Ellan Vannin (poem) Ellan Vannin (poem) Ellan Vannin (the Manx-language name of the Isle of Man) is a poem and song, often referred to as "the alternative Manx national anthem", the words of which were written by Eliza Craven Green in 1854 and later set to music by someone called either J. Townsend or F. H. Townend (sources vary). The Manx-language name Ellan Vannin is commonly mispronounced in renditions of the song, including in the Bee Gees version, since written Manx uses an orthography based on Welsh rather than Irish/Scots gaelic, which does not accurately transcribe the "ʲə" sound found in the word
SS Ellan Vannin (1854) the loss of life of one of the boat's occupants, Patrick Featherstone. Visibility on the night was said to be good. Four people had sailed in the boat in order to go fishing; Featherstone, two of his sons and another man, Daniel Cannon. Having anchored in the bay at approximately 19:30hrs they then moved to a position just off Port Skillion, Douglas Head, in order to be more protected should any steamer be making an approach to Douglas Harbour. At 22:00hrs the boat's occupants saw the "Ellan Vannin" steaming round Douglas Head and began to haul their anchor and get