Cooish Week 2010 is in full flow, and has so far featured a number of Manx Gaelic classes and conversational evenings.

However, the annual celebration of the Island's language and culture also includes music, which takes centre stage from now on.

This evening (Friday) sees the 'Arrane son Mannin', or 'Song for Mann', competition for original compositions in Manx, at the Masonic Hall in Peel.

Then tomorrow, there's the traditional Cooish concert, featuring Irish singer and button accordian player Breanndan O'Beaglaoich, at Peel's Centenary Centre.

Both those events start at 8pm.

This year's Ned Maddrell lecture will be given by Dr Rob Amery from the University of Adelaide, on the subject of indigenous, Aboriginal languages in South Australia.

Director of the Cooish Phil Gawne says the range and quality of those involved helps emphasise that Manx Gaelic is more than just a small language from a country in the Irish Sea (play audio file):

The Ned Maddrell lecture will be given at St John's Mill, between 2pm and 3pm tomorrow.