SKEEALYN VANNIN STORIES OF MANN
"A Miscellany on the History, Culture and Language of the Isle of Man"
In April 2004, the Society's monthly newsletter carried
a report on our sister organisations in the Isle of Man - the Isle of
Man Family History Society based in the island's capital Douglas. However,
despite its proximity to Ireland the Isle of Man has steadily faded
from its once prominent position as a major holiday destination for
the Irish since the advent of package holidays to the sunnier climes
and, of course, the availability of low cost international air travel.
Unfortunately, this situation has led to little being known or understood
about the island amongst a growing number of Irish people save for the
famous T.T. Motorbike Races held on the Isle of Man each year. It seems
a shame that a country so near and with which, we share a history, culture
and language over millennia can within a generation become almost unknown
to the ordinary Irish citizen of the early twenty-first century. It
is a pity, therefore, that possibly the nearest most Irish get to the
island nowadays is viewing it at 25,000ft from the starboard side of
an aircraft commencing its descent into Dublin Airport, but how of these
many air-passengers recognize the Calf of Man and the beautiful island
stretching northwards in the distance? Therefore, in this article I
hope to present a potted history and a flavour of the cultural and linguistic
ties between Ireland and the Isle of Man and, hopefully, encourage some
to visit the island and to experience its culture for themselves...
- to read full article please click here to download in pdf -
The Irish Law of Arms - a lingering question of authority
Noel Cox
Abstract
In 2006 a Private Member's Bill to establish clear legal authority for
the Genealogical Office and the granting of armorial bearings by the
Chief Herald of Ireland was withdrawn from the Seanad Éireann,
after the Minister responsible for the National Library of Ireland,
in which the Genealogical Office is located, indicated that he would
not support it. The rationale for the Genealogy and Heraldry Bill 2006
was the continued uncertainty, at least in some quarters, over the legal
authority for grants of arms. This derived from the means by which the
Genealogical Office inherited the role and responsibilities of Ulster
King of Arms in 1943. This had ostensibly been based in the royal prerogative,
which was not inherited by the Irish State in 1922, nor when it became
a de facto republic in 1937, or a de jure republic in 1949. This uncertainty
was resolved, or so it was believed, by section 13 of the National Cultural
Institutions Act 1997, which came into force in 2005. However, as shall
be seen, although this provision has gone some way to resolving this
long-standing and unsatisfactory situation, it has not brought an end
to the doubt and uncertainty that surrounds the Genealogical Office,
and by association, Irish genealogy and heraldry in general.
Introduction
On several recent occasions it has been suggested that the Kings of
Arms and Heralds of the College of Arms had declined to record or otherwise
recognise grants of armorial bearings made by the Chief Herald of Ireland.
This had allegedly been because the College was unsure of the legal
basis upon which Irish grants were made, and because of a changed policy
with respect to the registration of overseas grants. It may indeed matter
little whether the heraldic authority of another country approves or
disapproves of the status of one's own heraldic authority, except for
two considerations. The first is that the College of Arms is the foremost
surviving heraldic authority, whose views must be given due weight.
Secondly, the College was not alone in expressing concerns about the
status of Irish grants; indeed, there had been many voices heard, in
the Irish Republic and elsewhere, much louder than the College of Arms...
- to read full article please click here to download in pdf -
HONOURING OUR MERITORIOUS CITIZENS
This is an update version of the article written
by Michael Merrigan and published in "The Irish Times" on
May 22nd 2006
following the publication of the Genealogy & Heraldry Bill, 2006
In this decade and indeed, the next, we'll encounter many centenaries of important events in our relatively recent history. Many of these centenaries will undoubtedly challenge our notions of nationhood, inclusivity and good neighbourliness in an Ireland much changed in the last ten years. Almost coinciding with the "normalisation" of the situation in Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland has changed utterly both economically and socially. According to the latest census figures (2006) over 10% of the population of the Republic was born outside the State with a sizeable number coming from outside the European Union. This situation is creating a new and exciting multicultural and multiethnic Ireland, a modern pluralist republic far removed from the strangulating insularity that was so disastrously the hallmark of the State for much of the twentieth century. This modern Ireland has unintentionally encouraged and indeed, spawned a popular reclamation of the essence of true republicanism, where our citizens frequently and proudly replace the rather sterile and bureaucratic term of "the State" with the more confident and inclusive assertion of "our Republic". Though, this phenomenon was very slowly emerging during the late 1990s, it has blossomed at all levels and amongst all political persuasions since the "normalisation" of politics north of the border. This most certainly should not be confused with the republicanism "branded" and suitably "packaged" by certain Irish political parties but it is simply the republicanism of the citizen alone. Freed at last, both politically and economically, by an island at peace, we as Irish citizens can now fundamentally question our engagement with our republic and what it means to be a citizen of that republic...
- to read full article please click
here to download in pdf -