Celebrations mark Isle of Man's national day

The annual open-air sitting of the Manx parliament has taken place as part of celebrations of the island's national day.

The ancient outdoor ceremony sees politicians, dignitaries, the judiciary and the clergy assemble on Tynwald Hill in St John's.

Proceedings include the chance for protestors to present petitions to the Lieutenant Governor, for potential consideration by the island's politicians.

Other core features of the morning ceremony included a service in the Royal Chapel, and the island's newest laws being read out from the hill in English and Manx.

Known as the Promulgation of the Acts, it is one of the most significant parts of the ceremony, because if a new law is not read out on Tynwald hill within 18 months of being granted Royal Assent it falls from the statute book.

That was later followed by a captioning ceremony at a sitting of Tynwald members in the Royal Chapel, which saw the the President of Tynwald and Speaker of the House of Keys sign the certificates of promulgation.

Chief Minister Alfred Cannan said those proceedings were "very special and unique", as the ceremony represented more than 1,000 years of history.

"We have kept it going and long may it continue," he added.

President of Tynwald Laurence Skelly said part of the day was "celebrating our Norse origins".

"This is a day of celebration for the whole of the Isle of Man and Manxies across the world," he added.

Six new laws were declared to the gathered crowds, including the Animal Welfare Act 2023, which will introduce tougher penalties for those guilty of animal cruelty, and the Gas Regulation (Amendment) Act 2024, which stops gas customers being cut off under certain circumstances.

Treasury Minister Alex Allinson, said that Tynwald Day is a celebration "of who we are and what makes us different."

MHKs feel "humbled" as they walk up to the hill, "looking left and right and seeing the people that put us here in the first place," he said.

Education, Sport and Culture Minister Daphne Caine said the occasion was "a day for the people" with the right of residents to put their petitions at the foot of Tynwald Hill, as well as entertainment including the fair field, stalls and a Viking encampment.

The day was "a joyous occasion" that had a "serious political undertone", she added.

Following the formal proceedings there were celebrations which included Manx traditional dancing and live music from the Castletown Metropolitan Band on the green.

Among the other entertainment was a Viking village at nearby Cooil-y-Ree, staged to mark the Norse origins of the ceremony.

Peter Quirk, from Peel, said there were about 30 people staging the settlement, which included warriors and women and children, to show the public how the Vikings lived, the food they ate and how they died on the battlefield.

He said the day symbolised Manx history, heritage and its Viking roots and the village aimed to help "impart that history.

Other events in areas surrounding St John's include Tynwald teas at Dalby Schoolrooms and the annual Cronk-y-Voddy sports day.

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