Hunt the Wren: Old Manx Christmas tradition celebrated

The modern tradition does not involve a real wren

One of the Isle of Man's oldest Christmas traditions is being showcased in coin form.

"Hunt the Wren" dates back to beyond written records and is still celebrated in communities around the Island.

The St Stephen's Day custom, marked on 26 December, involves groups of people dancing with a decorated wren pole.

The dance is accompanied by a song telling the tale of the "king of all birds".

Believed to have originated from sacrificial practices, the feathers of the bird were thought to ward off evil in the year to come.

The Manx cultural revival saw the St Stephen's Day tradition rise in popularity

It is based on a folklore tale of an enchantress who lured Manxmen to harm, and was punished by being transformed into a wren to be hunted each year on 26 December.

James Franklin of Manx organisation Culture Vannin said: "knowingly keeping this tradition alive connects us back into a past beyond written history… it is the wonderfully strong sense of place and identity expressed through these traditions which really makes the Island something special."

The custom was once widespread throughout Europe, but in the modern day is only practised in the Isle of Man and Republic of Ireland.

In recent years, though, there has been some revival of the tradition in England.

The new £2 coin, which will be released by Isle of Man Stamps and Coins, depicts a wren alongside the Three Legs of Man.