manx celtic music and dance

Mona Douglas Ceili (1974) - recording discovered

27 Sep 2019


Mona Douglas Ceili (1974)

A unique recording from 1974 of Manx music and song, made at the home of one of the most important figures in the revival of Manx culture in the 20th Century.

Consisting of songs in Manx Gaelic sung by soloists and groups, as well as music from some of the Island's leading musicians, this was recorded by Barone Nikolai Giovannelli in 1974 at the Ballaragh home of Mona Douglas RBV.
As well as having collected many of the songs featured here, Mona Douglas introduces them and even herself sings some of them. Other performers include Bernard Caine RBV, Charles Guard and Charles Cain.
It is the only known recording of such a gathering and so it forms a highly important record of this period of the Manx cultural revival.

This recording was made in order to be sent to a Dutch journalist, Wieky Beens. Although this recording was then effectively forgotten about in the Isle of Man, it was kept safely and affectionately for over 40 years by Wieky Beens at her home in the Netherlands. It is thanks to her diligence and kindness that the recording has been preserved and made publicly available now, 45 years after it was made.

All of the recordings are available for download here: Mona Douglas Ceili (1974)

Recent News

Archive by Year