If anyone wishes to discover what the Isle of Man is about and hopes to be able to make an effective delivery of Manx folktales, one must pull back the Cloak of Manannan and reveal the beauty of the island's people, history, beliefs, and culture.
As with many cultures of Europe, development of the current culture is not the product of a homogenized group of people over time. The Isle of Man is a product of the collisions of several cultures through the centuries, and the ability of the people involved to take the debris from those collisions, or collusions if you will, and evolve.
The Island has been ruled through the years by the 'Natives', those whose origins are not known for sure, but the remnants of their lives are dug up by archeologists, and analyzed by anthropologists. Those 'Natives' were conquered somewhat by the Irish, the Vikings, the Scottish, and the Tribes of Britain. Each time a change was made in governance, there was also an adaptation of the belief system and culture, but the oldest roots of their folklore has survived each bout with change. Even the juggernaut of the Holy Roman church could not quell the mysteries of the island.
From the belief in the fairy folk or 'Themselves' to the mysterious goings on when Manannan shrouds the Island in his cloak, to the modern tales of ghosts, bugganes, witches, fairy pigs, and the Moddy Dooh, the history of the Island is woven into the fabric of the folklore. If you want to take on the folklore of the Island, get to know the Island. You will find it under Manannan's cloak.
The photo at the top of the post shows "The Cloak of Manannan" spreading over the Isle of Man. https://www.flickr.com/photos/raycollister/3237841262/
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