Photo: Fiona McArdle of Manx National Heritage presenting volunteer Leslie Quirk with his copy of Skeealyn Vannin. Courtesy of Manx National Heritage.

Manx National Heritage is hoping to bring the Isle of Man’s native language to a new audience with a digitally-remastered collection of recordings made by Manx speakers 50 years ago.

A series of six CDs containing five hours of spoken Manx Gaelic and dialect, Skeealyn Vannin, or Stories of Mann, was launched at the House of Manannan earlier this week.

With a full transcription and translations, the publication brings to life an original archive of recordings made in 1948.

The project took five years to complete with the help of the Department of Irish Folklore at the University of Dublin, Harry Bradshaw of Irish radio station RTE and numerous volunteer Manx language enthusiasts.

Photo: children of some of the original contributors were among the first to listen to Skeealyn Vannin. Courtesy of Manx National Heritage.

Speaking to the 24 Hour Museum Manx National Heritage Curatorial Services Officer, Kirsty Neate, explained how the original recordings were made by the Irish Folklore Commission.

"These recordings were made in 1948 at the instigation of Eamon de Valera and at that time there were only about 15 known native Manx speakers left - someone brought up with Manx as their first language - so it was at crisis point."

De Valera sent the commission with a recording van over to the Isle of Man on a cattle boat from Dublin and in two weeks of working with language enthusiasts and visiting the homes of native speakers the precious archive was created.

As Kirsty pointed out, although the new publication will be of interest to language experts and academics, it also has an enormous significance as first hand evidence of an all but forgotten lifestyle.

"Much more than a 'teach yourself Manx', these recordings are a cultural milestone," she said. "They give this picture, this window into a way of life."

Photo: many of those who helped with the publication of Skeealyn Vannin were presented with copies of it at the officil launch. Courtesy of Manx National Heritage.

"A lot of the people who made these recordings in 1948 were in their 80s and 90s and a lot of their memories were formed in the mid to late 19th century, so a lot of the things they were talking about, their folklore, their beliefs and the buildings, have gone."

The stories of such people as crofter Harry Kelly who died in 1938 or Harry Boyde, who spent all his life farming in the north of the island, recreate a world and a culture that has long gone.

"It’s an opportunity not just to read it in a history book or see it in a museum, but to listen to people who actually lived it," added Kirsty.

"It’s about looking back and showing a side of island life that doesn’t exist anymore."

Recordings of the likes of Harry Kelly can be heard at the Manx Museum and the new publication is on sale at both the Manx Museum and the House of Manannan.