Internationally renowned Gaelic musicians joined Manx performers for a sold-out finale as the Cooish Vooar Manx Language Festival came to an end.
Around 500 people attended the headline concert at the Gaiety Theatre, which celebrated the connections between the Manx, Scottish Gaelic and Irish languages through music, song and poetry.
The evening featured the acclaimed Allt quartet, made up of Julie Fowlis, Zoë Conway, John McIntyre and Éamon Doorley, alongside Manx singer Ruth Keggin and Scottish harpist Rachel Hair.
Audiences were treated to traditional songs, contemporary compositions, poetry settings and lively mouth music performances, showcasing all three living Gaelic languages.
A Lesson at the Gaiety!
During the evening, Ruth Keggin also taught the audience simple Manx phrases, including “Mannin aboo”.
The concert concluded with all six performers joining together to perform the Manx song Ushag Veg Ruy and the Scottish Gaelic Faca sibh Màiri nighean Alasdair? in all three Gaelic languages.
Year of the Manx Language Coordinator Tiffany Kerruish said: “We were blown away by the musicality and warmth of the singers and musicians, and their spellbinding performances. What a treat for a Tuesday night at the stunning Gaiety Theatre!”
Online reactions from attendees described the concert as an “astoundingly stupendous” and “sublime” end to this year’s festival.
