manx celtic music and dance

Manx themed Christmas school shows

08 Jan 2014

Braddan School White Boys play
Braddan School White Boys play

Ballacottier Infants School staged the Christmas Story with a very Manx twist last term, with their show, The Perfect Location. The children took the audience and the ‘film crew’ on a musical tour of the Island using Manx songs and dances. Interspersed with the narration, the fishermen of Peel sung “King of the Sea”, the mini miners performed “The Laxey Wheel” plus a new mining song written by teacher Katie Lawrence, and the reception year ‘little people’ danced and sang about the Fairy Bridge. The final scene took everyone to a stable in Cregneash where the children gave a lovely rendition of Bob Carswell’s carol, “Yeesey Creest”.

Meanwhile, the Bunscoill Ghaelgagh’s Shirveish y Nollick in St Johns demonstrated the high standard of musicianship at the school. The service took the form of a series of mini improvised scenes by individual classes which told the Christmas story. The programme included songs “Lhig Dooin goll dys Bethlehem” and “Manjoor Beg Babban ny Lhie”, a funky new adaption of the Lord’s Prayer by Aalin Clague, lovely arrangements of “Arrane y Chlean” by the violin club and “Yeesey Creest” by the school’s Club Kiaull, alongside congregational favourites sung in Gaelic.

And to mark the end of term, year 5 pupils at Braddan School performed The White Boys play! Teacher, Lisa Nelson, taught her class the mummers’ play as well as the traditional sword dance.

Chloe Woolley
 

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