Politics
Watch: Illiam Dhone Memorial 2024
Photo by Callum Staley (CJS Photography)
In rather blustery conditions Phil Gawne and Cesar Joughin lead nationalists in paying tribute to Illiam Dhone, reviewing the year gone and outlining what they want to see the gov prioritise in the coming 12 months.
Who Was Illiam Dhone?
We know that not everyone will know (this is why history in schools should teach more about the island) so in the words of MNH:
‘A controversial figure in Manx history, he was executed at Hango Hill in 1663 on a charge of treason brought by Charles, 8th Earl of Derby.
‘Many believe that this was an unjust charge, especially as the Act of Indemnity introduced by King Charles II in England was designed to draw a line under all acts committed during the recent English Civil War. There was dispute as to whether the Act applied in the Isle of Man, and when Illiam Dhone returned to the island after the War, the Earl had him arrested and executed.
‘The Earl and the island’s Deemsters were subsequently summoned to London and vilified by the King; the Deemsters being held in an English prison for a year.
‘On the island, Illiam Dhone became a martyr and folk-hero, a symbol of the island’s cherished freedoms and traditional rights. His occasional spells in prison on charges of misappropriating Manx taxes long forgotten.’
