The 134th Manx Music, Speech and Dance Festival concluded on Saturday after eight days of competition celebrating musical and spoken word talent from across the Isle of Man.

Commonly known as ‘The Guild’, the festival ran from Saturday, April 25 to Saturday, May 2 and featured performers of all ages and abilities competing in disciplines including solo singing, poetry reading, instrumental music, choirs, brass bands and dance.

One of the festival’s top honours, the Cleveland Medal, was awarded to soprano Jane Corkill. A pupil of Mrs Eleanor Shimmin BEM, she impressed adjudicators and audiences with performances of works by Handel and Sculthorpe.

Corkill received the medal, donated by the North American Manx Association, from Lieutenant Governor Sir John Lorimer during Friday evening’s final, where she competed against six other finalists.

Several other major competitions were also decided on Friday. Austin Pegg won the Sheffield Plate in the junior singing final following a performance of ‘Blue Moon’.

In the Vocal Duets Final, Simon Fletcher and Lorcan O’Mahony took first place with a lively and humorous rendition of ‘The Two Beggars’.

The festival’s closing night also featured a new addition - an inaugural Eurovision-themed class. Held at the Royal Hall, the event included costumed performances inspired by the song contest’s 70-year history, adding a colourful atmosphere to the finale.

Alongside its musical programme, the festival continued to showcase spoken word disciplines including poetry, speech and drama. Competitions ranged from solo recitations to group performances and news reading.

Among the winners in this category was Ethan Gonsalves, who received the Pat Corrin Memorial Trophy for the junior poetry recital with a performance of ‘The Lake Isle of Innisfree’ by W.B. Yeats.

A spokesperson for The Guild said: ‘The Festival once again showcased outstanding talent and remains a cornerstone of the island’s cultural life, with plans already underway for 2027.’

All photos from The Guild are available from https://www.dkphotography.im/