The Guernsey Irishmen – The Men from Guernsey who fought with the Irish in WWI
At the outbreak of war in August 1914 the Guernsey the Militia was mobilised in order to free the Regular Army units of the garrison for overseas service. The States of Guernsey decided to offer volunteers from the Militia to serve overseas. The majority in 1915 went to the 16th Irish Division. This is their story.
Death & Retribution in the Priory of Notre Dame de Lihou
Lihou island off of Guernsey’s west coast, at first, looks like a tranquil, if not rugged, haven of peace and security. But there is a darker more salacious history to it that would even make readers of today’s gossip mags gasp. In this article we look at foul murders and dark deeds in what was supposed to be a place of spiritual contemplation and service for God.
The Book of Ebenezer Le Page – Quintessential Guernsey eh !
If you’ve ever stumbled across ‘The Book of Ebenezer Le Page’ (by G.B. Edwards, first published in 1981) and wondered if it’s worth the read – well, here is Guernsey Donkey’s humble opinion on the matter … read on
Old Guernésiais Cures, Remedies & Superstitions
Being a small community isolated from the rest of the world it’s no surprise that Guernsey used to posses a rich set of folklore tales, ancient cures and remedies for ailments and many superstitious tales. In this article we’ve gathered together some of the more intriguing and somewhat amusing wisdom of the old Guernésiais folk.
Gourmet Guernsey – Seared Scallops and Bacon
The waters around Guernsey are bursting with succulent sea food. None more so than Guernsey scallops. Try this mouth watering recipe with what I consider the king of all shellfish – Guernsey Scallops.
Game for a Laugh – Some Channel Island Jokes
If you can’t laugh at yourselves every once in a while then something is seriously lacking. here we’ve gathered together a few Channel Island Jokes that play on the rivalries and stereotypes we as islanders like to apply to each other.
A Shipwreck and a lot of Wine and Laughter : Guernsey gets Merry
There may yet still be some people who can remember the strange wreck of a ship on the rocks at Albecq on October 1st 1937, the result of which caused a lot of drinking, laughter and general merryment.
The Night Castle Cornet Exploded
Around midnight on Sunday 29 December 1672 the Governor of Guernsey, Viscount Christopher Hatton, was suddenly awoken – by hailstones on his face. His mother lay dead beneath the remains of a ceiling and his house lay in ruins around him. This was the night that Castle Cornet literally exploded around its’ occupants.
Local Historic Figures and Celebrities – Can you name them ?
Moores Hotel has a rather curious mural on the wall of it’s upper level – a pantheaon of Baliwick historical figures and modern day celebreties (including a rather curious cat) … but can you name them ?
Wordsmith – Test your Guernsey French
Guernsey French is theoretically the mother tongue of our island home, Guernsey. However it is dying out rapidly. So how many of these Guernsey French words do you know (or can guess)? Improve and test your Patois wordpower by matching each of the words below to one of the multiple possible definitions.
Old Guernsey Proverbs and Sayings
We’ve gathered together here some of the old Guernésiais proverbs and sayings that time seems to have forgotten.
The Centenary of the Unveiling of the Victor Hugo Statue
July 7th 2014 was the centenary of one of the most iconic statues in Guernsey today – The Victor Hugo Statue in the grounds of Candie Gardens. It was a gift to the island from the French Goverment in gratitude for the hospitality shown to Hugo during is exile. It was a spectacular event in the islands history.
Scandal & Heresy in the Priory of Notre Dame de Lihou ?
Archaeological excavations of the Priory on Lihou island have unearthed, quite literally, some intriguing details about who lived there and has raised some serious question questions about what they might have been up too !
When ‘The Prince of Wales’ brought Slaughter and Mayhem to Guernsey
From the loss of Normandy by King John in 1204 until the Papal Bull of Pope Sixtus IV in 1480 granting the Channel Islands neutrality, Guernsey suffered frequent attacks, sieges and invasions at the hands of the French. One of the bloodiest and best recorded was an invasion which was immortalised in the Guernsey folk ballad La Déscente des Aragousais or The Ballad of Yvon de Galles.
Guernsey Legends – The Sorcerer of Les Landes
There are many Guernsey legends but few as strange as the “The Sorcerer of Les Landes”
