Motorbike Leathers

Way, way bac during lockdown, I had an idea for a story set at Honey Hill Farm. Every so often, but not often enough, I do a little thinking, a little research  for this novel. When we were in Laxey at the weekend, I spied a group of three bikers sunning themselves on Laxey Prom, and I asked a few questions. 

The information from that conversation is:

• Motorbike leathers are fantastic for protecting the skin when you come off your bike. If you don't wear leathers (or an equivalent) then you don't care about your skin. 
• Wearing leathers on a hot sunny day is fine, as long as your are in motion. When you stop at traffic lights, or in a queue they quickly become incredibly hot. 
• The leathers can deflect a bit of light rain. However, they are NOT waterproof. To keep dry in the rain, wear a rain cover over the top of the leathers. 
• If you are caught in the rain, the leathers will soak up huge amounts of water, and become very heavy, and also cold. They can take quite some time to dry out.

Crosh Cuirn

The information here has been edited from a description of a Crosh Cuirn at the Manx Museum. I'll be including a mention of a crosh cuirn in the story of Honey Hill Farm.

A crosh cuirn is a traditional Manx protective charm, often hung above doorways to prevent evil spirits from entering homes on May eve. It is a wooden cross, made from twigs of mountain ash (rowan) bound together with sheep's wool gathered from the hedgerows. The rowan tree was seen as having magical powers which made it a powerful charm against evil spirits, but only if broken by hand and not cut with a knife.

Traditionally at May eve (the beginning of summer and end of winter), crosh cuirns would be placed over the doors of cottages and cowsheds to stop evil spirits from entering. They would also be tied to the tails of cattle, to stop the cattle being bewitched. 

Most people no longer believe in ill-spirits and witches being about on May eve, but many still put up crosh cuirns every year. It is probably fair to say that they are now seen as a symbol of Manx cultural identity, rather than anything else.