Goll as Gaccan 3.5.26 - David Kinley joins Phil to discuss beetroot, Silverburn mills and the St Marks steeple.

The hosts of *Goll as Gaccan* dive into a rich tapestry of Manx culture, history, and local lore in this 104-minute episode, blending whimsy with deep archival insight. At the heart of the conversation is a deeply personal story: Phil’s homemade beetroot pickle, made from massive, stone-hard beetroots and aged in malt vinegar with peppercorns and bay leaves—only to discover too late that he forgot to label the jars. The episode unfolds like a walking tour through the Isle of Man’s hidden layers, from the ritual of May Eve’s 'crush kern' to the spiritual significance of St Mark’s Church’s steeple, where a 1970s damp-proofing sack (a blue ICI fertilizer bag) was uncovered beneath centuries-old lime mortar. The hosts then journey down the Silverburn River, exploring a chain of historic mills—Moulin McCarty (1739), Craig Mill (Cistercian origins), and the ochre and umber mill—where raw earth was transformed into pigment through water-powered grinding. Along the way, they reflect on forgotten trades, the eerie gnomes that once animated Silverdale Mill, and the enduring legacy of flax farming. The episode culminates in a poetic meditation on time, memory, and place, as the hosts prepare for a rogation service at St Mark’s and tease an upcoming podcast series on 18th-century Manx emigration and folk traditions.