Shelg yn Drean Isle of Man coin celebrates Manx Folk Tradition

Dating back beyond written records, the ancient Tradition of "Hunt the Wren" (Manx: Shelg yn Drean) takes place on December 26th, Saint Stephen's Day. One of the Isle of Man's oldest Christmas traditions has now being celebrated with the issue of an Isle of Man £2 coin. It is said that the tradition goes back to pre-Christian times, the origins of which are now not clear. However, it is seen as a way to ward off evil and to bring good luck in the year ahead. The tradition of 'Hunt the Wren', is celebrated particularly in the Celtic nations of Ireland (Éire) and Isle of Man (Mannin). 

On the Isle of Man the celebration involves a circular dance, with a pole, decorated in ivy and displaying the artificial body of a wren held in the middle. A procession of dancers, singers and musicians, parade through the streets and lanes of some of the main towns and villages of the Island. In Ireland the pole is also paraded through the villages and towns by people dressed up in masks and straw suits, accompanied by bands of musicians. December 26th, is the Feast Day of Saint Stephen in the western Christian church. It is the day in the Christian calender that remembers Stephen who was said to have been the first Christian martyr, who was stoned to death by Jewish authorities in c.34 having been accused of blasphemy.