Valerie Caine's blog

As the interchange of Celtic music becomes more popular, there’s a unique opportunity to hear two of today’s leading instrumentalists, from Scotland and Brittany, in concert next Monday evening (10th March) at Bunscoill Rhumsaa.

Calum Stewart (Uilleann Pipes and Wooden Flute) from Scotland and Heikki Bourgault (Guitar) who hails from Brittany will be visiting the Island as part of a European tour to launch their latest CD Hunter’s Moon.

The thought provoking Friends and Heroes series, originally produced in 2007, has become a worldwide hit in recent years, introducing a whole host of memorable characters. It’s an award-winning animated adventure story set in AD69 which focuses on Macky and his friends as they fight for justice against the Roman Empire. An inspired use of animation, each episode (almost half an hour in length) also shares stories of heroes from the Bible, which the main characters use to give them strength and wisdom as they are challenged by incidents in their daily lives.

A recent Manks concert organised by the Isle of Man branch of the Celtic Congress at the Centenary Centre in Peel proved a sell-out, as people from across the Island joined together to enjoy a cross-generational evening of entertainment.

It was a night of music, song, dance and poetry with well-known Manx speaker, Bob Carswell, acting as compére.

Isle of Man Stamps and Coins have joined with the Royal British Legion to commemorate the centenary of World War I with a miniature sheet featuring what has become known as Trench Art; which will form part of a four-year thematic series.

Local power trad trio Barrule are asking for your help in their quest to win an award in the Best Debut Album category on the UK’s Spiral Earth roots music website.

“This is where we need your help”, said Bouzouki player Adam Rhodes. “Being a public vote we need as many people as possible to give a couple of minutes of their time to vote online. It would be fantastic if the Manx public could get behind us with this. Wouldn’t it be great to have a Manx band winning this award during the Island of Culture year?”

Although at one time there was little in the way of written material in Manx Gaelic, this has changed dramatically in recent years as the language continues to flourish and demand for material in assorted genre increases.

Neen y Ghruffalo (The Gruffalo’s Child) comes hot on the heels of the recent release of Yn Ghruffalo (The Gruffalo), the classic children’s picture book written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler, which has captured the attention of children all over the world.

The Manx Heritage Foundation has been a pioneering force behind a number of cultural projects on the Isle of Man since its inception by Act of Tynwald in 1982, but as we celebrate Island of Culture during 2014 the organisation has been inspired to re-launch itself as Culture Vannin.

Reflecting a new, inspirational era for Manx culture, through development, education and grant assistance, Culture Vannin recognises the importance of culture in our daily lives, as a community, a nation and also internationally.

The Red Arrows are well known across the world as the public face of the Royal Air Force and are very popular on the Isle of Man, thrilling thousands of spectators with their speed, agility and precision.

In celebration of their 50th display season, Isle of Man Stamps will be releasing six stamps in a special anniversary pack in honour of the Red Arrows team, which is a core part of the Royal Air Force, employing pilots with previous combat experience.

The revival of interest in the Manx language has been an undoubted success, and during recent years a growing international awareness has led to an increasing number of individuals and delegations visiting the Isle of Man to discover the key to its success.

Our latest visitor was Deputy Darren Duquemin, a member of the States of Guernsey, Chairman of the Guernsey Language Commission and a member of the Island’s Culture and Leisure Department.

After the success of the first Manx Language App, Learn Manx, produced by Culture Vannin (formerly the Manx Heritage Foundation) with financial support from the local mobile phone business Sure (Isle of Man), a second App, Manx Songs and Rhymes, is now available to download on Google Play and the iStore.