A new bilingual children’s board book inspired by the colours of the Laxey Manx Tartan is helping introduce the Manx language and culture to a new generation.

Created by Onchan-born artist Ealish Swift alongside her sister Kirree, the project forms part of the continuing celebrations for Blein Ny Gaelgey - the Year of the Manx Language which is taking place in 2026.

The sisters realised the well-known ‘Laxey Tartan’ rhyme had never previously been translated into Manx Gaelic and decided to work with Culture Vannin to create a bilingual version aimed at young children.

The rhyme reads: ‘Blue for the sea, Green for the hills, Gold for the gorse, Purple for the heather and White for the cottages.’

Ealish, who moved to the Isle of Man when she was one and is currently on placement in the UK, said creativity had always played a major role in family life.

She said: ‘Growing up, our family really encouraged arts and crafts, so my siblings and I have a real love of crafts and colour and painting.

‘I did my art GCSE at St Ninian’s and started taking commissions ever since then. I love working in a variety of styles and on lots of different projects to test my skills.’

The book also includes a phonetic pronunciation guide to help parents read the Manx text confidently with their children.

Real Manx wildlife features throughout the illustrations, while the project also involved collaboration with the Manx Wildlife Trust.

The colourful pages showcase different Manx landscapes and explain how they combine to create the traditional Laxey Manx Tartan, ending with a scene featuring bonnag at Cregneash.

Ealish said the project had received a hugely positive reaction since the idea was first shared with family and friends.

Because her previous board book manufacturer had gone out of business, the sisters realised the only way to produce the Manx-themed book was by placing a bulk order.

However, support for the project quickly grew as more people heard about the idea.

The book is believed to be the first Manx-language board book specifically designed for babies and toddlers, with durable pages aimed at making it suitable for very young children while encouraging early exposure to the language in everyday family life.

Ealish said her newborn niece had been a major inspiration behind the project.

She explained: ‘I couldn't find any Manx books safe for babies. I grew up speaking Manx with my grandfather and realised this would be an opportunity to introduce babies to Manx Gaelic right from the start.’

The book has already attracted interest from Celtic language collections in both Ireland and Wales.

The Laxey Manx Tartan (Breckan Manninagh Laksey) is now available for £7.99 from several retailers including the Bridge Bookshop, Presence of Mann and Manx National Heritage.

More information about the book can be found by visiting boardbook.im.