It is 40 years ago this year that the Isle of Man hosted the first ‘Inter Island Games’, which took place between Thursday 18th and Wednesday 24th July 1985. After some two years of planning and preparation, fifteen teams participated in the inaugural event from Åland, Anglesey, Faroes, Froya, Gotland, Guernsey, Hitra, Iceland, Isle of Wight, Jersey, Malta, Orkney, Shetland, St Helena and the host nation, Isle of Man.

In December 1982 and early in 1983, the Tourist Board and IOM Sports Council met to look at the feasibility of having a ‘Year of Sport’ on our Island in 1985. The year was chosen because it fell between the Olympic Games of 1984 and the Commonwealth Games of 1986. A meeting was convened in January 1983 to which representatives from local sports organisations were invited, along with the Tourist Board and Sports Council. There was unanimous support.

My friend Noel Cringle was Chair of the Sports Council and it was he who moved the proposition in Tynwald that, on the theme of ‘Sport for All’, a Year of Sport would take place with government funding of up to £350,000. Between 1983 and 1986, the total figure came in £50,000 less than the allocation. The government recognised the need to appoint a sports administrator, and good friend Geoffrey (Geoff) Corlett, a well-known Manx sportsman, was appointed Organising Director.

His career spanned 35 years as a specialist teacher and physical education adviser. Prior to retiring to the land of his birth in 1983, he had spent the last 26 years on the staff at the College of St Paul and St Mary, Cheltenham, as a senior lecturer in the Department of Physical Education, Sport and Recreation. He was heavily involved in British Colleges student sport, particularly gymnastics, and as chairman for water polo and swimming, and as a selector for the World Student Games. A published author on sport, he also had a particular interest in sport and physical recreation for those with disabilities. These interests led on to the very successful Student Festival of Sport and Island Sports School Federation.

With the secretariat in place, the executive committee was duly elected, with Noel Cringle MHK as chairman, Eddie Lowey MLC (then Chair of the Tourist Board), Tony Brown MHK and George Fathers, the elected representative of the Sports Council. After a great deal of hard work, the Year of Sport provided a lasting legacy and impetus to develop our sporting facilities.

On Friday 19th July 1985, the opening ceremony for the Inter Island Games commenced with a march from the Sea Terminal to the Villa Marina, led by the Isle of Man massed bands conducted and led by Major Thirtle and Gordon Astill. The 15 teams paraded in alphabetical order, led by a member of the world championship Rushen Majorettes holding a sign for each team. Were you there as part of the parade?

The then Christine Kissack crossing the finish line to win the women’s 3,000 metre race at the inaugural Inter Island Games in 1985. The track and field events for the Isle of Man-hosted (and initiated) Games were at Peel’s Queen Elizabeth II High School (still used for the weekly Western AC league during the summer months). Christine later taught at the same school. Stalwart timekeeper Walter Kennaugh is on the far right Photo: Brian Maddrell

It was a perfect summer’s day with thousands of locals and visitors looking on. On arrival at the Villa Gardens and in the presence of Governor Sir Nigel Cecil, the Rushen Majorettes gave a display, followed by Faroese gymnasts, Manx dancers in traditional costume, and singing from the Glenfaba Ladies Choir. Commentary was provided by another old friend, Peter Kneale. After the Governor officially opened the Games, Manx team member Sian Pilling took the oath on behalf of all competitors:

‘We declare that we will take part in the Inter Island Games of 1985, in the spirit of true sportsmanship, recognising the rules which govern them, for the honour of our islands and the glory of sport.’

After a fanfare, the new Island Games Association flag, designed by Norman Sayle and consisting of light and dark blue to represent sky and sea, green for the fields, and interlocking Celtic links to symbolise the friendly sporting and cultural bonds between our island communities, was raised. The proceedings concluded with the singing of the Manx National Anthem, ‘O Land of Our Birth’.

On the Friday evening, the competitions started in earnest with the badminton team event, ladies’ volleyball and the 50km cycling time trial in Castletown. A full programme of sport continued on Saturday, while in Douglas, Mayor Alfie Duggan and his wife Bertha hosted a civic reception for team managers. That evening, Tony Brown held a reception and guided tour of Castle Rushen, followed by more Manx dancing by young performers. The Manx Youth Band then played.

Amongst the sports venues, athletics took place at QEII School in Peel, the U16 football tournament was held in the Palace Lido (I remember well the 5-a-side tournaments there with a great atmosphere), badminton and volleyball at Summerland, and swimming at the adjacent Aquadrome. The cycling kermesse event was in Port St Mary and the 100km road race started from the TT Grandstand. Various shooting disciplines were held across the Island. All events were very successful.

On Tuesday 23rd July, Geoff Corlett formally proposed at the first team managers' meeting ‘that this meeting agrees to the setting up of an Island Games Association’, seconded by John Nicholson from Shetland, and carried unanimously. It was agreed that the Games would be held every two years, with the 1987 Games to be held in Guernsey. It was also agreed that the Island Games HQ should remain in the Isle of Man.

The 1985 Year of Sport trophy was won by the Isle of Man with 25 gold, 20 silver and 25 bronze medals. A special crystal vase made by craftsmen at St John’s Crystal and donated by them was presented to Bobby Essex, team manager of St Helena, in recognition of not only their sportsmanship but also the tremendous effort of travelling 5,000 miles to compete.

After the Guernsey Games in 1987, they were held in the Faroe Islands (1989), Åland (1991), Isle of Wight (1993), Gibraltar (1995), Jersey (1997), Gotland (1999), back to Guernsey (2003), Shetland (2005), Rhodes (2007), Åland again (2009), Isle of Wight (2011), Bermuda (2013), Jersey (2015), Gotland (2017), Gibraltar again (2019), and Guernsey again (2023) after the 2021 Games were postponed due to global events.

Here we are now in Orkney. The live streaming is great, and our team, both on and off the field, continues to represent us with distinction. Looking ahead, 2027 sees a return to the Faroes, and in 2029 the Games will come back home to the Isle of Man.

I missed one year out, and that’s because in 1997, in Jersey, I was Minister of Sport for our Island, and the Chairman of the Sports Council was Archdeacon Brian Partington. Together we put forward our successful bid for the Games to come home for the first Island Games of the new millennium. I will never forget how many Island residents played their part, together with the organising committee, to show the Isle of Man at its best. Thank you all so much!