Chief Minister Alfred Cannan paid tribute to his grandfather’s legacy as a fluent Manx speaker at the official launch of Blein ny Gaelgey - the Year of the Manx Language - held at Noa Market Hall in Douglas last week.
Mr Cannan quoted from a 1975 sermon by Reverend Charles Alfred Cannan, who had urged his congregation to cherish and protect the Manx language.
He said: ‘One of his Manx sermons talked about the importance of government, faith and Manx to our nation. He said: “Lhig dooin ve booisal er e son, as freayll ee, cha mie as fodmayd as choud as fodmayd, son fegooish çhengey ta çheer geddyn baase” – Let us be thankful for the language, and maintain it as well as we can, for as long as we can, because without a language a country dies.’
The Chief Minister added that the Manx language remains central to the island’s identity, saying: ‘It is part of who we are and what makes our island stand out in a globalised world.’
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The launch marked the beginning of a year-long celebration dedicated to promoting and revitalising Manx. The Blein ny Gaelgey initiative forms part of a wider strategy to increase the number of Manx speakers to 5,000 by 2032.
Next year will also commemorate several important milestones in the island’s linguistic history: 25 years of the Manx-language primary school Bunscoill Ghaelgagh, 30 years of the educational charity Mooinjer Veggey, 35 years of Manx being taught in schools and 40 years of Coonceil ny Gaelgey, the Manx Language Advisory Council.
Organisations across the island will take part in the celebrations, with events planned throughout 2026 focusing on community engagement, education and cultural pride.
Among the highlights will be a major exhibition hosted by Manx National Heritage in partnership with Culture Vannin at the Manx Museum, running from the end of April to October.
