Tynwald Day in Isle of Man ― Date, History, and Details
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History of Tynwald Day in Isle of Man and How to Celebrate/ Observe It
Tynwald Day is an annual national holiday in the Isle of Man, celebrating the island’s parliament, the Tynwald. The day always falls on 5 July, and is marked by a ceremony at Tynwald Hill in St John’s, where the laws enacted by the Tynwald are read out.
The Tynwald is the oldest continuous parliament in the world, having been founded in 979 AD. It is made up of two chambers, the House of Keys (lower house) and the Legislative Council (upper house). The 24 members of the House of Keys are elected by the people of the Isle of Man, while the Legislative Council is made up of 11 members appointed by the House of Keys, plus the island’s Attorney General and the Speaker of the House of Keys.
The Tynwald meets twice a year, on 5 July (Tynwald Day) and on Christmas Day. On Tynwald Day, the laws that have been passed by the Tynwald during the previous year are read out at the ceremony on Tynwald Hill. This tradition dates back to the early days of the Tynwald, when laws were written in Old Norse and read out to the people in their native language.
After the laws have been read out, the Tynwald Hill is open to the public, who can walk up to the top of the hill and enjoy the views. There is also a market and fair held in St John’s on Tynwald Day, which is a great opportunity to sample some of the island’s traditional food and drink.