CHURCH bells around the Isle of Man welcomed the
beginning of the London 2012 Olympics.
The Diocese of Sodor and Man Joined Big Ben, many other churches and countless individuals across the British Isles by ringing for a full three minutes at 8.12am.
Turner Prize-winning conceptual artist Martin Creed devised the idea, which has been named Work No. 1197: All The Bells In A Country Rung As Quickly And As Loudly As Possible For Three Minutes and commissioned by the official London 2012 Festival – and it appears to have captured the public mood.
The Isle of Man bell ringers, meanwhile, will ring the bells of St George’s in Upper Church Street, Douglas, between midday and 12.30pm to mark the opening, at the time suggested by its govening body, The Central Council of Church Bell Ringers.
Bishop of Sodor and Man Robert Paterson said: ‘We all know that Martin Creed’s project is a very late-planned event and that it should have been thought of much sooner but there’s no point being silly: life’s too short!
‘Big Ben will be ringing from 08.12 to 08.15 tomorrow, and bells of this diocese will be too.’
Find out more about Martin Creed’s project at www.allthebells.com
