The Isle of Man is famous as an island full of fairy traditions: in some ways it may be regarded as having the greatest concentration of them in the British Isles. It therefore seems a good place in which to address the problem of what traditional fairy beliefs - those shared by ordinary people until recent times - actually were.
In an enchanting lecture on Friday 14th January 2011 at the Gaiety Theatre, popular British historian Professor Ronald Hutton will explore the intriguing subject of Traditional Fairy Beliefs, including the value that fairy stories served, whether ‘real’ or not.
Professor Hutton lectures at the University of Bristol and frequently appears as a consultant on British television and radio. He is also an author and an authority in a range of subjects, including Britain in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, ancient and medieval paganism, folklore and the global context of witchcraft beliefs. Professor Hutton holds a fellowship at Magdalen College, Oxford and is also a Commissioner of English Heritage.
Anthea Young of Manx National Heritage said;
“Professor Hutton’s timely lecture will be delivered in the centenary of Sophia Morrison much loved story book ‘Manx Fairy Tales’ which was originally published in October 1911.
Sophia Morrison not only shared Professor Hutton’s view that the Island is an exceptional place for folklore and fairy beliefs, but both authors and storytellers demonstrate how an audience can be enchanted by those with a passion for life and literature. I am among many, who will be looking forward to Professor Hutton’s captivating presentation on another fascinating subject.”
‘THERE is at least one spot in the world where Fairies are still believed in, and where, if you look in the right places, they may still be found, and that is the little island from which these stories come - Ellan Vannin, the Isle of Mann...’
Sophia Morrison 1911
Tickets to this lecture are priced at ?10 per adult, ?5 for members of the Friends of Manx National Heritage and ?5 per child, and would make an excellent Christmas gift or stocking filler for those with an interest in our Island’s heritage. All tickets are available at the Manx Museum Heritage Shop, House of Manannan or online at www.manxheritageshop.com.
Ends
Monday 22nd, November 2010 12:28pm.
