A new film has just been released online exploring a little-known aspect of a traditional Manx Christmas.

The film on the ‘Oie’ll Verree and the Manx carval tradition’ was produced by Culture Vannin and focuses on the unusual church service of Christmas Eve.

James Franklin, online and education resources officer at Culture Vannin, said: ‘The Isle of Man has many interesting traditions, and this tradition of Christmas Eve is one we have always wanted to tell people more about.

‘The most famous accounts of this event focus on the vicar being ejected from the church and youths having fun throwing peas at one another and laughing at the foolishly overly-serious singers of these carvals.’

The Manx word, ‘carval,’ is derived from the English ‘carol,’ although the Manx religious verses bear no relation to the jolly songs we might hear sung at Christmas services today.

Traditional carvals were earnest and serious, sometimes of up to 60 verses in length, dealing with themes such as sin, the threats of ill-living, or Biblical examples of punishments meted out to sinners.

The main event at which these carvals were performed was on Christmas Eve, at an Oie’ll Verree.

Scholars today think that the Manx term comes from the word Vehr (to give birth), with the church service marking the birth of Christ.

In spite of the solemnity of the occasion, the Oie’ll Verree service was sometimes full of humour and disorder. The first mention we have of an Oie’ll Verree service comes from Ballaugh in 1705.

It is only recorded here because two men were brought to court for starting a fight, where they used branches from the holly, which was decoration, to batter each other.

Mr Franklin explains that the long-standing tradition tells us much about Manx life from the early 18th century through until the end of the 19th century.

To tell the story, Culture Vannin called on Dr Marie Clague, the island’s expert on traditional Manx carvals.

In the film her interview is shown alongside the singing of Phil Gawne, as he delivers the carval, ‘She shoh yn laa,’ in a candle-lit Rushen Parish Church.

The film, ‘Oie’ll Verree and the Manx carval tradition,’ is available on the Culture Vannin website or YouTube page, along with a Manx Gaelic version.