With a number of villages, communities and clubs hosting their annual mhelliah recently, we spoke to some organisers and attendees about why the traditional auction remains a staple in the Manx calendar.

Mhelliah celebrations are held traditionally at the end of summer or harvest time and date back hundreds of years.

One of the oldest records dates back to 1811 as described by Manx researcher Stephen Miller.

George Woods had been present at a mhelliah on the Calf of Man and explained that dancing was common practice and ‘the labourers had plenty of ale, and the master dealt out his excellent rum with a cautious, not sparing hand’. Some traditions have certainly continued.

The Central Young Farmers attracted a large crowd to the The Crosby Pub with a lot of local produce up for grabs.

They raised around £3,700 for MS Society.

Emily Christian, Eva Jones, Jenny Cain and Caitlin McKeown make up the Central Young Farmers committee. Jenny said: ‘We’re starting our 90th birthday celebrations along with one of the other clubs on the island and this is our first event to celebrate that.

‘We’re so grateful of everything we get and everything is getting harder and harder at the moment.

‘We’re constantly pestering members, friends, families for stuff to sell.

‘I speak to people who don’t know what a mhelliah is, I think it’s a great thing for local communities.’

Adam Kinvig was at the mhelliah at The Crosby and said he thinks these events ‘brings people together’. He added: ‘It brings so many people to the same place and you’re raising money for a good cause.

‘It’s a good laugh, and they’re really big for people. The two auctioneers, Boosh Kerruish and Michael Taggart, they can sell anything.’

Foxdale AFC packed out the Baltic Inn for their auction on the weekend.

Andrew McKeown, chairman of Foxdale AFC and auctioneer, said: ‘I’ve been involved with mhelliahs all my life with being a young farmer in my younger days.

‘We had them in the Lancashire Hotel (Santon), the Halfway House (Crosby), Central Hotel/Farmers Arms (St John’s), all of them pubs have now sadly disappeared.

‘Mhelliahs are a big fundraiser for local communities, they’re a big part of communities.

‘It doesn’t matter where you go to one, but they’re especially good in the country side, people in the country aren’t afraid of spending some money.

‘I’ve actually once sold a Christmas cake for £3,000 in the Baltic at the Foxdale mhelliah before.

‘Most people won’t remember how big a mhelliah was, there used to be one every Friday and Saturday night.

‘I think they have died out, and it is concerning, but it’s all about fundraising and you’ve got to have someone with drive and determination, we couldn’t do this without Hannah Brockhouse!’

Lorcan Keating and Corbyn Schade haven’t been to many mhelliahs but understand the importance of them. Lorcan said: ‘This is my second mhelliah and I’ve just joined Foxdale, it’s a great opportunity to raise money for the club and brings the community close together.

Corbyn added: ‘They generate huge amounts of money but the main thing is bringing people inside the Baltic.’