One of the key figures in the Michael Players was given an award during last weekend’s Oie’ll Verree concert.

Chrissy Cannell, who regularly features in the plays, along with organising the local amateur group, was awarded the ’Yn Glickyr’ trophy by David Corlett, on behalf of Michael Commissioners.

The ’’Yn Glickyr’ award is awarded each year during the Oie’ll Verree concert to the person who has contributed most to Manx culture in the parish of Michael throughout the year.

The Michael Players are unique in that they are the only theatre group who perform Manx Dialect plays, most of which were written by Manx playwrights in the late Victorian era up until the 1930s.

The first records of the Michael Players performing the plays is from 1919 and, despite a break during the years around the second world war, have be performing ever since.

Mike Clague, the organiser and compere of the Oie’ll Verree concerts, said that they felt that Chrissy, thanks to her work with the Michael Players, was a deserving recipient.

’The Michael Players are a firm part of the Oie’ll Verree concert, and we wanted to highlight Chrissy’s work with the group,’ said Mike.

’The Michael Players do a great job of keeping the dialect plays in the forefront and we look forward to them every year.’

The Michael Players were also awarded the Reih Bleeaney Vanannan award, presented by Culture Vannin for services to Manx Culture, in 2017.