Home / Arts and Entertainment / Stop-Motion Magic: Isle of Man's Old Tale
Stop-Motion Magic: Isle of Man's Old Tale
17 May
Summary
- Stop-motion animation brings a 19th-century Manx folktale to life.
- Film honors Isle of Man's cultural heritage and language.
- Created as part of the Year of the Manx Language 2026.
A new stop-motion animation, "Yn Shenn Dooinney as ny Ferrishyn" (The Old Man and the Fairies), revives a 19th-century folktale for a contemporary audience, honoring the Isle of Man's cultural heritage.
Animator Lily-Joy Lancashire created the film as part of Culture Vannin's Treisht26 projects, marking the Year of the Manx Language 2026. The story, based on a tale recorded in the late 1800s, depicts a grumpy farmer whose sleep is disrupted by mischievous fairies.
Lancashire, passionate about stop-motion's tactile nature, crafted the two-and-a-half-minute film over several months in her home. The animation features Manx narration by Jamys Kinry, optional English subtitles, and a musical score by Matteo Ressa inspired by traditional Manx music.
The film premiered at the Manx Museum's "Mind Your Language" exhibition and is now accessible online. Lancashire sees the project as a "small way of contributing" to the island's "big story" and aims to pass on values through accessible, age-old myths.
