Ellan Vanin - The Isle of Man Trivia Quiz

Answer: Irish Sea

The Irish Sea is approximately one degree further north than Moscow yet remains ice free due to the effects of the North Atlantic Drift current which is an off-shoot of the Gulf Stream. This raises temperatures by approximately two degrees centigrade around its shores.
The Irish Sea is bordered by Eire, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and England with the Isle of Man being in the centre of the northern part of the sea. All these areas benefit from the warming effect of the current and enjoy relatively mild winters for their northerly latitudes.
The Irish Sea is about 130 miles (210 kilometres) long from north to south and 150 miles (240 kilometres) wide at its widest point.

Answer: June

The Isle of Man TT races are an annual event that date back over a hundred years. They are a series of motorcycle races which take place on the island's roads. The course is 37.75 miles long and starts in Douglas in the south-east of the island, it stretches as far as Ramsey in the northeast, traversing the mountainous area in the centre of the island, before returning to Douglas.

The course climbs to an altitude of 1300 feet (396 metres) from its starting point at sea level. There are over 200 bends on the course and all the roads are open to the public except when racing is taking place.

Answer: Douglas

Peel and Ramsey are smaller harbours situated around the island.
Ferries run from Douglas to Heysham and Liverpool in England, Belfast in Northern Ireland and Dublin in Eire.
Heysham is the closest mainland port to Douglas.
Douglas harbour can accommodate various types of sea traffic including traditional ferries, SeaCats (large passenger and vehicle carrying catamarans),
pleasure craft including yachts and fishing boats.

Answer: The Calf of Man

The Calf of Man is a bird sanctuary owned by the Manx National Trust. It only has one permanent human resident who is the warden of the sanctuary. It is home to a large breeding colony of Manx sheerwaters.
The island is about one square mile in area. Its Manx name is yn Cholloo.
It has the highest density of lighthouses in the world, there are three lighthouses on the island.
About a mile to the southwest lies Chicken Rock which is the most southerly point of the Isle of Man's territory.

Answer: The Three Legs of Man

The motto of the Isle of Man is "Whichever way you throw me, I stand".
The Three Legs of Man has been a symbol of the Isle of Man since as early as 1270. The legs in this era were always running clockwise. Later versions showed them running either way.

The Manx cat is a tailless cat native to the Isle of Man.
The Manx kipper is a local delicacy consisting of smoked herring.

Answer: Water wheel

The Laxey wheel was built to pump water out of a lead and zinc mine. It was in operation from 1854 to 1929. It is now a tourist attraction.
It is also known as Lady Isabella, named after a former Lieutenant Governor's wife.
It is the largest water wheel in the world that is still operational and has a diameter of 72 feet. It could pump 250 gallons of water a minute when the mine was still in use.

Answer: St. Patrick's Isle

The history of St. Patrick's Isle goes back over eight thousand years.
Peel castle was originally built by the vikings who invaded the Isle of Man in 1098.
St. Patrick is said to have landed there when he first visited the Isle of Man in 1226.
St.Patrick's Isle can be accessed from the town of Peel via a breakwater which was constructed in the 1730s. Prior to this the isle could be accessed on foot or horseback at low tide by crossing the sands.

Answer: Horse tram

This is the world's oldest operational horse tram service, which dates back to 1876. The horse trams connect the Manx Electric Railway at Derby Castle and the sea terminal at Douglas Harbour, which is a distance of two miles.
Other unusual forms of transport exist on the island.
The Groudle Glen Railway is a two foot narrow gauge steam railway running from Lonely Valley.
The Laxey Mines Railway is a miniature steam railway.
The Manx Electric Railway runs from Douglas to Ramsey via Laxey. At over 17 miles it is the longest narrow gauge electric railway in the British Isles.
The Steam Railway runs from Douglas to Port Erin, a distance of about 15 miles. It is the longest narrow gauge steam railway line in the British Isles.

Answer: Snaefell

Snaefell is 2,036 feet or 620 metres high and is the only mountain on the Isle of Man.
It has the only electric mountain railway in the British Isles which runs from Laxey, four miles away.
On a clear day it is possible to see Scotland, Ireland, Wales and England from the summit.

Answer: Tynwald

The Isle of Man is a Crown Dependency of the United Kingdom. It has its own parliament called the Tynwald or Tynwald Court. The Tynwald celebrated its millennium in 1979 and is the longest continuously running parliament in the world, originally formed by the Vikings.
Tynwald passes its own laws but they must receive Royal Assent from the Lord of Man or the Lieutenant Governor. The Lord of Man is Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, although other members of the Royal Family may act on her behalf when present on the island.