Series of winter heritage talks launched

The series of talks will all be held at the Erin Arts Centre

A series of talks about the cultural heritage of the south of the Isle of Man are set to run throughout the winter months.

Organised by Rushen Heritage Trust, the cover folklore, agriculture and aviation, as well as a look into a number of historic sites in the southern parish.

The programme, running from November to April, follows a series of exhibitions throughout the summer which were hosted at Rushen Heritage Centre on Bridson Street.

Robert Graham, Chairman of the charity said the range of topics covered in the programme had been designed to "pique the interest of everyone".

The charity had "tried to get as diverse a range of topics as possible", he said.

The season will begin with the premier of a film charting the history of Colby River, which was commissioned by Arbory and Rushen Commissioners.

Its screening at the Erin Arts Centre on 4 November will be followed by a question and answer session with narrator Phil Gawne and chairman of the authority Jane Glover.

The Rushen Heritage Centre will open two days a week as a winter warm space

The winter programme also features a talk by Ivor Ramsden on 24 years of the Manx Aviation and Military Museum on 2 December.

Events planned for early 2024 include farmer and captain of Arbory Parish Paul Costain on the history of Moorhouse farm and the Isle of Man’s agricultural heritage, journalist and writer Julie Blackburn on the history of Collinson House.

The series will be rounded off with talks on Chapel Hill, Balladoole, by Manx National Heritage curator of archaeology Allison Fox, and the folklore of Port St Mary by Culture Vannin's James Franklin.

All of the talks will take place at the Erin Arts Centre, with tickets bookable in advance.

Between November and February, the Rushen Heritage Centre building on Bridson Street, which hosts exhibitions and tourist information during the summer, will be opened as a winter warm space in the village on Mondays and Wednesdays from 14:00 to 16:00 GMT.