Commemoration of William Kennish

On the 19^th March, 2012, a simple wreath laying ceremony organised by Island based author Robert Stimpson, will be held at the Corrany Bridge to commemorate the 150^th anniversary of the death of William Kennish, one of countless numbers of Manx men and women who have emigrated from these shores, many of them largely forgotten. But Robert Stimpson was determined that this would not be the fate of William Kennish, a remarkable individual who enjoyed a brief renaissance some years ago before lapsing back into the shadows.

Robert Stimpson’s extensive research has brought this man’s story back into the public’s consciousness, and for the first time the work of this Manx inventor, American pioneer, explorer, poet and forgotten genius has been brought together in celebration of Kennish’s remarkable achievements.

The Hon. Clare Christian MLC (President of Tynwald) will lay a wreath by the plaque placed on the Corrany Bridge by Maughold Heritage Committee in 1988 and unveiled by Mrs Christian’s father Sir Charles Kerruish.

Accompanied by the Hon. Stephen Rodan (Speaker of the House of Keys) and Captain of the Parish Mrs Hazel Lace, they will also be joined by Lt Commander Anthony Wyld representing the Royal Navy and senior representatives from  Manx National Heritage, the Manx Heritage Foundation, the Isle of Man Prison Service and a number of other Manx organisations. Two pupils accompanied by a teacher from Dhoon Primary School and a number of Manx family descendants will also attend this poignant event.

At the close of the ceremony invited guests will gather at the nearby Dhoon Church for light refreshments provided by the Isle of Man Victorian Society, when there will be an opportunity to study a selection of plans and papers from Robert Stimpson’s collection of Kennish memorabilia.

Mr Stimpson is currently Vice Chairman of the Isle of Man Victorian Society.

(Images courtesy of Robert Stimpson)

www.william-kennish.com

Valerie Caine

© March 2012 

Let's hope this stays until 2014!

Changes to the Isle of Man’s flights to Ireland will mean much easier and shorter trans-Atlantic journeys to the USA from Ronaldsway.

The airline announced that the Aer Lingus Regional brand would be replacing the existing Aer Arran service from a week next Sunday.

Aer Lingus’s new arrangement with the airport could also mean much cheaper and shorter distance flights to the likes of New York, Boston, Chicago and Orlando. 

There’s no alteration to any Aer Arran flights until then, and any customers who have already booked flights beyond this date will be informed of the ticket changes.

It also means that Manx passengers to the States will have a single ticket and can check luggage in at Ronaldsway right through to America. Woot! Woot! Woot!

In addition, Isle of Man flyers will be classified as regional passengers, which will give them free clearance once in the USA and save significant queuing times.

Infrastructure Minister David Cretney has hailed the new deal, saying it provides a great opportunity for Manx-Irish routes and an alternative business hub for passengers.

Now, we just have to cross our fingers, Are Lingus doesn't go bust.

Entries open for Isle of Man’s ‘atmospheric’ End to End Race Walk

ENTRIES have now opened for one of the great atmospheric endurance sporting events in the British Isles.  It’s the Isle of Man Ramsey Bakery End to End Race Walk which covers a distance of 39.22 miles and hugs the west coast of the Island from the Point of Ayre in the North to the Sound in the South.

The event takes place on September 23^rd with entries closing two weeks in advance.  Last year saw around 400 starters with 184 finishers and this time the organisers are hoping the entry list may get nearer the 500 mark.

A number of competitors travel from the UK every year to take part and the event committee is encouraging more to make the journey.  Said race record holder Jock Waddington, also a four-time Parish Walk winner:

‘It really is a scenic race which passes through some of the Island’s well-known beauty spots and narrow country lanes.

‘This is one of the Island’s two big race walks – the Parish Walk being the other – but the End to End has a charm all of its own.  There is no night walking involved as the race starts and finishes in daylight, and the first half is relatively flat.’

Event Secretary Angela Southern, a race finisher herself, takes up the story:

‘The race is just under 40 miles which is an achievable distance.  A lot of people enter the Parish Walk with no great hopes of finishing the 85 miles but simply to see how far they can get.  Many stop at Peel, which is 32 miles from the start, whereas if they keep going for another eight miles in the End to End they will have achieved a finish.

‘Serious race walkers can test themselves against Jock’s record of 6 hours 37 minutes 29 seconds, set in 2010, but for many competitors the joy is simply to take part and see some of the Island’s beautiful west coast with stunning views out to sea.  Buses are arranged from all parts of the Island for those with no transport of their own and we look forward to welcoming many visiting competitors.’

This year’s race represents the 11^th anniversary of the ‘new’ course although the event itself dates back to 1961 when, appropriately enough, there were just 61 starters.  The event continued on the much busier and more built-up ‘East Coast’ course for around 40 years but as traffic increased safety considerations forced the organisers to switch to the quieter West Coast route.

Sponsorship from Ramsey Bakery, with further support from Royal London 360 and the Tourism Division of the Island’s Department of Economic Development, enables trophies to be available in many categories.  Political member for Tourism, Geoff Corkish MBE, MHK said he felt the End to End had potential for further development.

He added:

‘The Isle of Man is an island of sport and in particular the Parish and End to End Walks are bringing an increasing number of visiting competitors to our shores.  The entry numbers are an indication of how popular endurance race walks are and the level of participation and enthusiasm that they generate each year is a wonderful example of the Island’s community spirit. I would like to thank everyone involved who put a lot of their time and effort into the event.

‘Whether you are going for a top finishing position or just aiming to complete the distance, it is a perfect way of spending a Sunday and experiencing the beautiful scenery the Island has to offer.’

Entry is on-line at www.endtoendwalk.org where further information is available, and the entry fee is £20 if paid before September 1^st - £25 after that date.

Cast your vote to help local high school students win prestigious student award

Online voting opens for the People’s Choice Award in global high school competition

DOUGLAS — It is the power of the people that will select the 2012 winner of the People’s Choice Award, which is bestowed on the student team with the most innovative new product in the Conrad Foundation’s annual Spirit of Innovation Challenge (Conrad Challenge). 

In its fifth year, the Conrad Challenge inspires teams of high school students across the globe to use science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills to create commercially viable, technology-based products in specific categories. The 2012 teams have innovated new technologies to solve real-world problems in Aerospace Exploration, Clean Energy, and Health and Nutrition.

Students representing St Ninian’s High School were recently selected as finalists in the Conrad Challenge. Through March 23, the public is invited to review the profiles of the 15 finalist teams, view their product videos and cast a vote. Isle of Man residents are encouraged to vote for their island team. One vote is allowed per person per challenge category. 

Team members from the Isle of Man school include Abigail Verschueren, Adam Creamore, Elizabeth Quayle, Erin McMaster and Maria Hull. Their product, FOOGLE, is an app for Apple- and Android-compatible devices. Users input a food product or scan the barcode using the device’s camera. The app then provides nutritional information, tips for a healthy lifestyle, 10 types of exercises, and the time each activity takes to burn the calories of the selected food. Andrew Shipley serves as the team coach.

“Every year, I am awestruck by the incredible innovations put forth by students from across the globe,” said Nancy Conrad, founder and chairman of the Conrad Foundation. “This innovation generation is truly designing the future. Online voting is a great way for the public to support these students and recognize them for their visionary thinking.”

Currently, the finalist teams are preparing for the competition’s culminating event, the Innovation Summit, which will take place March 29-31, 2012 at NASA-Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. There, student teams will present their innovations and compete for awards and commercialization opportunities. Public votes provide valuable points in each team’s overall score. The People’s Choice Award winning team members will each receive a Kindle Fire.

About The Conrad Foundation

The Conrad Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to transforming the current methods of teaching science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) in high schools. The program is free to all who wish to participate and reaches all socio-economic levels. The Foundation is the only organization of its kind to combine education, innovation and entrepreneurship to inspire solutions for achieving global sustainability. For more information, visit www.conradawards.org

Isle of Man Stamps – Centenary of Titanic Disaster

With the poignant commemoration fast approaching Isle of Man Stamps will be issuing a set of six stamps as a memorial to one of the greatest peacetime maritime disasters in history.

The ‘Titanic’ sailed from Southampton on her maiden voyage under the command of Captain Edward John Smith, one of the company’s most respected and experienced officers; the vessel representing the epitome of luxury and decadence with many passengers preparing to enjoy a trans-Atlantic crossing of lavish splendour.

Now on the homeward straight to New York, those dining on a ten course dinner which included oyster, roast squab, asparagus and paté de foie gras were blissfully unaware of their impending fate.

Close to midnight on the 14^th April one of the ‘look-outs’ realised the vessel was on course to hit a particularly threatening iceberg, but despite his quick thinking the ‘Titanic’ was ploughing through the waves at 22 knots and disaster was inevitable. It was soon clear to Captain Smith that the liner was doomed and water quickly spilled over the vessel, the sea devouring its prey with startling rapidity.

The operation to abandon ship was chaotic and disorganised and more than 1500 passengers and crew lost their lives, including Captain Smith.

However, many people may not realise that amongst the survivors was a Chief Baker with a Manx connection. Although born in Birkenhead, Merseyside, Charles Joughin was of Manx descent and trained as a baker in the family business in Michael Street, Peel. He played a major role in helping others survive the tragedy and was later to also survive the sinking of SS Oregon in Boston Harbour. Today he is largely remembered for the excessive amounts of whisky he allegedly drank on the night, which were subsequently challenged by others who consider he could not have survived in the ice cold water and his family who believed Joughin to be misrepresented.

www.iomstamps.com

Valerie Caine

© March 2012

[SatNews] You're never too small to reach for the moon...

Satnews DailyMarch 07, 2012

ManSat..No Man Is An Island On The Moon 
From SatNews Daily

It may only be an Island measuring 33 miles long by 13 wide, located in the middle of the Irish Sea between the United Kingdom and the Irish mainland. But when it comes to the space and satellite industry the Isle of Man is reaching for the stars. A recent international space industry report suggested the Island was the fifth nation most likely to return to the moon.

Further reinforcements include; four of the world’s top 10 satellite companies are now based on the Isle of Man. The International Institute of Space is based just outside the Island’s capital, Douglas, and it is also from where the private space flight company Excalibur Almaz runs its most ambitious projects.

The United States has been a direct beneficiary of the Isle of Man’s presence in the sector. Late last year, a Kazakhstan rocket, owned by an island based business, successfully blasted off and delivered its satellite to a slot 36,000 kilometres above the Earth which now provides broadband access to rural areas of the U.S.

ManSat is the company tasked exclusively by the Isle of Man Government with filing applications for Island based or incorporated companies with the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) in Geneva for select orbital positions and associated radio frequencies. 

The Island is sending a high level delegation to Satellite 2012 to further spread its space friendly message that includes; ManSat Chairman Chris Stott andfellow Director Ian Jarritt will be traveling to Washington DC, together with the Isle of Man Government’s Director of Space Commerce, Tim Craine and Alex Downie MLC, a member of the Island’s Legislative Council with Ministerial responsibility for the space industry. Also in attendance will be Tina Rawlinson, Director of Cavendish Trust, one of the Isle of Man’s leading niche international trust service providers, with strong connections to the space and satellite sector.

Last year, Tina underwent a week-long executive Space Course run by the International Space University in Strasbourg and Cavendish is now one of an exclusive number of trust companies qualified to provide comprehensive management of any Isle of Man company applying for, or already holding, orbital slots.

“This is our tenth year at the Satellite Conference and we are very excited about the prospects of being present at Satellite 2012,” said ManSat’s Chris Stott. “As an island, we are deeply committed to the sector and we see this conference and exhibition as an important opportunity to showcase the achievements and potential that the Isle of Man has to offer the industry.”

Tim Craine said the presence of a highly favorable tax regime–the Island was the first in the world to offer a zero percent tax rate to space and satellite businesses –the ability to structure favorable insurance packages and a firm commitment to the development of space law and satellite finance meant the Island offered the right environment for the space industry to thrive.

“The Government is very pro-space,” he commented. “Over the last few years we have been proud to build a formidable base of space, aerospace and high tech industries. We see this trend continuing. We also have a world class, professional infrastructure of legal, fiduciary and service companies. Everything is here for the space sector to flourish,” said Mr Stott.

The presence of a reliable service support network was emphasized by Tina Rawlinson. “The space sector is now recognized as being an increasingly important niche market for the Island,” she said. more

“We believe it is very important to fly the Isle of Man flag at Satellite 2012, especially when you consider that the recent UK Economic Policy Centre Report on UK Space Policy quoted the Isle of Man as being one of the best places in the world to base a space business,” said Ms Rawlinson.

She also highlighted the February 2011 Futron Report on Innovative Strategies for Space Competitiveness which stated that the Isle of Man had developed a unique governmental approach to space, focussed on economics tied to developing private sector financial, regulatory, legal and administrative services that supported international aerospace companies.

Past Times in the Parish of Patrick

During the month of March lovers of nostalgia will be invited through the doors of Holy Trinity Church in the parish of Patrick to view an exciting new photographic exhibition.

Organised by local photographer Vicky Harrop and a number of friends living in the parish, they have found residents within the villages of Dalby, Glen Maye and Patrick very generous, loaning a selection of family photographs for display.

Emphasising its rural location, there’s a clear focus on the lively hubs of each village, whether it’s the Post Office, the local church, or the once burgeoning day school. But it also reminds us how life has changed for these small, rural communities with the demise of some of the local elements of village life. It’s a tantalising glimpse into the everyday lives of people from the area, whether at work or play, where the sense of community spirit is almost tangible.

A selection of poems by Manx poet ‘Cushag’ (Josephine Kermode) contributes its own element of nostalgia to the exhibition which is already well patronised by a curious visiting public.

With light refreshments on offer and a chance to browse through some very well thumbed Manx scrap books, it’s also a good opportunity to take stock of this well maintained parish church on the west coast, known locally as the ‘Prison Camp Church’. And if the weather is kind perhaps a wander through the adjoining graveyard with its historical links to the now defunct Knockaloe Internment Camp and the great music hall star Florrie Forde.

Monetary donations from the exhibition will be put towards the Church Restoration Fund.

Valerie Caine © March 2012