The tenth annual Cooish (Manx language week) starts tomorrow (Saturday 7th November), with Manx classes at Eary Cushlin kicking off a packed, week-long programme of cultural events.
Amongst the highlights of the event, which will be staged at different venues around the Island, will be the Arrane son Mannin (Song for Mannin) competition, and the annual Ned Maddrell Lecture, given by Jenefer Lowe from the Cornish Language Partnership.
To celebrate the Island's ties to other Gaelic-speaking nations, the Cooish will culminate on Friday 13th November in an inter-Celtic music night at Peel's Centenary Centre.
The concert will feature acclaimed performers from Scotland - singers Mairi MacInnes and Sineag MacIntyre, instrumentalist and composer and Mark Sheridan - a gathering of talented musicians from Ireland, and the Isle of Man's own Clare Kilgallon and Annie Kissack, who will be singing duets.
The Cooish festival is supported by Cains, the Isle of Man Arts Council and Manx Heritage Foundation under the auspices of Yn Cheshaght Ghailckagh.
For more information about the Cooish, and full 2009 programme details, visit www.myspace.com/cooish
If you'd like to know more about learning Manx Gaelic, click here.
Telecom Turns Manx for the Cooish!
Manx Telecom will also play their part in supporting the Cooish: the Company’s 300 employees are being encouraged to meet and greet customers in Manx throughout the week.
Manx Telecom (Chellinsh Vannin) has been an enthusiastic supporter of the Manx Language Week in the past, running special language classes for staff and creating special Manx phone downloads.
To flag up the 2009 celebration, window posters have gone up in each of Manx Telecom’s shops in Douglas, while Manx Language Week banners have been introduced on the Company’s website www.manxtelecom.com and on manxnet.
Stephen Evans, Chellinsh Vannin (Manx Telecom) Internal Communications Co-ordinator, said it was down to individual discretion whether staff spoke
in Manx but there was great affection for keeping the local language in the spotlight: “I know that many people will be enthusiastically supporting the Week.
"As a company we are proud to be supporting Cooish and many of our customer service and accounts teams automatically use a Manx greeting throughout other times of the year as well.
"The Isle of Man is a special place to live and work and the climate definitely seems right at the moment to promote the Manx Language".
Adrian Cain, Manx Language Development Officer for the Manx Heritage Foundation which organises the Week, said, "We are delighted to hear that
Manx Telecom will once again be supporting and promoting Cooish.
"This will help reinforce our main message – that you’re never too old or too young to learn a little Manx!"
