Best Manx Heritage Podcasts (2025)

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Claare ny Gael 14th December 2025 51:58

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1d ago51:58

51:58

An interesting court case from December 1825 reveals tensions between two Douglas residents; there's more in a Manx translation from Grimms' fairy tales; and there's a variety of music to enjoy from the Celtic countries.

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The Food Books of 2025 42:27

4d ago42:27

42:27

Leyla Kazim takes a look at the best food books and writing from 2025, and chats to food writer Ruby Tandoh about her new book looking at why we eat the way we eat now. We hear picks from the rest of The Food Programme presenters - Sheila Dillon, Dan Saladino and Jaega Wise; books to get you cooking and books to get you thinking. Tom Tivnan from Th…

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Claare ny Gael 7th December 2025 54:04

8d ago54:04

54:04

A maritime rescue, with a Royal Naval officer who served in the Island, and ended his days here. More in Manx from the world of the brothers Grimm, and music from around the Celtic world.

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The Great Tartan Tea Swindle 41:45

11d ago41:45

41:45

When Tam o’ Braan began marketing Scottish Tea from his Wee Tea Plantation, the response was astonishing. Upmarket retailers such as Fortnum and Mason and hotels from the Dorchester in London to the Balmoral in Edinburgh paid top prices for the supplies of this rare treat. Scottish farmers caught the bug and bought tea bushes from Tam's plantation …

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Claare ny Gael 30th November 2025 54:41

15d ago54:41

54:41

A Manx translation of Grimms' fairy tales, and some pieces from a newspaper of 1886 about the Manx language. Music to reflect that St Andrew is the patron saint of Scotland.

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And the Winner Is... The BBC Food And Farming Awards 2025 41:47

18d ago41:47

41:47

The judges have reached their verdicts so who has won the coveted Food Programme chopping boards in 2025's BBC Food and Farming Awards? Sheila Dillon and chair of the judges Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall meet some of the best food and drink producers in the country at this week's ceremony in Bristol. Produced by Robin Markwell of BBC Audio in Bristol…

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Claare ny Gael 23rd November 2025 54:18

22d ago54:18

54:18

The Cushag - the Manx national flower? However, it provided a pen name for Josephine Kermode. In a Manx translation of Grimm's fairy tales, there's a goat eating lush shoots. In between there's a variety of music from the Celtic nations.

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Why Is Africa Feeding Us? 41:43

25d ago41:43

41:43

Dan Saladino and reporter Jack Thompson investigate the UK's growing dependence on two farms in northern Senegal based around a lake. In recent years they have become the source of most of the sweetcorn, radishes and beans sold by supermarkets. Is this a good arrangement for the UK and the Senegalese or a risk to food security in both countries? Pr…

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Claare ny Gael 16th November 2025 54:13

29d ago54:13

54:13

There are conflicting theories about the origins of Laa'l Spitlhin Geuree on 18th November, there's a Manx translation of Grimms' fairy tales, and a miscellany of music from the Celtic nations.

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The Breakfast Club Challenge 42:51

1M ago42:51

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They say breakfast is the most important meal of the day - but what happens when thousands of children arrive at school too hungry to learn? In this programme, Jaega Wise looks into how the Government’s new free breakfast club scheme is being rolled out across England, seven months into a trial involving 750 primary schools. While the policy which …

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Claare ny Gael 9th November 2025 53:45

1M ago53:45

53:45

Murder, mutilation and mayhem - the world of the Kings of Man and the Isles. But Olaf Godredson seems to have died peacefully in Peel Castle on 10th November 1187. More Grimms' fairy tales in Manx, and the Island's music to celebrate the Cooish Manx Language festival 2025.

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Eels and Elvers 41:29

1M ago41:29

41:29

Dan Saladino looks at why eels numbers are plummeting and asks if the species can be saved. On the River Severn he meets the last of the glass eel fishermen and conservationists. Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.By BBC Radio 4

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Claare ny Gael 2nd November 2025 51:58

1M ago51:58

51:58

Music making in the Celtic countries comes in a range of genres, as you'll hear. You'll also hear one of Grimms' fairy tales in a Manx translation, and about crime and punishment in 1832.

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Keeping It Local: A Suffolk Story 42:07

2M ago42:07

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It's twenty years since the Aldeburgh Food Festival began. Sheila Dillon examines its impact in this small Suffolk seaside town where food producers work together to forge strong local supply chains. She speaks to the festival's co-founder Lady Caroline Cranbrook who has been a passionate advocate of Suffolk's rich food ecosystem. She goes on a sho…

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Claare ny Gael 26th October 2025 53:41

2M ago53:41

53:41

There's a reminder that life in the Island could be gritty, with two men losing their lives for their crime in 1832. There's a well-known story from the Brothers Grimm, heard here in a Manx translation. As usual, there's plenty of music, too, from the Celtic countries.

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Feeding Britain: Can Our Best Food Producers Deliver? 42:21

2M ago42:21

42:21

Sheila Dillon and this year’s head judge of the BBC Food and Farming Awards, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, hit the road to meet the finalists in the Best Food Producer category. From sourdough pioneers Aidan Monks and Catherine Connor at Lovingly Artisan in Kendal, and regenerative grower Calixta Killander at Flourish Produce in Cambridgeshire, to c…

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Claare ny Gael 19th October 2025 54:30

2M ago54:30

54:30

The history of James and Charlotte Stanley and a stone dated 1644 found at Castle Rushen rounds off William Gell's 1906 poem, Mannin Veg Veen. There's a translation into Manx of Grimm's Fairy Tales, and a generous helping of music from the Celtic countries.

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The Food Innovators: 2025 41:35

2M ago41:35

41:35

Dan Saladino meets people behind pioneering projects rethinking the future of chocolate, seafood and food forests. Which one will win this year's BBC Best Food Innovation Award? Produced and presented by Dan Saladino.By BBC Radio 4

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Claare ny Gael 12th October 2025 54:31

2M ago54:31

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With a taste of music from around the Celtic countries, there's a translation into Manx of the strange world of Grimms' fairy tales and more about the Stanley family and their association with the Island.

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In Search of Mustard in Norwich 41:09

2M ago41:09

41:09

Five years ago, after 160 years in Norwich, the Colman's factory shut its doors for the last time. John Osborne is a writer, a poet and a performer - he's called Norwich home for 25 years. But last year, while writing a show about his city, he began to learn more about the depth of the history of Colman's, and he started to wonder why more people d…

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Claare ny Gael 5th October 2025 55:56

2M ago55:56

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Grimms' fairy tales conjure up a strange world, and here they are in a translation into Manx. Arising from William Gell's poem, there's still a lot more to find out about the Stanley family, the Earls of Derby, who had been imposed as rulers of the Island. Music, too, from the Celtic nations.

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Wales's Secret Ingredient: Lessons from Cymru on the Future of Food 42:38

2M ago42:38

42:38

Sheila Dillon is joined by four guests who each have a deep connection with Welsh food and farming for a panel discussion recorded at the 2025 Abergavenny Food Festival. Beca Lyne-Pirkis is a food writer and broadcaster; Patrick Holden is an organic farmer and founder of the Sustainable Food Trust; Carwyn Graves is a Welsh food historian and author…

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Claare ny Gael 28th September 2025 55:56

3M ago55:56

55:56

The conclusion of William Gell's 1906 poem has invited attention to the Stanley family who were Kings and Lords of Man. In a translation into Manx, there's more from Grimms' fairy tales. All this, and a range of music from the Celtic nations, too.

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The Rise of Matcha 41:54

3M ago41:54

41:54

As sales of matcha continue to boom, Leyla Kazim traces the story of the powdered green tea from centuries-old Japanese tradition to global health trend phenomenon. We look behind the social media videos and headlines to find out more about the reported matcha shortage, how the matcha supply chain is reacting, and ask what might happen next. Also i…

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Claare ny Gael 21st September 2025 54:00

3M ago54:00

54:00

John Seacombe's 1793 book, The House of Stanley, is entertaining but not always reliable. Grimms' fairy tales are entertaining, if bizarre, and there's part of a translation into Manx of one of them. Plus there's a range of musical entertainment from the Celtic countries.

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Race Commentary - 1998 Senior TT 2:15:13

3M ago2:15:13

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Relive the drama of the 1998 Senior TT — a race of raw speed, fierce rivalry, and iconic commentary capturing every heart-stopping moment on the Mountain Course.

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Follow the Food: The Rise of Food Tourism 42:46

3M ago42:46

42:46

Sheila Dillon investigates the growing number of food tours and trails in the UK as consumers show more and more interest in the provenance of what is on their plate. She heads to Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire – a town that boasts the title of Rural Capital Of Food - and joins a walking tour that spans pork pie producers, stilton sellers, a samo…

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Claare ny Gael 14th September 2025 54:12

3M ago54:12

54:12

There's a Manx translation of the Grimms' curious tales, and William Gell's reference to the Stanleys' crest of the Eagle and Child has led to the not always reliable 1793 account of the Stanley family by John Seacombe. There's also a helping of music from the Celtic countries.

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Manx Made 43:07

3M ago43:07

43:07

Jaega Wise heads to the Isle of Man to find out what’s driving a growing movement to produce more of the island’s own food, and why its approach might matter beyond its shores. She hears about the challenges facing producers, how the fishing industry is adapting, and what it means to work within a UNESCO biosphere. Just 6% of food bought in Manx sh…

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Claare ny Gael 7th September 2025 54:11

3M ago54:11

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With a sprinkling of music from the Celtic countries, there's more about the Stanley crest of the Eagle and Child and a Manx translation of more from the Brothers Grimm.

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Cooking From Landscape: Rethinking Scottish Food 41:33

3M ago41:33

41:33

Historian Polly Russell and chef Pam Brunton explore Scotland's landscapes to answer the question, 'what is modern Scottish food?'. On a road trip through landscapes, old and new, they encounter deer stalkers, robot milking machines and a bean to bar chocolate maker. Why is it we end up with a fixed view of what a nation's food culture looks and ta…

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Claare ny Gael 31st August 2025 54:12

4M ago54:12

54:12

The poet, William Gell, draws attention to the Stanley family through its association with Castle Rushen, so the start of a lengthy focus on them, starting with their crest, the Eagle and Child. As well as a Manx translation of Grimm's fairy stories, there's music from around the Celtic world.

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Butter Is Back 41:51

4M ago41:51

41:51

Butter superfan Felicity Cloake asks whether the movement against ultra-processed foods is linked to a recent rise in popularity of her favourite kitchen staple. Her investigations take her to the rich grasslands of the West Country as she visits Wyke Farms, Quicke's and Ivy House Farm Dairy. She looks at how flavoured butter is taking off and find…

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Claare ny Gael 24th August 2025 53:12

4M ago53:12

53:12

William Gell's mention of the famous one-fingered Castle Rushen clock gives rise to thoughts of the Stanley family's standing in the Elizabethan court. There's more in a Manx translation from Grimm's Fairy Tales, and a generous helping of music from the Celtic countries.

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The Crayfish Question 41:42

4M ago41:42

41:42

It’s been nearly 50 years since invasive American Signal Crayfish were introduced to the UK, and we still haven’t figured out how to get rid of them. Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall joins Sheila Dillon to meet a man who believes the way to control their spread is to get more people eating them — but not everyone’s convinced. These crustaceans are so in…

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Claare ny Gael 17th August 2025 53:50

4M ago53:50

53:50

Music from around the Celtic countries intertwines with parts of a 1906 poem about the Island by William Gell and its historic and cultural background, and a translation into Manx of Grimm's Fairy Tales.

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Polski Sklep: A Recent History of the Polish Shop 41:50

4M ago41:50

41:50

Since the early 2000s, one type of shop has quietly become a regular feature on British high streets: the Polski sklep – or Polish shop. Known for their smoked sausages, sour pickles, and wide selection of herbal teas, these shops offer more than just food. With Polish people now the largest non-British nationality in the UK, and Polish the next mo…

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Claare ny Gael 10th August 2025 54:00

4M ago54:00

54:00

William Gell leads the way in an exploration of Castle Rushen and its history. In a Manx translation of Grimms Fairy Tales, the fisherman's wife is ever more demanding. There's also a variety of music from the Celtic nations.

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Food and the Elements 41:44

4M ago41:44

41:44

Dan Saladino explores stories of food and 'the elements', the theme of this year's Oxford Food Symposium. Expect surprising insights on earth, fire, air, water and much more. For more than forty years the Symposium has celebrated, explored and shared research by scholars, enthusiastic amateurs, writers, and chefs from around the world, all united i…

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Claare ny Gael 3rd August 2025 53:32

4M ago53:32

53:32

In the book version of William Gell's poem, Mannin Veg Veen, the final part is called Canto IX, and also has a title, The Rushen Epic - neither of which appear in the newspaper. There's a Manx translation of Grimm's Fairy Tales, and music from around the Celtic world.By Manx Radio

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Big Food, Big Power 43:26

5M ago43:26

43:26

Sheila Dillon looks into claims that big food companies wield too much influence over government decisions and public health. The episode follows news from the youth-led campaign group BiteBack2030, which says its billboard campaign has been effectively silenced. The group recently organised a mock inquiry in Parliament, involving MPs, to share con…

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Claare ny Gael 27th July 2025 54:42

5M ago54:42

54:42

William Gell prompts some history of Ballasalla, Billown and Castletown with his poem from 1906, Mannin Veg Veen; there is more from a Manx translation of Grimms' fairy tales; and there's music mostly from performers at Yn Chruinnaght 2025 (just one stray interloper!).By Manx Radio

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The New Good Life 41:57

5M ago41:57

41:57

The adventures of Barbara and Tom Good in Surbiton brought self-sufficiency to the small screens of the nation. Fifty years on from the airing of that first episode of The Good Life, Leyla Kazim is about to embark on her own sustainable living dream as she seeks to live off the land when she moves from London to Portugal. So what lessons can she le…

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Claare ny Gael 20th July 2025 52:17

5M ago52:17

52:17

William Gell's poem gives an opportunity to look at some of the history and associations he writes about, there's more from a Manx translation of Grimm's fairy tales, and there's music by people who'll be performing at Yn Chruinnaght's Celtic Gathering this coming week.By Manx Radio

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The Periodic Table of Food 41:53

5M ago41:53

41:53

Dan Saladino explores new science that's revealing the complexity hidden within our food. In New York City he meets the team mapping previously unknown edible compounds in fruits and vegetables, many of which are thought to have health benefits. Will delving deeper into the 'dark matter' of food make it possible to produce food that's better for bo…

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Claare ny Gael 13th July 2025 55:57

5M ago55:57

55:57

You can hear a range of music from the Celtic nations as William Gell leads round the Island with his 1906 poem, Mannin Veg Veen, and in Manx there's more from the Brothers Grimm.By Manx Radio

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Potatoes with Poppy O'Toole 42:17

5M ago42:17

42:17

In this episode, social media chef and queen of potatoes, Poppy O'Toole, explores the world of her favourite ingredient, the Potato. Last year, Poppy appeared on Mastermind, choosing the history of the potato as her specialist subject. Let’s just say… it didn’t quite go to plan. So now, she’s joining the team at The Food Programme to fill in the ga…

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Claare ny Gael 6th July 2025 53:40

5M ago53:40

53:40

The modern 5th July is old-style midsummer, a fire festival associated with Manannan Mac Lir. We celebrate him and his kingdom of Man in music. There's more from William Gell's 1906 poem about the Island, and from Grimm's Fairy Tales in a translation into Manx.By Manx Radio

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English Olive Oil 42:05

5M ago42:05

42:05

With the price of olive oil soaring in the shops after drought disrupted production in Spain, Leyla Kazim looks into the English farms planting olive groves in the hope of bottling their own oil. She meets a farmer in Essex who explains that English growing conditions are more suitable than you might think and discovers a producer in Cornwall who h…

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Claare ny Gael 29th June 2025 53:51

6M ago53:51

53:51

Quite a few talking points arising from William Gell's 1906 poem, Mannin Veg Veen, whilst the well-known tale of Hansel and Grethel is heard in a Manx translation. Music throughout from the Celtic nations.By Manx Radio