Valerie Caine's blog

Local girl, Ali Foster, will be lining up on the grid in the Newcomers B Class and Supertwin races at this year's Manx Grand Prix, with the realisation that she will finally be fulfilling a lifetime's ambition to race on the TT course.

Originally from Douglas, but now living in Foxdale, Alison comes from a family who've long been involved with motorcycle racing, including her cousins David and Decca Kelly, former winners at the Manx Grand Prix.

Despite on-going road works and changeable weather conditions, crowds flocked to the Royal Manx Agricultural Show, held at Knockaloe Farm in Patrick, for an extensive programme of events over two days.

With its friendly atmosphere and family based activities, there was something for everyone, together with a wide range of eateries to suit all tastes and lots of interesting ideas for those seeking new hobbies or pastimes.

Presented as a 'docu-musical tribute', The Green Fields of France was the brainchild of Bill Quine under the umbrella of Peel Heritage Trust, organised to coincide with the centenary commemorations of World War I.

Held over two nights at the Centenary Centre in Peel, it expressed a wide range of emotions; viewing life from the perspective of both those heading for the battlefields and others left behind.

The phenomenally successful Lorient Inter-Celtic Festival will burst into life at the beginning of this month to entertain an audience of almost one million people, with an increased Manx presence and the ever popular Manx pavilion ready to welcome those who pour into the port of Lorient, Brittany.

Billed as Europe's largest Celtic festival, with 200 events and 5,000 performers, it's a ten day extravaganza which gives the Isle of Man a perfect opportunity to promote both cultural and business opportunities in a vibrant setting of music, song and dance.

A unique exhibition made a short stop-over in Peel earlier this summer as part of an exciting journey christened The Thing Trail 2014.

The exhibition, which was housed on a converted Norwegian fishing boat, MS Nybakk Venner, attracted a large number of visitors interested to learn more about their mission and why they were visiting the Isle of Man.

A number of special events were organised in Dalby this summer to celebrate the 175th anniversary of St James Church, including an exhibition, a special service and in conclusion an anniversary concert.

The popular exhibition, which was held during Manx National Week, provided an extensive opportunity for visitors to find out more about life in Dalby, with a comprehensive array of information and memorabilia.

It was based on the success of a previous exhibition, with additional material spreading throughout the church and overflowing into the schoolroom.

Internationally acclaimed Scottish harpist, Rachel Hair, is seen as a key figure in the burgeoning revival of the Island's traditional music scene, teaching several local pupils on a monthly basis, establishing resident harp group Claasagh and recently publishing a book of Manx tunes.

A tireless worker, Rachel stands at the forefront of her profession, and is now introducing Manx music to a wider audience as she heads across the Atlantic to the Somerset Folk Harp Festival, to be held in Parsippany in New Jersey.

It's been 120 years since the Manx Electric Railway reached the mining village of Laxey, on the east coast, but in celebration of this significant event the Island's oldest tramcars (Nos. 1 & 2) came into operation as part of the daily scheduled services during the weekend; with a rare opportunity to photograph both tramcars as they passed each other at Laxey Station.

Built by G. F. Milnes & Co. of Birkenhead in England, both tramcars are recognised by Guinness World Records as the oldest tramcars in service on their original system anywhere in the world.

This celebratory miniature sheet presents six paintings of rare British animals from the award-winning Island based artist Jeremy Paul, capturing a number of traditional British breeds which were heading for extinction.

His paintings recognise the work of the Manx Ark Project and celebrate the centenary of the Southern District Agricultural Society, whose show it is this weekend.

As the summer calendar gets into full swing, there's plenty to do in the west of the Island with Peel Traditional Boat Weekend at the end of July followed by the perennial favourite Peel Carnival at the beginning of August.

The Compass Pipelines Peel Traditional Boat Weekend (25th - 27th July) aims to foster interest in the more traditional sailing craft, which used to be a regular sight in the Irish Sea, many of which have been lovingly restored by their dedicated owners.