manx celtic music and dance

Manx Folk Dance Society - Old Mother Redcap's visit

28 May 2015


MFDS - Old Mother Redcap's visit

On Friday 1st May 2015, 12 members of the Manx Folk Dance Society travelled to Milton Keynes to join with Old Mother Redcap's Ladies Morris Team (OMR), whom they met at their 60th Anniversary Festival in 2011, to celebrate the May Bank Holiday weekend. 3 took their own vehicles, 2 flew via Liverpool and 7 flew via Birmingham - they had a delayed start as the Flybe plane was due to depart at 9.35am, but did not leave until 11.50am. Luckily things went smoothly from then on and they managed to catch the 1.20pm fast train to Milton Keynes, arriving at about 2pm to be met by their hosts - this was only about 1 hour later than planned! Everyone met up at Bletchley Park for a good look around this fascinating place. Then it was back to our hosts homes before meeting up in the evening at the Towcester (said Toaster) Mill Brewery for a Tour and explanation of the Real Ale Brewing Process, a sample!, fish & chip supper with a quick dance practice and a good chat! After a restful night, the next morning was spent looking around Stony Stratford, with a walk down to the River Ouse. After a quick lunch they were off to Campbell Park to take part in a May Day Festival. It was a very pretty setting near the lake and very close to a stopping place on the Grand Union Canal. MFDS share an hour of dancing with their hosts, Old Mother Redcap's - mainly performing on their own, but the climax being joint sets for Dance for 3, Hunt the Wren and finally the Train Dance. There was a large, appreciative audience, with many people coming up afterwards to compliment them on the dancing and to claim Manx Relatives. Then Time was spent looking at the stalls, walking by the Canal admiring the many Narrow Boats, including an enterprising ‘Cheese Boat' selling Welsh Cheeses, visiting the Willen Lake, Tree Cathedral and the Peace Pagoda, as well as watching some of the other local Morris Dance Teams. One of the OMR hosts fed about 25 MFDS and OMR a wonderful 2 course sit-down meal with a choice of 5 main courses and 4 desserts! before they headed to Haddenham Ceilidh, approximately 1 hour drive away, to join in the activity and for MFDS to provide entertainment during the interval. There was another large, very appreciative and enthusiastic audience - many of whom were dancers. One of the young men in the Band talked about his Manx Grandfather Cannell. It was a wonderful evening finishing off a busy but enjoyable day.

On the damp morning of Sunday 3rd May, the group visited Milton Keynes Museum. It was a fascinating place, with many knowledgeable volunteer guides in many of the rooms and exhibition areas. A wide range of interests was catered for, with old ‘record' players and mechanical music making machines in the Music Room, through the other normal family rooms from days-gone-by, an area of small shops, shop fronts and other essential parts of an old village e.g. The Chapel, farm area etc.  There was a large area devoted to the development of the Telephone and a Transport Building. It was all very well done and most enjoyable, but the Manx group felt they could have spent much longer there to see and appreciate all the exhibits. Then it was off to Stoke Bruerne, for lunch at the Boat Inn, followed by dancing by a set of Lock Gates on the Grand Union Canal alongside Old Mother Redcap's and the local Rose and Castle Men's Morris Team. The sun shone as the groups took turns to dance to another appreciative audience. As the dancing finished, the dark clouds began to gather and shortly afterwards the rain showers began! There was a short trip on a Canal Boat, the Indian Chief, up to the end of the 2 mile Blisworth Tunnel before returning to the cars to travel back to their hosts' houses before going to the Swinford Harris Church Hall for a wonderful buffet meal, a lot of chatting and some exchange of dances.

On Monday everyone moved on - some to visit family or to enjoy a holiday before going home, while 6 headed to Birmingham International Airport to catch the plane home to the Isle of Man later that day. Those of us flying back from Birmingham had an interesting time!! The train journey, monorail to the Birmingham International Airport, check-in, dropping bags, a quick lunch - with some minor hassle over the bill, security, and direct to boarding - via a bus, all went very smoothly. On time, the plane taxied out, picked up power and began to rush along the runway only to slow down, turn off and stop! It was explained to us that a warning light had come on and was not going off so we would have to go back to the apron for a technician to access and possibly make a quick repair - if not we would be transferred to another plane - which is what they did and we took off and arrived home 1 hour late at 5pm-ish! Not bad considering!

Everyone in both groups had had a wonderful time with a great mix of visits for sight-seeing and dancing. It was OMR first time for hosting a visiting dance group and they should be proud of all they did! All proclaimed it a great success!

[report by Joan Cowell]

Photo of MFDS by the Grand Union Canal at Stoke Bruerne

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