Manx Flag. The three legs is an iconic symbol of the island
Meet Cascadia’s Opponents: Ellan Vannin (Isle of Man)
by Steve Clare
Ellan Vannin is Manx for the Isle of Man.
The island lies between Ireland and England in the middle of the Irish Sea and is not officially part of the United Kingdom, having its own Parliament called the Tynwald. The Tynwald is believed to be the oldest continuous parliamentary authority in the world and consists of two Chambers, known as the Branches of Tynwald: the directly elected House of Keys and the indirectly chosen Legislative Council.
At the 2016 census, the Isle of Man was home to 83,314 people, of whom 26,997 resided in the island’s capital, Douglas.Technically, Mann is a self-governing British Crown dependency. The movement Mec Vannin advocates independence from Britain and the Isle becoming a Republic.
Irish folklore claims that a giant and mythical hunter-warrior of Irish mythology called Finn McCool plucked a chunk of earth from Antrim and flung it after a rival giant to completely scare him off from venturing back to Ireland again. The chunk of earth missed, however, but, so the legend runs, still remains in between the two countries and became the Isle of Man.
The Isle of Man is famous for several things, starting most notoriously with cats. A Manx cat traditionally has no tail (a rumpy tail) or a very reduced one (a stumpy tail)
Manx cats display a range of colours and usually have somewhat longer hind legs compared to most cats. The cats have been used as a symbol of the Isle of Man on coins and stamps, when the the three-legged icon pictured on the flag is not.
The Manx language is now sadly out of use but was a sister linguistically of the Celtic tongues, Scottish Gaelic and Irish Gaelic. Manx began to emerge as a distinct language in the 13th-14th century after the collapse of the Norse kingdom of Mann and the Isles and prior to the long period of English control through the Stanleys. A Mr Ned Maddrell is usually cited as the last native speaker of Manx, and the language was declared extinct after his death in 1974. It is however thought that a few other Manx speakers lived on thereafter. It is however still spoken as a second language.
In the 2011 census, 1,823 people claimed to be able to speak, read and/or write the language, an increase of 134 from the 2001 census.
The island is also the venue for the famous TT motorbike race which takes place in late May and early June. The race began in 1907. The Isle of Man TT has been traditionally run in a time-trial format on public roads closed for racing by the provisions of an Act of Tynwald.
The National Anthem will be “O Land of Our Birth, (“O Halloo Nyn Ghooie” in Manx). It could have been the more popular, Ellan Vannin, which translates as the Isle of Man and is regarded as the unofficial national anthem.The Bee Gees who come from the island recorded a version in 1997, and it is quite beautiful. Here they are singing it on German television.
The team is selected by the Isle of Man Football Association which has 26 affiliated association football clubs. 13 sides play in their top division, which has been won for the last seven years by St Georges, a club from Douglas the capital. Peel however with 29 titles are the island’s most successful club. On current form though, St Georges will secure the eighth in a row before ConIFA starts.
The 30-man Ellan Vannin squad itself understandably contains 11 players from their successful St Georges Club. Another 15 play for other Manx League clubs including six from Corinthians. Conor Doyle plays in the UAE, Alex Holden plays in England but perhaps most significant is centre half Seamus Sharkey who turns 28 next week. He plays his club football for Sligo Rovers in the Irish top division, Corinthians striker Sean Doyle is their main goal threat.
Cascadia coach James Nichols has had a look at national side and told Prost:
“Ellan Vannin are a strong, well organised physical side and had pace in wide areas and through the danger man Sean Doyle. They will be a difficult opposition for our first ever game. Nearly all of their squad play in the Isle of Man and 11 players play for the same club team so they will be used to playing with each other. It was a good opportunity to go and watch both teams play and it allowed us to glean information about our opponents.”
His side will open their campaign against Ellan Vannin on May 31 at Sutton United’s Gander Green Lane.
More:
Meet the 23 men who will fly the flag for Cascadia in London
James Riley to captain Cascadia
CAPTAIN CASCADIA – Sounders James Riley in advanced talks with CAFF
Meet Cascadia’s hosts: Sutton United; a hard ground to enter, an easy club to like
Ex Man United starlet to play for Cascadia
Meet Cascadia’s Hosts: Fisher FC the fan owned club that wouldn’t die
ConIFA make shock bid for Kenny Miller
Cascadia announces first player for ConIFA World Cup
EXCLUSIVE: Cascadia appoints ConIFA World Cup coaches
Cascadian team prepares for first CONIFA World Cup
Full Ellan Vannin Squad
