Festival celebrates island's traditional language

Festival badges bear the words 'Loayr Gaelg rhym', which means 'Speak Manx with me'

People on the Isle of Man are being encouraged to get involved in a five-day festival celebrating the island's native tongue.

The annual Cooish gets under way on Wednesday, with a programme packed with 25 events for speakers of all ages and abilities.

One of three Manx Gaelic words to be added to the most recent update of the Oxford English Dictionary, Cooish means friendly conversation or chat.

Ruth Keggin-Gell, who is the Manx language development officer for Culture Vannin, coordinated the programme in conjunction with a range of community groups and organisations that promote the language.

She said the diverse programme meant there were "things for absolute beginners who've never spoken a word of Manx in their lives, right through to very confident speakers who are fluent".

What does the programme include?

The events range from formal lectures to board game sessions in the language, and the programme also features traditional Manx songs and music.

It even includes an online beginners Manx lesson on its opening day, offering a taster session aimed at those in different time zones with an interest in Manx.

Ms Keggin-Gell said inclusivity was a key part of the festival because the language was "a very important part of the Isle of Man itself and I think it should be open to anybody to learn and get involved with".

"I basically look to make sure that there's a nice breadth of events over the five days and that there is something that different groups of people can access because this idea of Manx being for everybody, which it is, is really, really important," she said.

The festival includes sessions at venues across the Isle of Man

When and where are the activities?

Wednesday, 5 November

12:00 – 13:00 Cosy Lunchtime Cooish – Cafe Villa, Villa Marina Colonnade in Douglas

18:00 – 19:00 Ned Maddrell lecture by Sr Erin McNulty – iMuseum in Douglas

20:00 onwards Manx conversation – Woodbourne Pub in Douglas

Global Gaelg – online taster lesson (pre-booking required)

Thursday, 6 November

09:15 – 10:00 Open Manx Class: Fun with numbers – Greens Cafe in St John's (pre-booking required)

11:00 – 11:45 Open Manx Class: Traa dy Liooar – Greens Cafe in St John's (pre-booking required)

12:00 – 13:00 Cosy Lunchtime Cooish – Greens Cafe in St John's (pre-booking required)

19:30 – 21:00 What's in a Name? Manx language and a sense of place - Erin Arts Centre in Port Erin (pre-booking required)

20:00 onwards Manx conversation – Whitehouse Pub in Peel

Friday, 7 November

10:00 – 10:45 Manx Songs and Rhymes for Mini Musicians – Mannin Music Studio in Pulrose (pre-booking required)

10:00 – 11:00 Manx Conversation – Mad Hatter's Cafe in Ramsey

11:15 – 12:15 Walking Tour in Manx around Ramsey – Starts on East Street in Ramsey

20:00 onwards Oie Arraneagh – Song Night – Masonic Hall in Peel

The event runs until Sunday, 9 November

Saturday, 8 November

10:00 – 16:00 Come and paint a Manx Language Mural – St Patrick's Isle Suite, House of Manannan in Peel

10:00 – 16:00 Series of workshops including Come and try Manx, Christmas Songs in Manx & Traditional Manx Gaelic Songs – Thie dy Vea Retreat in Peel (pre-booking required)

10:30 – 11:30 Milntown through Manx - a guided tour – Milntown House in Ramsey (pre-booking required)

11:00 – 16:00 Series of activities including Pop-up Gaeltacht, Café Mooinjer Veggey, Board Games in Manx, Play Corner, and a screening of Friends and Heroes – Guild Room, Peel Methodist Church in Peel

Global Gaelg – online taster lesson (pre-booking required)

Sunday, 9 November

10:30 – 12:00 Big Breakfast on the Mountain in Manx – Victory Cafe on the Mountain Road (pre-booking required)

14:30 – 16:00 Terrific Tiny Talks in Manx – Guild Room, Peel Methodist Church in Peel

16:30 – 18:30 Kiaull as Gaelg Music & Manx Session – Black Dog Oven in Peel

Although most of the events in the Cooish programme are free, some have a charge to cover the costs of putting it on, and some venues have limited space so must be booked in advance.

Why is the festival held?

The last Isle of Man census in 2021 recorded 2,223 Manx speakers, which is something Culture Vannin is keen to grow.

"We want to make sure that everybody feels like they can access learning Manx and that it's open to them and there's no gatekeeping involved," Ms Keggin-Gell said.

"I think that's very important to stress that we want everyone to be able to feel completely welcomed into the Manx language community."