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Manx National Anthem - Arrane Ashoonagh dy Vannin
By William H Gill
1. O Land of our birth,
O gem of God's earth,
O Island so strong and so fair;
Built firm as Barrool,
Thy throne of Home Rule
Makes us free as thy sweet mountain air.
8. Then let us rejoice
With heart, soul and voice,
And in the Lord's promise confide;
That each single hour
We trust in his power
No evil our souls can betide.
Written in 1907 by William Henry Gill (1839-1923), the National Anthem is based on an old folk tune. Gill composed new words and adapted the Manx melody ‘Mylecharaine’ or ‘Molly Charane’ (which was already regarded as the ‘Manx national air’) to form an anthem “worthy to stand side by side, although at a respectable distance from, ‘God Save the King’.”
Dedicated to the Governor’s wife, Lady Raglan, it was launched at the Manx Music Festival (Guild) of 1907 to mixed reviews, but was actually only officially recognised as the National Anthem by Tynwald in 2003. Consisting of eight verses, the anthem gives a romantic outline of the Island’s history from Norse times. It was translated into Manx Gaelic by John J Kneen (1873 – 1939). Today, the first and last verses are most likely to be sung at official and social events.
Recording by Caarjyn Cooidjagh for Culture Vannin's choral pack Coraa.
First verse only (extract from The Best That's In CD performed by The Regal Singers, Musicale, Manx Youth Band)
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