Sophia Morrison celebrations

Sophia Morrison celebrations

Thu, 12 Jan 2017

Sophia Morrison in costume at a Manx Language Society concert in 1908 [image used courtesy of Manx National Heritage]

"No heavier blow has ever befallen the cause of Manx nationality than was sustained when Miss Morrison passed from mortal ken."

These words of P. W. Caine at the death of Sophia Morrison on 14 January 1917 remain as true today as they were then. A tireless worker for the cause of everything everything Manx, there is hardly a part of the culture of the Isle of Man today which is not flourishing in the wake of her hard work in the fields of Manx language, music, folklore, theatre, literature, dialect and more over a century ago.

The following resources are available for more information about Sophia Morrison, her important work in Manx culture and her continuing legacy today:

• An introduction to her life and work on Manx History App: manxhistory.com/app/#manx_people/51
• Skeealyn Mooinjer Veggey, a Manx language version of her Manx Fairy Tales: culturevannin.im/publication_179161.html
• the recent Sophia Morrison Song Project with "Scanjoon": manxmusic.com/news_story_460508.html
• An online copy of Manx Fairy Tales: manxliterature.com/sort-by-genre/other/manx-fairy-tales/

Her life and work is being celebrated on 14 January 2017 with the following events organised by Celtic Congress, The Celtic League and Mec Vannin:

• 1.30pm Laying of wreath at Sophia Morrison’s grave, Peel Cemetery
• 2.30pm Talk on the Life of Sophia Morrison by Dr. Breesha Maddrell, Director of Culture Vannin, in The Guild Room, Atholl Street, Peel
• 7.30pm Manks Concert featuring the Manx Dialect Play, The Charm, at The Centenary Centre, Peel plus performances of Cushag poetry and musical items.

Tickets for the Manks Concert are available from Celtic Gold, Peel and Shakti Man, Ramsey or can be reserved on celticmann1@yahoo.com. More about the event can be found on Facebook.

There are also currently two exhibitions celebrating Sophia Morrison's life and work:

• Sophia Morrison, the first curator exhibition open at the Manx Museum until May 2017
• An exhibition focussing on her association with Peel will also open in the Leece Museum on 14 January 2017

We hope that many will use these opportunities in 2017 to find out more about one of the most important figures in our cultural history.