Sara Goodwins was officially inaugurated as the Manx Bard 2017 at an event that was a celebration of Manx poetry and music.

The ceremony was hosted by Paul Costain in a barn at his farm in Gansey.

An invited audience which included the Lieutenant Governor, Sir Richard Gozney, enjoyed a ’poetry trail’, visiting alcoves around the barn each dedicated to a well known Manx poet and being treated to readings along the way.

Annie Kissack started the trail reading from the works of Esther Nelson (1810 - 1843) who left behind some of the most beautiful poetry ever written in the Isle of Man.

Although she spent all of her short life living in the north of the island, Annie told the audience: ’In her imagination Esther Nelson went all over the world.’

The Hon Noel Cringle read from the poetry of T. E Brown, the first Manx Bard - ’If we’d never gone farther and never fared worse’ being a famous line often quoted. The farmers in the audience especially appreciated the relish with which he extolled the virtues of middens.

Other lyrical highlights included Phil Gawne singing Paul Lebiedzinki’s topical ode to the trials of ferry travel and his reading of Paul’s haunting ’Thatching Down South’, and there was much amusement when John ’Dog’ Callister, the 2016 Manx Bard, performed his very popular poem ’There’s a Boat in the Morning’.

There was also music from the Manx Gaelic choir, Caarjyn Cooidjaghst, the Mollag Band and harpist Mera Royle, and Paul Costain brought house down when he sang ’the Pride of Purt Le Moirrey’.

Following that it was time for Juan Watterson, Speaker of the House of Keys, to open the gold envelope, which held the name of the Manx Bard 2017.

Sara Goodwins was then presented with a cloak, hat and staff and performed one of her poems ’Legends or Leg-ends?’.

Sara was chosen from more than 10 other poets who put their names forward to the Manx Bard committee. Its chairman, Bridget Carter, said: ’This was our biggest inauguration event yet and it will continue to grow each year.

’Each Manx Bard receives a stipend to help them through the year and we let them put their own stamp on their Bard year. Previous Bards have been very different and this year’s winner is different again - I’m very excited about our choice.’

The Manx Bard is sponsored by the Isle of Man Arts Council and endorsed by Manx Litfest.

You can find out more about our Manx poets, authors and playwrights at www.manxliterature.com