many of whom would have come into contact with Mona, either through her teachings or through involvement with some of the projects that she was involved with in her later years.

Annie Kissack, the musician who also teaches at the Bunscoill, historian Charles Guard and Claire Kilgallon, who is a leading figure in Manx folk dancing, all attended Aeglagh Vannin during the 1960s.

’Aeglagh Vannin was promoting Manx culture and language to the young people at the time.

’Mona, to her eternal credit, was one of the few people who was actually interested back in the old days. There weren’t that many people who were bothered about language and culture then.

’That legacy she left, through many things such as Culture Vannin, is stronger now that it has been for years.’

Its is hoped that ’Mona’s Isle’ will be released in July, during the forthcoming ’Celtfest’, the new name given to Yn Cruinnaght, the Manx cultural festival that Mona Douglas was instrumental in creating in 1978.

by Mike Wade

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