A Cooish of 1,700!

A Cooish of 1,700!

Fri, 22 Nov 2024

This year’s Cooish Manx language festival reached almost 1,700 participants!

The Cooish takes place every November and celebrates our Manx Gaelic language and it’s a perfect time for the community to come together.

Cooish means ‘a cosy chat’, or a subject, matter or cause, all of which perfectly match the community-focussed festival celebrating our Island’s unique and special asset – y Ghaelg, Manx!

This November, 27 main public events took place, along with additional outreach events and projects, and it was wonderful to see a whole host of new and familiar faces, with some folk also travelling from overseas especially for the festival! There was something for all ages, tastes, and levels of Manx, with events Island-wide. Alongside friendly conversational get togethers, games nights, and a concert, there were also events where festival goers could learn new skills, from open lessons, taster sessions, talks, and song workshops… to cocktail making in Manx!

Visiting Scottish Gaelic singer Joy Dunlop and guitarist Ron Jappy performed at the Peel Centenary Centre in a concert organised by Yn Chruinnaght Celtic Gathering. The evening also featured a performance from Aalin Clague’s Manx Gaelic choir ‘Un Choraa’, and the premiere of a short film ‘Teeval: Ben-phrinse ny Marrey’, created by Culture Vannin and the Gaelic Broadcasting Committee, featuring young Manx speakers Olivia Savage and Nora Quayle. Joy and Ron also delighted pupils at Arbory Primary School and the Bunscoill Ghaelgagh in interactive school concerts that saw students singing and step-dancing along with the musicians. The pupils sang in Manx for the visiting musicians, and explored similarities between Manx and Scottish Gaelic. This outreach work was supported by Culture Vannin and Soundcheck Charity Isle of Man. While on the Island, Joy also ran community workshops on behalf of Culture Vannin, along with Ruth Keggin Gell – these included traditional song workshops, language workshops, and a joint Scottish and Manx Gaelic choral workshop, all held in Peel and across the road from a fantastic pop-up Manx language café, run by educational charity Mooinjer Veggey.

One festival goer commented:

“Joy’s enthusiasm was infectious! It was wonderful to have her as part of the festival, generously sharing her expertise and knowledge – we learnt so much from her and had a brilliant time doing so!”

Fun family-friendly events included a songs and rhymes session for young children and carers from Mini Musicians by Mannin Music, through to games nights in Peel and Port Erin, run by the Skimmee Gaelgagh (Manx peripatetic team – part of DESC) and students, and Culture Vannin respectively. Research into Manx was highlighted by a lecture in English given by Professor Max Wheeler about the eighteenth-century Manx masterpiece ‘Pargeiys Caillit’. Organised by the Manx Language Research Group, the event also shared some recent technological advancements for Manx.

Two awards were presented at the festival, celebrating the hard work of individuals to celebrate and uphold Manx. The Londeyr award for shining a light on, or for, the Manx language was presented to Rev Dr. Janet Corlett, Head of the Methodist Church in the Isle of Man. Rev. Corlett has been organising and running bilingual services since 2022, and is actively learning Manx.

Rev. Corlett was presented with the Londeyr – a small engraved slate plaque – by members of Jeebin (the Manx Language Network) at a bilingual church service that she ran as part of the Cooish festival on remembrance Sunday, and which featured songs and readings on a theme of peace. She said that the Londeyr was a ‘kind and generous encouragement and affirmation’.

A Jeebin representative said:

“We have been consistently impressed by Rev. Corlett’s commitment to Manx, and the way she understands and celebrates the importance of language and culture.”

Manx language charity Pobble awarded the Aundeyr Brian Stowell (Brian Stowell Award) to celebrate creativity in Manx – to musician Matthew Warren for his beautiful choral setting of ‘Hymsee Mee Speyr’, a poem by Annie Kissack. The piece was premiered earlier this year by The Tallis Consort.

A Manx learner, who attended many events across the festival, said:

“It was wonderful to have something so joyous to brighten the dark November days, and a real celebration of everything Manx language! I loved meeting other Manx speakers, and practising my fledgling skills, and felt so welcome – I had been worried I’d feel like a rabbit in the headlights but everyone was so kind and friendly. I can’t wait for next year!”

You can find the whole programme for the 2024 festival in Manx, or in English, together with more information about the organisations that ran events, via the Learn Manx website.

If you might like to organise an event or project for, or be involved in, the Cooish for 2025, please get in touch with Ruth Keggin Gell – gaelg@culturevannin.im – this is a community organised festival and all are welcome!

Gaelg son dagh ooilley pheiagh – Manx for all!