10th April 2026: Manx Utilities tries to legalise the Three Legs of Mann 😽

Morning yessirs. Hope you've got a brew on. This week:

Settle in.

We love a deeply Isle of Man story at The Daily Tail, and this one is as Manx as the hills.

In 2019, local builder Bryan Callister, with an abundance of stones and patriotism, spent 12 whole weeks shifting over ONE HUNDRED TONS of stone up the island's second highest peak to build a huge Three Legs of Mann on the face of North Barrule. A truly legendary effort to express his appreciation for the homeland. He then applied for planning permission to paint it white, withdrew the application, and painted it white anyway. Who knew you needed planning permission to put stones in a field, eh?

A shocking twist came in summer 2024, when a rage-fuelled triskelion hater - probably from Guernsey - climbed the hill and painted the stones grey so the sculpture completely vanished from view. What could be the reasoning behind undermining all poor Bryan’s hard work? Well they told us, via the medium of hill based poetry, leaving this attached to the sculpture:

Which is, I have to admit, actually very nice.

Days later, four lads — Jacob, Paddy, Jake and Nic — were none too pleased to see Bryan’s hard graft undone, and hauled massive tins of white paint up the mountain on their backs to restore the legs to their former visible glory.

Now landowner Manx Utilities has asked DEFA for a Certificate of Lawfulness to make the whole thing legal after the fact, and put up signs asking people not to repaint without permission. Will this put an end to the great stone paint wars of North Barrule?

So here's the question, yessirs. On one hand: a giant white Three Legs of Mann visible for miles, built by one man with his bare hands, celebrating Manx identity on a Manx hillside. Hard not to love. On the other: a protected landscape, a bit of rare wild beauty, and a poet who reckons the hills speak for themselves without needing a 100-foot logo stamped on them.

Are we Team Legs of Mann or Team Natural Stone? Drop us a line and tell us why at [email protected] with the subject line "North Barrule" and we'll print the best replies in the next issue. Bonus points for poetry.

Ronaldsway Airport sits on the coast. If a plane ever went down in the sea, you'd want a rescue boat ready to go. Sounds sensible enough, right? The Department of Infrastructure agreed, and in 2019, they went ahead and bought one.

£87,057 for the boat. £58,000 for a new slipway in Derbyhaven. £100,000 for a tractor to launch it (bought back in 2012 for the old boat, but still on the tab). £20,600 for crew training. £15,969 for dry suits and tracking equipment. £1,650 for the trailer. £2,300 in maintenance. Total: £285,578.

All passing the vibe check so far, were it not for one teeny tiny detail… in late 2021, the crew training was quietly abandoned because the required level of training was deemed unattainable.

Now I’m no aeroplane-boat-rescue-implementation-project-manager, but it might have been wise to realise the training required was impossible to implement before buying all the stuff.

To round it off nicely: when someone submitted a freedom of information request asking about all this, the Department of Infrastructure took nine months to respond and has since been formally criticised by the Information Commissioner for handling it poorly. The original response also disappeared from the government website after a data breach and was never restored.

So yeah, next time there’s £285,578 going for sea rescue services I suggest we invest it in training a herd of rescue seals instead 🦭 Or just save the money and pray to Aquaman.

The heating oil saga rumbles on, but with a glimmer of accountability. Jason Moorhouse — MHK for Arbory, Castletown and Malew, and increasingly the man asking the questions nobody else is — has tabled a written question to the Office of Fair Trading chair Tim Glover, asking how the price charged to domestic suppliers for heating oil is actually decided. Mr Glover has until Tuesday 14 April to answer. Although I’m pretty sure the price of oil is set by how many private jets the Middle East has sent to Trump that month.

Remember the Smile Dental Care closure from last week? Well, the story has even more bite to it now. John McLaughlan, a pensioner from Ballaugh, had been making the trek by bus and taxi from Ballaugh to Hillside Dental in Douglas to get a new top denture fitted because his old one wouldn't fit. He'd had the impression done, was waiting for the call to come back for the fitting, and then on Tuesday morning he got a text cheerfully informing him his appointment had been cancelled and would not be rescheduled until they reopen. In September.

It was supposed to re-open this month, but the Cottage Hospital has now been found to need further structural repairs, pushing it back to post-summer. So John, and presumably a lot of other patients in the middle of treatment, are going to have to manage without functioning teeth for quite some time. We’re considering starting a GoFundMe for a purée roast dinner delivery service in these troublingly toothless times.

A gentle reminder that politics on this island is still a small-town affair: a woman in the public gallery of the House of Keys was escorted out for shouting at Chief Minister Alf Cannan during a debate on Steam Packet fuel surcharges. The CM was responding to that same Jason Moorhouse with his usual reassurances; somebody in the gallery yelled out that he hadn't actually answered the question; Speaker Juan Watterson had to step in and have her removed. Democracy in action.

The best bit came after. The woman in question popped up on TikTok with a video explaining that she was just a frustrated citizen who "couldn't keep her mouth shut," encouraging everyone to attend Tynwald sittings — but adding the very sensible note: "I highly recommend you don't heckle."

With the Grand National on Saturday, the Jockey Club have posted a YouTube video about two retired winners now living their best lives in Andreas. Hedgehunter, who won in 2005 and is the oldest living Grand National winner, and Ballabriggs, who won in 2011, are both happily retired at Ballaseyr Stud. Both belonged to the late Trevor Hemmings, the billionaire businessman who basically had a hobby of winning the world's most famous horse race. Three times, in fact. Not bad for a guy who started out as a bricklayer. Worth a look if you're feeling sentimental about big horses standing in fields.

Sad news for the Douglas wine appreciators among you: Vino, the wine bar and shop on North Quay, has announced it will close its doors for good on Saturday 9 May after many years of trading. The owners cited "ongoing challenges" in the trade and the end of their lease as the reasons. They're far from alone — across England and Wales, 366 pubs closed permanently in 2025, averaging one a day, and the numbers are expected to get worse in 2026 as business rates relief dries up. The good news is the online wine business will continue, so if you've got a favourite from there you can still get it delivered. The less-good news is that's one less spot to nurse a glass of something nice and watch the harbour move past. Cries in alcoholic 🍷😢

🍺 CAMRA Beer & Cider Festival, Villa Marina (Thu 9 – Sat 11) — Over 120 ales and 50 ciders. Now in its 13th year. Bring a designated walker and a loose waistband.

🎷 Beccy Rork with Blue Vannin, Erin Arts Centre Jazz Club, Port Erin (Fri 10) — Saxophonist Beccy Rork returns for the first of three Manx dates. Proper jazz in a proper room.

🎸 Dusty Plankton Album Launch, The Institute, Laxey (Sat 11, 6pm) — Local legends Dusty Plankton launch their new album. If you know, you know.

😂 Tom Davis: Spudgun, Gaiety Theatre (Sat 11) — The big lad from King Gary, Taskmaster, and the Wolf and Owl podcast brings his stand-up to Douglas. Loud, daft, and very funny.

🏎️ Manx National Rally (Sat 11 – Sun 12) — Cars going fast around the island, as nature intended. Check manxautosport.org for stage times and spectator points.

🦕 The Dino Express (Sat 11 – Mon 13) — Steam train from Douglas to Ballasalla, then a bus to Rushen Abbey for a full dinosaur experience. One for the kids. Or adults who never grew out of their Jurassic Park phase.

🚶 Archibald Knox Walking Tour (Sat 11 – Sun 12) — Guided countryside walks through the landscapes that inspired the famous Manx designer. Led by Catriona Livingstone. Good for the soul.

🎵 Also gigging this weekend: Totally Eighties then house DJ at Jaks (Fri) · Ian Thompson at Sam Webb's (Fri) then Frank Matcham's (Sat) · The Clypse at Quids Inn (Sat) · Robyn Leigh Freestone at the Conister Arms (Fri & Sat, 9pm–3am) · Ka-Ray-Oke at Jaks (Sun) · Traditional sessions at The Mitre, Ramsey (Fri) and The Manor, Willaston (Sun)

⛴️ Ferry warning: Six Steam Packet sailings are at risk this weekend due to forecast bad weather. If you're heading to Aintree for the Grand National, check your sailing before you leave the house. Saturday's 8.30am Douglas–Heysham on the Manxman is among those affected — final call at 6.30am Saturday.

Do you have a gripe, some hot off the press goss, or a funny story? Be our first ever letter writer and secure your place in Daily Tail history, drop us a line at [email protected]

Did you lock eyes with Mr Right at Bushy’s, or bump into your future wife in Marks & Spencer and wish you’d said hello?

Send your Missed Connections to [email protected] with the subject line 'Missed Connection.' If your person gets in touch, we'll play cupid. This island is too small for what-ifs ❤️

If you do go on a date, please send us a photo 📸

That's your lot for today yessirs. If you're at the beer festival this weekend, pace yourself — there are 120 ales and only one of you. If you're heading to Aintree, check your ferry first. And if you spot anyone hauling paint up North Barrule, mind your own business.

See you next time.

— The Daily Tail 😽