The Island Games will return to Manx shores in 2029.
The International Island Games Association (IIGA) confirmed the next event in 2027, will be hosted by the Faroe Islands.
It's planned to take place between 3-9 July 2027.
Meanwhile in 2029, the Island will host the 22nd Island Games on 14-20 July.
The IOM organised the first games in 1985 and then again in 2001.
Chair of the Island Games Bid Committee Gary Corkhill told Manx Radio what work needs take place over the next five years:
Hi I'm Sean, one of the news editors at Manx Radio and the big news over the weekend was that the island games are coming home to the Isle of Man. In 2029 the Isle of Man will be the host island for the games, having hosted the first edition in 1985 and most recently hosted the games in 2001. So just what goes into bringing the games to the island and what needs to be done between now and 2029. Live on Manx Radio Breakfast this morning I spoke to the chair of the bid committee Gary Corkill. It's a fantastic opportunity for the Isle of Man, as you say we have hosted it twice before but it's such a wonderful event that we've been looking forward to re-hosting it for a number of years now and we're delighted that we've finally got the opportunity to bring it as you say back home to the Isle of Man. Now we've known for a while that the Isle of Man has been the preferred candidate for the 2029 games, so just what have you had to do to get this bid over the line? So yes we originally did put a bid in to the International Island Games Association to ask to be a potential host and we were given preferred bidest status, however recently up in Orkney there has been a one year to go event for the next games which has been in Orkney next July and as part of that they have their annual general meeting where all the member islands come together to transact various business and at that meeting then we basically had to put a presentation to the all of the islands about our bid what we could hope to provide for them in an island games and we then have to wait and be basically be voted on by all of the islands to say yes on the and they whether we actually have got the island games for 2029. Now the island last hosted the games in 2001 what's been the legacy since those games? Well I think on this applies to all the islands representatives I spoke to over the weekend it just sort of generates enthusiasm interest in sport right across the board especially some of the newer sports we've seen development in a number of sports since the island games came to the Isle of Man and some of the sports have really run on and got involved in a lot of high-level competition since then it also enthusiasm enthusiast coaches and officials who all want to be part of a successful event. Now I know we've previously heard from government that they have some funds set aside to prepare facilities and what not for these games what work does need to take place between now and 2029? Well we're fortunate in a lot of the facilities especially in and around the National Sports Center have been refurbished over the last six or seven years so while we've still got work to do we're in a really good place we do have ongoing maintenance of all our facilities and we've got a guarantee that that will be continued but we've also got we will also apply for capital funding again as part of the maintenance program for a work on the attract the all-weather pitch at the bowl and the grandstand at the NSC so those are the sort of things over and above the normal maintenance that will be taking place between now and 2029 and over the next five years Gary what does your role now involve are you going to have a busy few years ahead to get everything together? Yes well up to now we've had a there's been a lot of work going on with what we call the bid committee so now that we've done that piece of work we've got our bid accepted we will now start to form an organizing committee so some of those on that bid committee will continue with that role and then we'll expand that out to the people that will be involved in individual pieces of work in in terms of the games and we're now talking about all the coach coordinators people to look at sponsorship, metal ceremonies or all those things that go together to other games so all those five years away it will quite quickly come along to us as far as the work is concerned for preparing for those games. Thank you for making it to the end of the Manx Radio newscast you are obviously someone with exquisite taste may I politely suggest you might want to subscribe to this and a wide range of Manx Radio podcasts at your favorite podcast provider so our best bits will magically appear on your smartphone thank you [BLANK_AUDIO]
