Laa Luanys film

Laa Luanys film

Tue, 01 Aug 2017

A new short video has been released to mark Laa Luanys, a point in the year which has been celebrated for centuries by the Manx people.

At the start of August Manx people would climb the hills of the Isle of Man in an act of homage and tradition which lasted for centuries and bridged great breaks in belief and religion. Starting as a Celtic act of faith for the god, Lug, the practice of ascending places such as Snaefell and South Barrule was transferred into the Christian tradition in the 18th Century. The practice of holding an act of devotion on the hill-tops continued into modern times, most famously through a service held in Manx Gaelic and led by the great Tom Taggart on his 'fiddle'.

Something of this practice was recreated by Matt Creer and Josephine Evans, who we filmed climbing South Barrule to perform Tom Taggart's favourite hymn, 'Crofton,' as well as explaining something of the custom.

The film, as well as other resources about the tradition, are available on a newly-created part of our Manx Year section of our website:

The Manx Year: Laa Luanys