taking our culture forward

Conversations with David Fisher about his childhood in St. John's, and his central involvement in the revival of Manx language, music, dance and more in the 1970s and 80s.

Born in 1953 David Fisher's conversation ranges over his childhood home on Pretoria Terrace in St. John's, manx family and community life in the 1950s, the old railway line, the old St. John's School, Sunday School and its outings, Tynwald Day (and his own protest there in 1974), the archaeologist Sheila Cregeen, hop-tu-naa and other calendar customs, the beginnings of the Manx language and cultural revival, and how much the village has changed since then.

From the late 1970s David Fisher became centrally involved in the Manx cultural revival.

Interviews

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  • Growing up in St. John's

  • The Manx cultural revival of the 1970s-2000s

More Photos

  • Paul and David Fisher with their mother, Pretoria Terrace, St. John's
  • Paul and David Fisher with their father, Pretoria Terrace, St. John's
  • Paul and David Fisher at Pretoria Terrace, St. John's
  • Paul and David Fisher at Pretoria Terrace, St. John's
  • David Fisher and friends dressed for Mock Tynwald, at St. John's School
  • Paul and David Fisher, choirboys at St. John's church
  • Paul and David Fisher dressed for mock Tynwald at St. John's School
  • David Fisher (left) and friends
  • St. John's train station
  • David Fisher
  • David Fisher
  • Tynwald Day protest, 1974
  • Bock Yuan Fannee
  • Celtic Tradition
  • Bwoie Doal
  • Before the grand parade, Lorient
  • Dancers relaxing in Lorient in the 1970s
  • Performing the Gorse Sticks in a pool in Lorient
  • Perree Bane band in Lorient, 1984
  • David Fisher performing in Lorient in 1984
  • Perree Bane at Yn Chruinnaght, 1980s
  • David Fisher and Paul Bradford
  • Perree Bane dancing at Yn Chruinnaght
  • Yn Chruinnaght ceili
  • David Fisher in his first year as director of Yn Chruinnaght
  • David Fisher playing the flute