This year’s Tynwald Day ceremony will see Robert Corteen Carswell RBV perform the duties of Yn Lhaihder (The Reader) for the first time after Dr Brian Stowell TH, RBV stepped down from the post he had held since 2001.

The President of Tynwald the Hon Clare Christian said: ‘Tynwald is pleased to welcome Mr Carswell to the position of Yn Lhaihder, a role central to reaffirming the Manx identity of the formal proceedings of our national day. I also wish to pay tribute to Mr Carswell’s predecessor, Dr Stowell, for his many years of valuable service. Both are scholars with a deep affection for our national heritage who have made lasting contributions in the field of promoting Manx language and culture to a wider audience.’

Mr Carswell said he was proud to be part of a ceremony that underlined the Isle of Man’s constitutional ‘separateness’. He added that he was pleased that the function of Yn Lhaihder served not only to uphold the centuries-old continuity of Tynwald Day proceedings but also to celebrate the Manx language.

Separately it has been confirmed that the military march ‘Tynwald’ will be heard once again this year at the Tynwald Day ceremony.

Written by local composer Charles Guard, the piece was commissioned by the late Sir Charles Kerruish OBE, who served as President of Tynwald from 1990 until his retirement in 2000. 

‘Tynwald’ was regularly played at the ceremony by visiting bands during the 1990s. For the 2013 event the work, described by Mr Guard as ‘a lively piece featuring traditional Manx tunes’, will be performed by The Band of HM Royal Marines Scotland.

Photo - President of Tynwald Clare Christian welcomes Robert Carswell to the role of Yn Lhaihder. (Picture Paul Dougherty, Tynwald Seneschal).