Thie dy Vea: Discovering Life and Faith on the Isle of Man

Imagine an island of stunning beauty with long sandy beaches, quaint harbours and hidden coves. Imagine an island of moor and mountain, where the wind is an ever-present companion, wild in winter, gentle in summer. Imagine an island with a rich Christian heritage, myriad carved crosses dating back to Viking and Celtic times, place names that speak of ancient Celtic saints. Imagine an island strategically placed as a base and staging post for monks and missionaries crossing the Irish Sea to evangelise, teach and train.

That island is the Isle of Man, and centuries later it’s still a place where God calls people to step out and adventure in faith. Our own journey of faith began in 2019 when, after many years of prayer, the opportunity arose to establish a retreat house. The vision was for a place of welcome and refreshment, not only for the local community but a place of invitation for people to travel to these shores with the expectation of meeting with God. And so ‘Thie dy Vea’ was born.

Our name means ‘House of Life’ in the Manx Gaelic language. We seek to be a means by which people discover more of the life that God has for them in Jesus. As we look back on our journey, we see how God has brought along the right people to be part of our team at just the right time. We can tell stories of financial provision, as well as stories of sacrifice and the frustrations that went with trying to repurpose a house during the covid years.

We’re located in the fishing town of Peel on the west coast. The town is home to the island’s newly-refurbished Anglican cathedral as well as the ruins of the ancient cathedral which sits within the castle on St. Patrick’s Isle. Both are well-worth a visit. From the house it’s easy to wander and explore the shoreline, to watch seals and seabirds, to climb high for a view westward to Ireland, or simply to be still and savour the fresh sea air and peace of this place. Some of our guests choose to walk the Triskelion Way pilgrimage route or seek out ancient keeills (chapels) dating back a thousand years or more.

Over these last few years we’ve often reflected on God’s call to Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 12, the call to go out to a place that God would show them. It’s hardly a specific set of instructions! Yet it’s a call to obedience and trust. We don’t yet know the directions in which God will take our ministry, we simply seek to attune our ears to God’s voice and to follow.

We’d love you to share in our journey in this special place, even if only for a few days. You might like to make your own pilgrimage in the footsteps of saints of old, and with an open heart discover more of God’s grace and goodness in this place of peace.

David Shirtliff, Warden.  May 2025.