Isle of Man National Anthem

Arrane Ashoonagh Vannin

English: Isle of Man National Anthem
National anthem of  Isle of Man
Lyrics	William Henry Gill / John J. Kneen, 1907
Music	William Henry Gill
Adopted	2003

The National Anthem (Manx: Arrane Ashoonagh) of the Isle of Man, known in Manx as Arrane Ashoonagh Vannin, was written and composed by William Henry Gill (1839–1923), with the Manx translation by John J. Kneen (1873–1939). The English title is normally O Land of Our Birth.^[1][2]

The anthem is sung to an adaptation of the traditional Manx melody of Mylecharaine, which had been described as the 'Manx national melody' long before Gill's composition. The words that accompanied the melody date to around 1800 and concern the impoverishment of a father in order to pay a dowry. However, those curious words have been identified as disparate pieces of older songs amalgamated together incompletely. The first verse of the song is: O Vylecharaine, c'raad hooar oo dty stoyr? / Nagh dooar mee 'sy Churragh eh dowin, dowin dy liooar? / My lomarcan daag oo mee (O Mylecharaine, where did you get your store? / Did I not get it in the Curragh, deep, deep enough? / Alone you left me).^[3]

First performed at the Manx Music Festival on Thursday 21 March 1907, there are eight verses in total, but the first verse is usually sung.^[1] The anthem was given official status by the Isle of Man's legislature Tynwald at a sitting on 22 January 2003, with God Save the Queen, being designated as the Royal Anthem. The National Anthem is used on official and ceremonial occasions and in schools, the Royal Anthem is normally reserved for use additionally on those occasions when the Sovereign, members of the Royal Family or the Lieutenant Governor are present.

The song Ellan Vannin had up to this point vied to be an equal unofficial national anthem.

In March 2015, the anthem was mistakenly played instead of the National Anthem of El Salvador at a friendly football match between El Salvador and Argentina at FedEx Field in Landover, Maryland, United States.^[4]

Lyrics

English verses[2]		Manx verses[2]
O land of our birth, O gem of God's earth, O Island so strong and so fair; Built firm as Barrule, Thy Throne of Home Rule Makes us free as thy sweet mountain air. When Orry, the Dane, In Mannin did reign, 'Twas said he had come from above; For wisdom from Heav'n To him had been giv'n To rule us with justice and love. Our fathers have told How Saints came of old, Proclaiming the Gospel of Peace; That sinful desires, Like false Baal fires, Must die ere our troubles can cease. Ye sons of the soil, In hardship and toil, That plough both the land and the sea, Take heart while you can, And think of the Man Who toiled by the Lake Galilee.	When fierce tempests smote That frail little boat, They ceased at His gentle command; Despite all our fear, The Saviour is near To safeguard our dear Fatherland. Let storm-winds rejoice, And lift up their voice, No danger our homes can befall; Our green hills and rocks Encircle our flocks, And keep out the sea like a wall. Our Island, thus blest, No foe can molest; Our grain and our fish shall increase; From battle and sword Protecteth the Lord, And crowneth our nation with peace. 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.	O' Halloo nyn ghooie, O' Ch'liegeen ny s'bwaaie Ry gheddyn er ooir aalin Yee, Ta dt' Ardstoyl Reill Thie Myr Barrool er nyc hoie Dy reayl shin ayns seyrsnys as shee. Tra Gorree yn Dane Haink er traie ec y Lhane Son Ree Mannin v'eh er ny reih 'S va creenaght veih Heose Er ny chur huggey neose Dy reill harrin lesh cairys as graih Ren nyn ayryn g'imraa Va Nooghyn shenn traa Yn Sushtal dy Hee fockley magh Shegin yeearree peccoil Myr far aileyn Vaal, Ve er ny chur mow son dy bragh. Vec ooasle yn Theihll Ayns creoighys tooilleil Ta traaue ooir as faarkey, Gow cree Ny jarrood yn fer mie Ta coadey 'n lught-thie Ren tooilleil liorish Logh Galilee.	D'eiyr yn sterrm noon as noal Yn baatey beg moal Fo-harey hug Eh geay as keayn Trooid ooilley nyn ghaue Ta'n Saualtagh ec laue Dy choadey nyn Vannin veg veen. Lhig dorrinyn bra Troggal seose nyn goraa As brishey magh ayns ard arrane Ta nyn groink aalin glass Yn vooir cummal ass As coadey lught-thie as shioltane. Nyn Ellan fo-hee Cha boir noidyn ee Dy bishee nyn eeastyn as grain Nee'n Chiarn shin y reayll Voish strieughyn yn theihll As crooinnagh lesh shee 'n ashoon ain. Lhig dooin boggoil bee, Lesh annym as cree, As croghey er gialdyn yn Chiarn; Dy vodmayd dagh oor, Treish teil er e phooar, Dagh olk ass nyn anmeenyn 'hayrn.

References

1. Island factfile – National anthem. Isleofman.com. Retrieved 2 Junio 2010.
2. Island Facts. Isle of Man Public Services (2010). Retrieved 5 June 2010.
3. Manannan's Cloak: An Anthology of Manx Literature by Robert Corteen Carswell, London: Francis Boule Publishers, 2010, pp. 121–123
4. "Manx anthem played by mistake at Argentina v El Salvador game". BBC News. Retrieved 30 March 2015.