1.
Isle of Man
–
The Isle of Man, also known simply as Mann, is a self-governing crown dependency in the Irish Sea between England and Northern Ireland. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann, the Lord of Mann is represented by a Lieutenant Governor. Foreign relations and defence are the responsibility of the British Government, the island has been inhabited since before 6500 BC. Gaelic cultural influence began in the 5th century and the Manx language, in 627, Edwin of Northumbria conquered the Isle of Man along with most of Mercia. In the 9th century, Norsemen established the Kingdom of the Isles, magnus III, King of Norway, was also known as King of Mann and the Isles between 1099 and 1103. In 1266, the became part of Scotland under the Treaty of Perth. After a period of alternating rule by the kings of Scotland and England, the short form often used in English, Mann, is derived from the Manx Mannin, though sometimes the name is written as Man. The earliest recorded Manx form of the name is Manu or Mana, the Old Irish form of the name is Manau or Mano. Old Welsh records named it as Manaw, also reflected in Manaw Gododdin, the name for an ancient district in north Britain along the lower Firth of Forth. The oldest known reference to the calls it Mona, in Latin, in the 1st century CE, Pliny the Elder records it as Monapia or Monabia. Later Latin references have Mevania or Mænavia, and Eubonia or Eumonia by Irish writers and it is found in the Sagas of Icelanders as Mön. The name is cognate with the Welsh name of the island of Anglesey, Ynys Môn, usually derived from a Celtic word for mountain. The name was at least secondarily associated with that of Manannán mac Lir in Irish mythology, later, a Manannán is recorded as the first king of Mann in a Manx poem. The island was cut off from the islands around 8000 BC. The first residents were hunter gatherers and fishermen, examples of their tools are kept at the Manx Museum. There were also the local Ronaldsway and Bann cultures, during the Bronze Age, burial mounds became smaller. Bodies were put in stone-lined graves with ornamental containers, the Bronze Age burial mounds created long-lasting markers around the countryside. The ancient Romans knew of the island and called it Insula Manavia although it is whether they conquered the island
2.
Isle of Man TT
–
The International Isle of Man TT Race is a motorcycle sport event held annually on the Isle of Man in May or June of each year since the inaugural race in 1907. The Isle of Man TT for many years has been the most prestigious race in the world and also seen as the ultimate test for competitors. In 2016, the Vision Nine Group was appointed by the Isle of Man Department of Economic Development in a deal as a race promoter for the 2017 Isle of Man TT onwards. The Isle of Man TT has been run in a time-trial format on public roads closed for racing by the provisions of an Act of Tynwald. The event consists of one week of practice sessions followed by one week of racing, the first Isle of Man TT race was held on Tuesday 28 May 1907 and was called the International Auto-Cycle Tourist Trophy. From 1911 the Isle of Man TT transferred to the much longer Snaefell Mountain Course of 37.40 miles, the race did not take place from 1915 to 1919 due to the First World War. A 250cc Lightweight TT race was added to the Isle of Man TT programme in 1922 followed by a Sidecar TT race in 1923, there was no racing on the Isle of Man between 1940 and 1945 due to the Second World War. It recommenced with the Manx Grand Prix in 1946 then the Isle of Man TT in 1947 with an expanded format that included the new Clubmans TT races. The Isle of Man TT became part of the FIM Motor-cycle Grand Prix World Championship as the British round of the World Motor-Cycling Championship during the period 1949–1976. It is still billed in popular culture as the most dangerous motorsport event in the world, with over 250 fatalities in its history. In 1976, the Isle of Man TT lost its world championship status and was transferred to the United Kingdom by the FIM, the event was redeveloped by the Isle of Man Department of Tourism as the Isle of Man TT Festival from 1989 onwards. Motor racing began on the Isle of Man in 1904 with the Gordon Bennett Eliminating Trial, restricted to touring automobiles. The 1905 Gordon Bennett Trial was held on 30 May 1905 and was won by Clifford Earl driving a Napier automobile in 6 hours and 6 minutes for six laps of the Highroads Course.90 mph. The 1905 International Motor-Cycle Cup Race for five laps was won by J. S, campbell despite a fire during a pit stop in 4 hours,9 minutes and 36 seconds at an average race speed of 30.04 mph. The TT Races since the first race in 1907 have been in the format of time-trial, the current format is a clutch start and race competitors will be started singly at 10-second intervals. Start Preliminaries First Signal –45 minutes before the start with a warm-up of engines in the Race Paddock, Second Signal –30 minutes before start. Third Signal –15 minutes before start, race competitors move to the start-line, fourth Signal –5 minutes before start, signal to clear the grid and race competitors move towards the exit-gate. Entrants must be in possession of a valid National Entrants or FIM Sponsors Licence for Road Racing. 5-mile Snaefell Mountain Course
3.
Joey Dunlop
–
William Joseph Dunlop, OBE, was a world champion motorcyclist from Ballymoney in Northern Ireland. In 2016, he was voted the 2nd greatest motorcycling icon ever and his achievements include three hat-tricks at the Isle of Man TT meeting, where he won a record 26 races in total. Joey Dunlops name is amongst the most revered by fans of motorcycle racing and this iconic stature, coupled to Dunlops somewhat shy and unassuming persona, has led to him being seen as a true working class hero. Such attributes deeply endeared him to fans of motorcycling across the world, during his career he won the Ulster Grand Prix 24 times. In 1986, he won a fifth consecutive TT Formula One world title, Joey - The Man Who Conquered the TT, a documentary entirely focussed on Joeys racing career, was released in 2013. Another documentary, Road, based on the life of Joey Dunlop and his brothers, was released in the UK, Dunlop helped orphans in Balkans, driving a van loaded with supplies to orphanages in Romania, Albania and Bosnia-Hercegovina before the annual racing season began. In 1996, he received an OBE for his humanitarian work, after Dunlops death the Joey Dunlop Foundation was initiated, a charity that provides appropriate accommodation for disabled visitors to the Isle of Man. On 30 January 2015 Joey Dunlop was voted Northern Irelands greatest sports star by readers of the Belfast Telegraph newspaper. On the night of 23 May 1985 Joey Dunlop was travelling from Northern Ireland to the Isle of Man for the annual TT races by sea, aboard the Tornamona, the vessel had departed from Strangford, County Down with Dunlop, other riders, racebikes and equipment aboard. Strong currents into Strangford Lough pushed the Tornamona onto St. Patrick’s Rock where her rudder broke off in a crevice, the boat sank and all 13 passengers and crew were rescued by the Portaferry Lifeboat. The bikes were later recovered by divers, Joey Dunlop died in Tallinn, Estonia, in 2000 while leading a 125cc race on Pirita-Kose-Kloostrimetsa Circuit. He appeared to control of his bike in the wet conditions and was killed instantly on impact with trees. As a mark of respect, the Estonian governments official website was replaced with a tribute to Dunlop within hours of his death, Northern Ireland television carried live coverage of his funeral. The most successful rider at the annual TT races is awarded the Joey Dunlop Cup. A memorial statue was erected in his town of Ballymoney. On the Isle of Man, a statue of Dunlop astride a Honda overlooks the Bungalow Bend at Snaefell, irish publishers The OBrien Press produced a full-colour pictorial tribute to Joey following his death. Made a song in memory of Dunlop, called Joey, it appeared on the album Shameless, throughout his career Dunlop remained apolitical and anti-sectarian. Both Catholics and Protestants supported him, highly superstitious, he always wore a red T-shirt and a yellow crash helmet
4.
Estonia
–
Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea, to the south by Latvia, across the Baltic Sea lies Sweden in the west and Finland in the north. The territory of Estonia consists of a mainland and 2,222 islands and islets in the Baltic Sea, covering 45,339 km2 of land and water, and is influenced by a humid continental climate. The territory of Estonia has been inhabited since at least 6500 BC, in 1988, during the Singing Revolution, the Estonian Supreme Soviet issued the Estonian Sovereignty Declaration in defiance of Soviet rule, and independence was restored on 20 August 1991. Estonia is a parliamentary republic divided into fifteen counties. Its capital and largest city is Tallinn, with a population of 1.3 million, it is one of the least-populous member states of the European Union, Eurozone, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, OECD and Schengen Area. Estonia is a country with an advanced, high-income economy that is among the fastest growing in the EU. Its Human Development Index ranks very highly, and it performs favourably in measurements of economic freedom, civil liberties, the 2015 PISA test places Estonian high school students 3rd in the world, behind Singapore and Japan. Citizens of Estonia are provided with health care, free education. Since independence the country has developed its IT sector, becoming one of the worlds most digitally advanced societies. In 2005 Estonia became the first nation to hold elections over the Internet, in the Estonian language, the oldest known endonym of the Estonians was maarahvas, meaning country people or people of the land. The land inhabited by Estonians was called Maavald meaning Country Parish or Land Parish, one hypothesis regarding the modern name of Estonia is that it originated from the Aesti, a people described by the Roman historian Tacitus in his Germania. The historic Aesti were allegedly Baltic people, whereas the modern Estonians are Finno-Ugric, the geographical areas between Aesti and Estonia do not match, with Aesti being further down south. Ancient Scandinavian sagas refer to a land called Eistland, as the country is called in Icelandic. Early Latin and other ancient versions of the name are Estia and Hestia, esthonia was a common alternative English spelling prior to 1921. Human settlement in Estonia became possible 13,000 to 11,000 years ago, the oldest known settlement in Estonia is the Pulli settlement, which was on the banks of the river Pärnu, near the town of Sindi, in south-western Estonia. According to radiocarbon dating it was settled around 11,000 years ago, the earliest human inhabitation during the Mesolithic period is connected to Kunda culture, which is named after the town of Kunda in northern Estonia. At that time the country was covered with forests, and people lived in communities near bodies of water
5.
Karl Harris
–
Karl Harris was a three-time British Supersport champion. In 2010 he switched to the British Superstock Championship on a GR Motorsport Aprilia, Harris was killed when racing during the 2014 Isle of Man TT. He returned to the UK in 2001, racing a Suzuki in the British Supersport Championship and he then graduated to Superbike racing in 2002 on a Suzuki, but this was not a successful season. In 2003 and 2004, he raced in Supersport for HM Plant Honda. For 2005 Harris returned to BSB with a Honda run from their UK factory in Swindon and he moved to the main HRC Honda team alongside Ryuichi Kiyonari for 2006, taking a 2nd place at Oulton Park, less than 0.1 seconds behind race winner Gregorio Lavilla. A crash in the first race at Snetterton caused him to miss the second and he took his first pole position at Oulton Park that year. He came close to his first series win in the race at Croft in the wet. While Kiyonari won the title, Harris finished fifth overall, behind the bike of Jonathan Rea. He switched to the Hydrex Honda for 2007, with a best result in the first half of the season a 6th place and he scored an emotional second place in the second round at Oulton Park in August. For 2008 he moved to Rob Mac Racing, riding a factory Yamaha and he crashed in the first round after being struck by Tom Sykes fallen Rizla Suzuki. He did not finish any of the first six races of the year, at the final meeting of the season he was quick in practice, before being forced to pull out. He made a appearance on a works Yamaha in the World Supersport championship at Brands Hatch. For 2009 Harris moved to Shaun Muirs Hydrex Bike Devils Honda team and he was tipped as a dark horse for the title by former rival Leon Haslam, but struggled to meet expectations. Following two second-place finishes in two of the championship at Oulton Park, Harris struggled to compete with the championship contenders throughout the season. On 4 September 2009, with three rounds of the remaining, his contract with the Hydrex Honda team was terminated with immediate effect. For 2010 he switched to the British Superstock Championship on a GR Motorsport Aprilia,2012 Harris took the place of Gary Mason in the PR Racing under the banner of Quattro Plant Kawasaki. He raced in a few selected rounds and had some promising finishes including finishing 7th and 9th at Cadwell Park and these results were some of the teams best finishes all season. Karl then continued with PR Racing for the rest of the racing at Assen, Silverstone
6.
Snaefell Mountain Course
–
Snaefell Mountain Course or Mountain Course is a road-racing street circuit used for the Isle of Man TT since 1911 and Manx Grand Prix races from 1923 in the Isle of Man. The motorcycle racing is held on roads closed for racing by an Act of Tynwald under the Road Racing Act 1982. It is the oldest motor-cycle racing circuit still in use and it is also one of the deadliest, with 6 deaths in 2011,5 in 2014 and 248 cumulatively by 2015, of racers in competition. There have been 14 deaths of officials, spectators, and others, the clockwise course is 37.73 miles in length from the start-line at the TT Grandstand situated on the A2 Glencrutchery Road in the town of Douglas. The descent starts through countryside before entering the outskirts of Douglas back to the finish line. Motor racing began on the Isle of Man in 1904 with the Gordon Bennett Trial, tynwalds The Highways Act 1904 gave permission in the Isle of Man for the 52. 15-mile Highroads Course for the 1904 Gordon Bennett Trial. For the 1905 Gordon Bennett Car event it was decided to run a trial for motor-cycles the day after for a team to represent Great Britain in the International Motor-Cycle Cup Races. For this reason, the 1907 Isle of Man TT Race used the 15 miles,1,470 yards St. Johns Short Course. The 1906 Isle of Man Tourist Trophy Race for automobiles the Highroad Course was reduced from 52.12 miles to 40 miles,2 furlongs and 60 yards. For the 1908 Tourist Trophy race for automobiles, the course was reduced to 37.5 miles with the removal of the Peel. The Four-Inch Course was adopted by the Auto-Cycle Club for the 1911 Isle of Man TT Races, the Four-Inch Course subsequently became known as the Snaefell Mountain Course or Mountain Course when used for motor-cycle racing.50 miles to 37.75 miles. Further changes to the course followed in 1922 with the adoption of a road part of the Ballastowle Estate between Parliament Square and May Hill in Ramsey. The course had previously had negotiated the A2 Albert Road and Tower Road in Ramsey, the official course distance for the Snaefell Mountain Course was amended in 1938 to 37.733 miles which is the current course length. For the 1934 Isle of Man TT Races major alterations to the Mountain Course were carried out included the removal of the East Snaefell Mountain sheep-gate. This was followed by the removal of the bridge at Ballig. Road widening occurred on the Mountain Course at the Highlander, Laurel Bank, Glen Helen, Road Improvements occurred at the 26th Milestone, Greeba Bridge and on the Sulby Straight for the 1938 Isle of Man TT Races. Further road widening and landscaping occurred at the Water Works Corner, a memorial to Jimmie Guthrie was built in 1939 at The Cutting at a cost of £1,500. Other major course alterations for the 1954 Isle of Man TT Races included road widening at Appledene, Handleys Corner, Barregarrow, Rhencullen, Ballaugh Bridge, Ginger Hall, during the winter of 1957/58 the hotel at the Bungalow tram-crossing was removed on the Mountain Section of the course
7.
The Guardian
–
The Guardian is a British daily newspaper, known from 1821 until 1959 as the Manchester Guardian. Along with its sister papers The Observer and The Guardian Weekly, The Guardian is part of the Guardian Media Group, the Scott Trust became a limited company in 2008, with a constitution to maintain the same protections for The Guardian. Profits are reinvested in journalism rather than to the benefit of an owner or shareholders, the Guardian is edited by Katharine Viner, who succeeded Alan Rusbridger in 2015. In 2016, The Guardians print edition had a daily circulation of roughly 162,000 copies in the country, behind The Daily Telegraph. The newspaper has an online UK edition as well as two international websites, Guardian Australia and Guardian US, the newspapers online edition was the fifth most widely read in the world in October 2014, with over 42.6 million readers. Its combined print and online editions reach nearly 9 million British readers, notable scoops include the 2011 News International phone hacking scandal, in particular the hacking of murdered English teenager Milly Dowlers phone. The investigation led to the closure of the UKs biggest selling Sunday newspaper, and one of the highest circulation newspapers in the world, in 2016, it led the investigation into the Panama Papers, exposing the then British Prime Minister David Camerons links to offshore bank accounts. The Guardian has been named Newspaper of the Year four times at the annual British Press Awards, the paper is still occasionally referred to by its nickname of The Grauniad, given originally for the purported frequency of its typographical errors. The Manchester Guardian was founded in Manchester in 1821 by cotton merchant John Edward Taylor with backing from the Little Circle and they launched their paper after the police closure of the more radical Manchester Observer, a paper that had championed the cause of the Peterloo Massacre protesters. They do not toil, neither do they spin, but they better than those that do. When the government closed down the Manchester Observer, the champions had the upper hand. The influential journalist Jeremiah Garnett joined Taylor during the establishment of the paper, the prospectus announcing the new publication proclaimed that it would zealously enforce the principles of civil and religious Liberty. Warmly advocate the cause of Reform, endeavour to assist in the diffusion of just principles of Political Economy and. Support, without reference to the party from which they emanate, in 1825 the paper merged with the British Volunteer and was known as The Manchester Guardian and British Volunteer until 1828. The working-class Manchester and Salford Advertiser called the Manchester Guardian the foul prostitute, the Manchester Guardian was generally hostile to labours claims. The Manchester Guardian dismissed strikes as the work of outside agitators –, if an accommodation can be effected, the occupation of the agents of the Union is gone. CP Scott made the newspaper nationally recognised and he was editor for 57 years from 1872, and became its owner when he bought the paper from the estate of Taylors son in 1907. Under Scott, the moderate editorial line became more radical, supporting William Gladstone when the Liberals split in 1886
8.
Glen Helen, Isle of Man
–
Glen Helen an area of wooded valleys, is known for the sweeping left-bend and uphill exit towards Creg Willeys Hill on the Snaefell Mountain Course used for the Isle of Man TT Races. Glen Helen is preceded by Black Dub and followed by Sarahs Cottage, the glen itself with picturesque walks can be accessed from the car park adjacent to the bend on the main A3 road. The glen was developed in the 1860s by a consortium of Manx businessmen interested in arboriculture and they carried out extensive planting of trees and ornamental shrubs, laid paths, constructed river bridges and opened the site to the public in 1867. The attractive name Glen Helen was probably chosen from Greek myth to reflect the beauty of the location, today a variety of mature and impressive trees including sequoia, thuja, spruces, Douglas fir, oak, sycamore and beech can be seen. Paths traverse the glen along the rivers Neb and Blaber, three-quarters of a mile into the glen is the dramatic Rhenass Waterfall. Glen Helen was part of the Highland Course and Four Inch Course used for the Gordon Bennett Trial, in 1905, Glen Helen was part of the course used for International Motor Cycle Cup Races. It was then part of the St. Johns Short Course used between 1907 and 1910 for the TT races, thereafter, the Four Inch Course was used, now known as the Mountain Course
9.
Braddan Bridge
–
Braddan Bridge is a bridge over the river Dhoo on the Douglas to Peel road, from which a halt on the Isle of Man Railways first line to Peel took its name. It is a landmark on the Isle of Man TT road-race course, the bridge is on the boundary between the parishes of Braddan and Onchan. Braddan Halt saw infrequent use, mostly in connection with the open air church services took place at the nearby Kirk Braddan for many years. Long after the railway had closed, the booking office. However, in 1991 the building was removed, refurbished and now resides at the station of Colby on the south line. Upon removal the original shelter was replaced by a version in 1989. There is now no evidence that the railway passed through here, Isle of Man Railway stations Braddan Halt
10.
Guthrie's Memorial, Isle of Man
–
The A18 Snaefell mountain road was developed in the mid-nineteenth century from a number of pre-existing roads, carting-tracks and bridle paths. This included the distinctive road embankments which gave the S-bend corner the previous name of The Cutting, the nearby revetment and embankment at the 27th Milestone is sometimes informally referred to as the Guthries Bridge. During the winter of 2012/2013 the stone TT Marshalls shelter at Guthries Memorial was demolished, during the 1937 TT races, Jimmie Guthrie won the Junior race, but retired on lap five of the Senior race, at The Cutting section of the course. After crashing fatally during the 1937 German Grand Prix a memorial to Jimmie Guthrie was built in 1939 at the The Cutting, funded by public subscription, the memorial was built at the place where he retired in his last TT race. Prohibited and Restricted Areas for the Isle of Man TT Races, Classic TT and Manx Grand Prix, 26th Milestone, Guthries Memorial, 27th Milestone and Mountain Mile
