EARLY IN THE NINTH CENTURY a great emigration from Scandinavia began .It took two directions, one the Danish to the north-east of England, the other the Norse to the coasts of the Shetlands, Orkneys, Northern Scotland, the Western Isles, Ireland, and the Isle of Mann. In the year 852 (A.D.) the Norse sea king, Olave the White, reached Ireland with a large fleet and founded a Norse principality at Dublin. At the same period the Isle of Mann must also have received numerous Norse colonists, but they do not seem to have been strong enough to subdue the native inhabitants till a later date. Most of the Scandinavian names in the Isle of Mann have had the Celtic 'Mac' prefixed, the contraction of which has very much altered their form. These names are not so common now as they were in the 16th century. 

COWLEY, and KEWLEY (pronounced COWLAH and KEOLAH), contracted from MacAulay, the shortened form of MacAmhlaibh, 'Anlaf's or Olaf's son.' 

The Scandivavian name ANLEIFR, ALEFER, OLAFR was rendered by ANLAF in the Saxon Chronicle, and by AMHLABH in the Irish Chroniclers; thus RIGH AMHLAB was King Olave the White in Dublin. We have it in the form AULAFIR* on the cross at Kirk Michael, and on the cross at Ballaugh in the curious form OULAIBR, which Dr. Vlgfusson says is unique. OLAF was a royal name in Mann and must at one time been common. 

The derivation from OLAF seems most probable; but it so happens that the native Irish name AMHALGHADA was also pronounced AULAY. 

ÓLÁFR was a favorite proper name in the North, and was common both in the Landnámabóc and the Flateyjarbóc. Some of our COWLEYS may be of English origin, but KEWLEY is a purely Manx name.

In the parishes where COWLEY is common, KEWLEY is rare, and vice versa. 

MACCOWLEY [1564], COWLEY [1587], KEWLEY [1611], COWLAY [1626]. 

COWLEY-Lezayre, Ballaugh, Maughold (c), elsewhere (u). 
KEWLEY-Braddan, Marown, Lonan (c), elsewhere (u). 

There are many Manx proverbs or sayings which have been used over the centuries, although little used if at all these days. Here are a couple of them that I like: 

Yn taitnys smoo ayns bea te ayns jannoo shen ta'n sleih gra nagh vod mayd jannoo 
The greatest pleasure in life lies in doing that which people say we cannot do. 

Ny cappanyn sharroo va shin streeu dy scughey ersooyl voin ta cummal yn medshin smoo ta shin feme jeh 
The bitter cup we strive to remove from us holds the medicine we are most in need of. 

Tra ta'n ghrian ersooyl, cha vod ooilley ny cainleyn ayns y seihll jannoo soilshey yn laa 
When the sun is gone, all the candles in the world cannot make daylight. 

This site is maintained by Steven Cowley.
  08/29/99