27 July 2026
PO Box 986 Douglas Isle of Man IM99 2TB
Isle of Man News

A celebration of Manx May Day

Proud of your heritage? Want to learn more? Then this is for you. A celebration of Manx May Day (Laa Boaldyn) will take place at Cregneash on Monday, May 6.

The event will include a variety of activities for visitors throughout the afternoon, including the opportunity to learn about the folklore and traditions of the Manx May Day through music, dance and storytelling.

Vicky Dale, Event Manager for Laa Boaldyn said: “Manx May Day celebrations represent a time between the death of winter and the rebirth of summer, which was thought to be a particularly dangerous time in Manx folklore.

“Midnight on May Day Eve was a time when witches and fairies were considered to be at their most threatening and a series of traditions arose to allay fears and protect the Manx people and their livestock from danger. 

“The principal form of protection against mischievous fairies was the crosh cuirn, made from a rowan or mountain ash and placed above the door of the house, the cow shed and even tied to the cows’ tails. That certainly must have been an unusual sight.”

Manx May Day

The event will begin at 10am until 4pm and everyone is welcome.

The Village Tearooms will be offering traditional Manx fare including freshly-made bonnag.  Perree Bane will be performing in the village at noon and 2pm.

Standard admission charges apply (free entry for children and with Annual Pass, Holiday Pass or Partner Pass).

Find out more at manxnationalheritage.im.

Charlie Morrey is a Broadcast & Multi Media Journalist for Manx.News and also is a Presenter on Energy FM. Charlie has previously written for Isle of Man Newspapers, magazines and also started her broadcasting career with Manx Radio.

3 Comments

Leave a Reply