Classes for adults to take up Manx Gaelic launched

The classes will be taught by Jamys Harrison and are run by Culture Vannin

New free lessons to take up the Isle of Man's native language are set to start later this month, hosted by Culture Vannin.

The new Saturday sessions for beginners will each cater for about 15 participants on a weekly basis from 14 September.

They will be held at the House of Manannan in Peel from 10:00 to 11:00 BST until July next year.

Manx language development officer Ruth Keggin said the lessons would help people "feel more routed in the island".

The language had been on the island for about 1,500 years and was "an important part of our cultural heritage" and helped to develop a "sense of identity and place", she said.

The session will be held in addition to the 10 other free classes the organisation already hosts each week.

Culture Vannin's Manx Language Development Officer Ruth keggin Gell also holds classes

The 2021 Population Census found that about 2,200 people spoke Manx Gaelic but Ms Keggin Gell said the interest and support for the language was continuing to grow.

While there is separate provision for primary and secondary school children to learn the island's native tongue through the Manx Language Unit, Culture Vannin provides courses for adults to take it up.

The classes were offered free of charge to "widen access" to the language and "make sure there are no economic barriers" for those who wanted to learn it, Ms Keggin Gell said.

Culture Vannin said those who continued with the sessions into future years could become fluent within four years and those taking part would be given the chance to decide whether to continue on that course in July.

Other weekly classes have also been made available to those who have a base level of knowledge of Manx Gaelic.