After a long career that was at the forefront of the successful ’rebirth’ of the Manx language, teacher Annie Kissack has retired.

A well-known and popular figure, both in the world of education and Manx Gaelic, Bnr Kissack has retired from full-time teaching.

A fluent speaker of Manx, Annie has spent the last 10 years teaching the year five and six pupils at the Bunscoill Ghaelgagh, where she joined after working as the education officer for the Gaelic nursery group Mooinjer Veggey.

She began her career in 1981, teaching at Rushen Primary school before moving onto Anagh Coar school, where she began to develop her skill of writing and composing original music for school plays.

’I loved it there working under Norma Cowell who was a wonderful head and very interested in Manx things,’ said Annie.

’She gave me free reign to do a lot of Manx studies and that’s where I really got interested in teaching Manx .

’I also started to write school plays and musicals with a bit of Manx singing in there too.

’It was a very encouraging school for that kind of thing.’

She then moved to a part-time job with the Mooinjer Veggey, where she helped to ’recruit’, as she put it, children to join the new and developing Bunscoill, which was then based at Ballacottier School in Braddan.

Since joining the Bunscoill full time, she has been able to indulge herself in creating the unique end-of-year school plays, performed entirely in Gaelic by the pupils.

’Giving that confidence to children to be able to get on stage and sing and express themselves is probably the thing I’m most proud of,’ said Annie.

’They don’t have to be wonderful singers or the brightest talents, but if they get involved and enjoy it, that has always given me a genuine buzz and still does.

’I think that I will still be involved with the school in some way, and I will still look forward to helping with more plays in the future’