A series of Manx cultural workshops will open the 2026 NAMA Convention in Cleveland next July, with support from NAMA members and Culture Vannin. The workshops will be held from 1 pm to 5 pm on Friday, July 10, at the Cleveland Hotel, our headquarters for the convention.
Following a tradition established in Annapolis 10 years ago, we will have workshops in the Manx language, as well as special topics such as folklore, music and a special talk on runes. Lauren Collister, a NAMA member who will be teaching a free online course in Manx for North Americans next spring sponsored by Culture Vannin, will bring Manx language to the convention, offering workshops for new and old students of the Isle of Man’s Celtic language.
William Cassidy, NAMA 2nd Vice President, will offer a tin whistle workshop similar to the one offered in 2022 at our Plymouth, Mass., convention. You may bring your tin whistle, though a limited number of whistles may be provided. We’ll have Manx sheet music as well.
Brent Warner, a member of the Greater Washington, DC, Area Manx Society, will give a talk on Norse Runes on the Isle of Man, with mention of Gaelic Ogham inscriptions as well. We’ll have examples of runic and ogham inscriptions, including some unusual modern ones!
We are also working on a remote Zoom interview with Culture Vannin’s James Franklin that could be viewed during the convention. James is a co-author of “A Guide to the Folklore Sites of the Isle of Man,” and many NAMA members met him during our 2024 convention.
Plan to arrive on the morning of Friday, July 10, so you can join us for these workshops. Hee’m shiu ayns Cleveland! See you in Cleveland!