The Isle of Man has been represented at a European event in Brussels examining the role minority languages can play in regional economic growth and community development.

Dr Erin McNulty, an applied linguistics researcher at University College Cork and a Manx speaker, took part in the event, titled ‘Words & Wealth: The Dynamic Link Between Language and Regional Economic Growth’.

The discussion brought together representatives from a number of regions and territories, including Wales, Scotland, Brittany, Gibraltar, Jersey and Northern Ireland.

A spokesperson from the event commented: ‘Erin highlighted the surging demand for Manx-medium teaching, alongside the challenge of building a fluent teaching workforce, and the growing appetite for public events in the language, including a sold-out opera performed entirely in Manx.’