Join us for the second in our 2025-26 season of talks, which is being supported by Culture Vannin as part of Year of the Manx Language 2026:
Come along for stories from the days when thousands of Manxmen sailed to the mackerel fishing in Ireland every summer, and learn about the life and times of Edward Faragher (1831-1907) — known in Manx as Ned Beg Hom Ruy — one of the greatest ever writers in Manx.
Faragher was many things during his life; pupil, cabin boy, galley cook, fisherman, skipper, safe maker, labourer, craftsman, rambler, invalid and exile — but he was also a poet, tradition bearer, philosopher, story-teller, translator, sermoniser, singer, and man of letters; who wrote beautifully and honestly in both English and Manx.
Examples of autobiographical work by working-class writers from the nineteenth century are rare enough in any language, and few have written so much about life in the nineteenth century. Faragher’s work is perhaps the earliest writing about working class life in any Gaelic language, predating the work of the great Irish language writers Peig Sayers (1873–1958), Séamus Ó Grianna (1889-1969) and Muiris Ó Súileabháin (1904–1950) as well as the earliest autobiographical recordings made in Scotland — and Faragher not only wrote about the Cregneash community he grew up in; its folklore, customs and industry, but also about the other places that his life took him to, including Ireland, Liverpool and Derbyshire.
During his lifetime Faragher experienced plenty of hardship, tragedy and disappointment, but he also knew how to celebrate and rejoice in the beauty of his surroundings, and express his opinions upon philosophy, religion, literature and society — and as a translator he produced an impressive corpus of work that has become an invaluable resource for Manx language researchers.
If you have never heard about this remarkable man before, come along and learn about him. If you are familiar with his work, come along and enjoy learning more and to celebrate his life.
Speaker Rob Teare is Manx born and bred and has been Manx Language Officer for the Isle of Man Government since 2010.
Tickets cost £7 (or £5 if you are a Friend of RHT) and are available from the EAC website (see link), Bridge Bookshop (cash only) in Port Erin, or Rushen Heritage Centre in Bridson Street, Port Erin (please note, RHC is only open on Monday afternoons during the winter months).
Also check out other Arts events in Castletown, Literary Art events in Castletown, Workshops in Castletown.
