Chloe Woolley

A conversation with Dr Chloë Woolley on the 20th anniversary of her starting her job at Culture Vannin working to support Manx music and dance in the community.

Chloë grew up in a culturally rich environment in Maughold, surrounded by Manx customs, traditions, music and dancing. Her father was a piano teacher and composer, and her mother was a journalist for Isle of Man Newspapers and author of 'My Grandmother's Cookery Book'. After her musical education at Ramsey Grammar School, and involvement in the Manx Youth Orchestra and Ny Fennee, Chloë went to the University of Huddersfield, where she first began to realise the significance of Manx culture in seeking a sense of identity.

She achieved her PhD from the University of Edinburgh in 2004, with a thesis on ‘The Revival of Manx Traditional Music: From the 1970s to the Present Day.’ This, and her involvement in the traditional music scene in Scotland at that time, put her in the perfect position to take up the role of Manx Music Specialist at the Manx Heritage Foundation (the official name of Culture Vannin) that same year.

From the early days of the job, based in a ‘broom cupboard’ in Ramsey Grammar School, and through the following two decades, Chloë reflects on some of the important projects and initiatives which have helped to shape the development of Manx music and its appreciation, including: teaching resources, Bree, the Manx Folk Awards, Lorient Festival, Yn Chruinnaght and the Hop tu Naa educational pack.

An informative discussion on the changing landscape of Manx music and dance over the past two decades, which recognises some of the brilliant pioneers in the ever-evolving community of musicians and dancers in the Isle of Man.

Interviews

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• Dr Chloë Woolley interviewed by James Franklin (15 November 2024)