449:
202:, the work that was to later be called his "great work." However he did not have the means of publishing it, there not being sufficient public interest in a work of that type at that time. Kneen therefore deposited the manuscript of the book in the Manx Museum library. The importance of the work then came to the attention of the Trustees of the Museum, who petitioned
430:
Having suffered from poor health throughout his life, Kneen died at the age of 65 on Monday 21 November 1938. He was survived by his second wife, Catherine Alice
Bridson (whom he married at Kirk Braddan on 6 July 1930 in a ceremony conducted entirely in Manx, the first such ceremony for a century),
318:
our personal names reflect the history and traditions of times that are no more, the grace of the Celt and the strength of the
Norseman and the Saxon are welded together by fetters which can never be broken. The Quinneys, Corletts, and Radcliffes, each descendants of a great race, live together in
438:
Mr. Kneen possessed the true scientific spirit in his quest for facts, and the pains he took to verify them. There was no keener critic of his own work; none more highly appreciative of the labours of others. He was ever ready to give help either to students or casual seekers after information;
286:
represents an amazing amount of intensive research, the wonder of which is considerably heightened when it is remembered that for many years the author was in delicate health. The introductory matter is lucidly written, and his explanations of the meanings of the names are not without a certain
439:
either by letter or conversation his store of knowledge and the wisdom of his counsel was open to his fellow-men. He was very human, full of courtesy and nobility of heart, and possessed a strain of quiet humour which not even his many severe illnesses were able to impair.
370:
Kneen contributed significantly to the literature of the Isle of Man through both his poetry and plays. The former mostly took the form of translations to or from Manx. This was done consciously with the aim of helping to build up a significant body of
350:
traditions of the island. As well as this serious cultural dissemination, he also contributed an anonymous comment column in the Isle of Man Times published under the name of "Uncle Jack". It was for this column that he was described in
158:
By the age of 22, whilst working as a sugar boiler (sweet manufacturer), a profession that he would hold throughout his life, Kneen was beginning to publish interlinear literal translations of Manx, and then Manx lessons, in the
294:
In 1930 Kneen received a grant of ÂŁ200 from the
Norwegian State Research Fund and the Trustees of the Fridtjof Nansen Fund for the Promotion of Scientific Research, to fund his continued research into the
358:
Kneen served as the representative of Yn Çheshaght
Ghailckagh on the Manx Museum Trust and he was on the executive committee of the World Manx Association. He was also on the organising committee of
342:
Kneen was also a regular contributor to the Manx newspapers and the island's learned journals on Manx cultural subjects. They covered a wide range of subjects, from the Manx
336:
267:
Kneen began to work on the history, origins and meanings of the place-names of the Isle of Man, investigating in the area first addressed by A. W. Moore in his 1890
866:
881:
856:
790:
486:
291:
In recognition of his work on Manx culture, Kneen was awarded an honorary degree of Master of Arts in July 1929 by
Liverpool University.
871:
276:
217:(The Direct Method). He also helped the work of others in the promotion of Manx, such as advising on and sub-editing the compilation of
175:(The Manx Language Society). From its inception the Society became a focal point for the Manx cultural revival, attracting the likes of
896:
891:
402:. This was in marked contrast to Kneen's generally serious personality. The plays noted for special mention by William Cubbon were
886:
861:
146:
family of
Ballakelly. He was educated at St. George's School, Douglas, where he developed an early interest in the study of
431:
and his three children, James, Harold and
Winifred Kneen. The service of his funeral on 24 November was conducted in Manx.
225:
published in 1935. He also took a leading part in the production of a new and improved edition of
Archibald Cregeen's 1838
384:
184:
150:. He was encouraged in this interest by his parents, who were able to pass onto him a good deal of traditional knowledge.
168:
380:
123:
279:
of the island, between 1925 and 1928 by Yn Çheshaght
Gailckagh. William Cubbon was later to write of this work that:
390:
Kneen was also remarkable for being possibly the most prolific Manx playwright, with 13 plays listed in Cubbon's
171:
and Manx historian. Their conversations developed into the movement that resulted in 1899 in the formation of
308:
590:
362:, where he also served as a judge of compositions in the Manx language, essays, stories, poems, and plays.
463:
A detailed bibliography, including articles and papers, is available on www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook.
188:
755:"Restoring to Use Our Almost-Forgotten Dances": The Collection and Revival of Manx Folk Song and Dance
754:
725:"Restoring to Use Our Almost-Forgotten Dances": The Collection and Revival of Manx Folk Song and Dance
724:
657:
637:
851:
846:
328:
164:
163:
newspaper. By 1895, two years since the start of the articles, Kneen's work came to the attention of
135:
54:
817:
737:
876:
347:
172:
143:
530:
248:
702:
122:
playwright and translator of Manx poetry. He is commonly best known for his translation of the
786:
482:
669:
206:
for ÂŁ250 to pay for its publication. This was achieved and it was finally published in 1931.
767:
538:
352:
324:
824:
804:
compiled and edited by
William Cubbon, London: Oxford University Press, 1939, pp. 1024–1025
376:
244:
176:
568:
314:
The Manx nationalism that underlay the project was demonstrated in Kneen's Introduction:
243:
As well as being the leading authority on Manx Gaelic, Kneen also taught himself Irish,
359:
233:
192:
180:
840:
372:
343:
210:
147:
111:
552:
522:
456:
399:
395:
237:
218:
139:
119:
236:
into Manx in 1938. He held this position with Mark Braide, after the death of the
264:
115:
104:
582:
448:
319:
that unity and material understanding which is the basis of true nationality.
660:
by Francis Coakley on www.isle-of-man.com/manxnotebook (accessed 1 July 2014)
17:
728:
by Mona Douglas, ed. Stephen Miller, Onchan: Chiollagh Books, 2004, p. 113-4
252:
560:
379:
more accessible. The most significant translation he undertook was of the
802:
A Bibliographical Account of Works Relating to the Isle of Man: Volume II
758:
by Mona Douglas, ed. Stephen Miller, Onchan: Chiollagh Books, 2004, p.103
300:
107:
831:
203:
287:
romantic interest, and in all cases they bear the stamp of authority.
707:
Proceedings of the Isle of Man Natural History of Antiquarian Society
332:
275:. It was printed in a series of six instalments, each covering one
195:. Kneen was later to become the Society's Secretary and President.
76:
Linguistics, cultural studies, folk studies, history, poetry, drama
296:
434:
In his obituary in the Journal of the Manx Museum, Cubbon wrote:
284:
The Place Names of the Isle of Man, with Their Origin and History
273:
The Place Names of the Isle of Man, with Their Origin and History
819:
The Place-Names of the Isle of Man with their Origin and History
473:
The Place-Names of the Isle of Man with their Origin and History
387:. Kneen's version was rendered as 'Arrane Ashoonagh Dy Vannin.'
85:
The Place-Names of the Isle of Man with their Origin and History
311:
in 1937, with the publication costs underwritten by Tynwald.
517:
Shleg y Dreain (The Hunting of the Wren): A Manx Fairy Play
303:
history of the Isle of Man. One result was Kneen's book on
138:. He was the son of John Kneen, a postman originally from
394:. Although some were serious dramas (such as his play on
114:
grammar and on the place names and personal names of the
209:
Kneen also wrote numerous booklets and lessons to learn
134:
Kneen was born on 12 September 1873, in Hanover Street,
398:), Kneen's plays were generally short comic pieces in
337:
Knighthood of the Royal Norwegian Order of St. Olaf
80:
72:
60:
41:
34:
339:('Ridder av I Klasse av St. Olavs Orden, Norge').
783:The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians.
633:
631:
629:
627:
625:
623:
621:
619:
617:
615:
383:, which was written in English and composed by
269:The Surnames and Place Names of the Isle of Man
110:and scholar renowned for his seminal works on
103:(12 September 1873 – 21 November 1938) was a
8:
658:'Brief Biography of J. J. Kneen (1873–1838)'
475:, Isle of Man: Yn Çheshaght Ghailckagh, 1925
323:In 1933, on the recommendation of Professor
232:Kneen became the official translator of the
832:J. J. Kneen on the Manx Literature website
271:. By 1923 Kneen had completed his work as
31:
698:
696:
694:
692:
690:
688:
686:
684:
682:
653:
651:
649:
643:No. 58, Vol. IV, March 1939, pp. 91 – 94
447:
744:, London: Oxford University Press, 1937
611:
494:, London: Oxford University Press, 1937
867:Alumni of the University of Liverpool
826:The Personal Names of the Isle of Man
781:Grove, George; Stanley Sadie (1980).
742:The Personal Names of the Isle of Man
492:The Personal Names of the Isle of Man
305:The Personal Names of the Isle of Man
93:The Personal Names of the Isle of Man
7:
532:Yn Blaa Sooree (The Courting Flower)
577:Cruittag Veg (The Little Hunchback)
592:Jonny Jem Beg puts up for the Keys
459:, which included 'Yn Blaa Sooree'.
227:A Dictionary of the Manks Language
25:
882:People from Douglas, Isle of Man
638:'In Memoriam: John Joseph Kneen'
857:Manx dramatists and playwrights
479:A Grammar of the Manx Language
213:. Not least amongst these was
200:A Grammar of the Manx Language
89:A Grammar of the Manx Language
1:
142:, and Hannah Crebbin, of the
198:By 1910 Kneen had completed
169:Speaker of the House of Keys
570:Cooking his Goose: A Comedy
511:Cushtal Keoi (The Smuggler)
118:. He is also a significant
913:
872:Culture of the Isle of Man
355:as "that useful patriot."
897:20th-century Manx writers
892:19th-century Manx writers
670:'Yn Çheshaght Ghailckagh'
410:('The Courting Flower'),
375:poetry while also making
676:, No. 28, Vol. VII, 1922
887:National anthem writers
599:The Horsemen of the Sea
335:conferred on Kneen the
309:Oxford University Press
862:20th-century linguists
785:Macmillan Publishers,
460:
441:
321:
289:
189:Christopher R. Shimmin
173:Yn Çheshaght Gailckagh
709:, Vol. 4, No. 3, 1939
584:The Magpies: A Comedy
451:
436:
316:
281:
722:by Mona Douglas, in
540:Putting up the Banns
481:, Ams Pr Inc, 1931,
416:Putting up the Banns
161:Isle of Man Examiner
136:Douglas, Isle of Man
124:Manx National Anthem
55:Douglas, Isle of Man
641:Journal Manx Museum
674:The Manx Quarterly
461:
385:William Henry Gill
240:, H. Percy Kelly.
791:978-0-333-23111-1
487:978-0-404-17564-1
101:John Joseph Kneen
98:
97:
52:12 September 1873
36:John Joseph Kneen
16:(Redirected from
904:
805:
799:
793:
779:
773:
765:
759:
751:
745:
735:
729:
716:
710:
703:'J. J. Kneen MA'
700:
677:
667:
661:
655:
644:
635:
547:Ivar and Matilda
348:Celtic Christian
325:Carl Marstrander
215:Yn Saase Jeeragh
67:
64:21 November 1938
51:
49:
32:
21:
912:
911:
907:
906:
905:
903:
902:
901:
837:
836:
814:
809:
808:
800:
796:
780:
776:
771:, Vol. V, No. 9
766:
762:
752:
748:
736:
732:
717:
713:
701:
680:
668:
664:
656:
647:
636:
613:
608:
505:Gool on Cushags
501:
469:
453:Four Manx Plays
446:
428:
381:National Anthem
377:Manx literature
368:
307:, published by
261:
245:Primitive Irish
234:Acts of Tynwald
183:, P. W. Caine,
177:Sophia Morrison
156:
132:
91:
87:
65:
53:
47:
45:
37:
28:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
910:
908:
900:
899:
894:
889:
884:
879:
874:
869:
864:
859:
854:
849:
839:
838:
835:
834:
829:
822:
813:
812:External links
810:
807:
806:
794:
774:
760:
746:
738:'Introduction'
730:
718:'Foreword' to
711:
678:
662:
645:
610:
609:
607:
604:
603:
602:
596:
588:
580:
574:
566:
558:
550:
544:
536:
528:
520:
514:
508:
500:
497:
496:
495:
489:
476:
468:
465:
445:
442:
427:
424:
408:Yn Blaa Sooree
367:
364:
360:Yn Chruinnaght
260:
257:
181:William Cubbon
155:
152:
131:
128:
96:
95:
82:
78:
77:
74:
70:
69:
68:(aged 65)
62:
58:
57:
43:
39:
38:
35:
26:
24:
14:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
909:
898:
895:
893:
890:
888:
885:
883:
880:
878:
875:
873:
870:
868:
865:
863:
860:
858:
855:
853:
850:
848:
845:
844:
842:
833:
830:
828:
827:
823:
821:
820:
816:
815:
811:
803:
798:
795:
792:
788:
784:
778:
775:
772:
770:
764:
761:
757:
756:
750:
747:
743:
739:
734:
731:
727:
726:
721:
720:A Manx Primer
715:
712:
708:
704:
699:
697:
695:
693:
691:
689:
687:
685:
683:
679:
675:
671:
666:
663:
659:
654:
652:
650:
646:
642:
639:
634:
632:
630:
628:
626:
624:
622:
620:
618:
616:
612:
605:
600:
597:
595:
593:
589:
587:
585:
581:
578:
575:
573:
571:
567:
565:
563:
562:Ann: A Comedy
559:
557:
555:
551:
548:
545:
543:
541:
537:
535:
533:
529:
527:
525:
524:A Li’l’ Smook
521:
518:
515:
512:
509:
506:
503:
502:
498:
493:
490:
488:
484:
480:
477:
474:
471:
470:
466:
464:
458:
455:by Kneen and
454:
450:
443:
440:
435:
432:
425:
423:
421:
417:
413:
409:
405:
401:
397:
393:
388:
386:
382:
378:
374:
365:
363:
361:
356:
354:
349:
345:
340:
338:
334:
330:
326:
320:
315:
312:
310:
306:
302:
298:
292:
288:
285:
280:
278:
274:
270:
266:
258:
256:
254:
250:
246:
241:
239:
235:
230:
228:
224:
223:A Manx Primer
220:
216:
212:
207:
205:
201:
196:
194:
190:
186:
182:
178:
174:
170:
166:
162:
154:Manx Language
153:
151:
149:
145:
141:
137:
129:
127:
125:
121:
117:
113:
109:
106:
102:
94:
90:
86:
83:
81:Notable works
79:
75:
71:
63:
59:
56:
44:
40:
33:
30:
27:Manx linguist
19:
18:John J. Kneen
825:
818:
801:
797:
782:
777:
768:
763:
753:
749:
741:
733:
723:
719:
714:
706:
673:
665:
640:
601:(posthumous)
598:
591:
583:
576:
569:
561:
554:Illiam Dhone
553:
546:
539:
531:
523:
516:
510:
504:
491:
478:
472:
467:Manx studies
462:
457:Mona Douglas
452:
444:Bibliography
437:
433:
429:
419:
415:
411:
407:
404:A Lil' Smook
403:
396:Illiam Dhone
392:Bibliography
391:
389:
369:
357:
341:
322:
317:
313:
304:
293:
290:
283:
282:
272:
268:
262:
259:Manx Studies
242:
238:High Bailiff
231:
226:
222:
219:Mona Douglas
214:
208:
199:
197:
160:
157:
140:Kirk Andreas
133:
120:Manx dialect
100:
99:
92:
88:
84:
66:(1938-11-21)
29:
852:1938 deaths
847:1873 births
420:The Magpies
329:King Haakon
265:World War I
165:A. W. Moore
148:Manx Gaelic
126:into Manx.
116:Isle of Man
877:Manx poets
841:Categories
606:References
366:Literature
193:W. W. Gill
185:W. H. Gill
48:1873-09-12
579:(c. 1928)
519:(c. 1913)
513:(c. 1913)
253:Old Norse
249:Norwegian
277:Sheading
108:linguist
400:dialect
346:to the
344:carvals
263:During
204:Tynwald
789:
769:Mannin
594:(1934)
586:(1929)
572:(1928)
564:(1927)
556:(1924)
549:(1925)
542:(1924)
534:(1921)
526:(1913)
507:(1911)
485:
353:Mannin
333:Norway
297:Celtic
144:Santon
499:Plays
426:Death
301:Norse
130:Youth
73:Genre
787:ISBN
483:ISBN
418:and
373:Manx
251:and
211:Manx
191:and
112:Manx
105:Manx
61:Died
42:Born
740:in
705:in
672:in
412:Ann
331:of
843::
681:^
648:^
614:^
422:.
414:,
406:,
327:,
255:.
247:,
229:.
221:'
187:,
179:,
167:,
299:-
50:)
46:(
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.