Healthcare Visits Brightened with Manx Language Stickers

Visiting the doctor just got a whole lot cheerier, thanks to a new project bringing bright, playful Manx language stickers into healthcare settings across the Isle of Man.

The idea was cooked up by nurse Ciara Kilgallon, who received a £500 Treisht26 commission from Culture Vannin in 2025 to make stickers specifically for GP surgeries, dental practices, health visitor clinics, and hospitals.

The goal? Give children a fun, friendly introduction to Gaelg during trips they might otherwise find a bit scary.

‘I work in general practice and I often buy my own stickers for patients,’ Ciara explains. ‘Because my children speak Manx, I’d previously had some stickers made with Manx language on them and always make a point of explaining what they say to the children I am treating in the surgery. It’s a lovely way to introduce the language in a simple, friendly way.’

Ciara’s love of Manx culture is heartfelt.

She moved to the island at 16 and quickly fell for its rich traditions.

Her children attended Bunscoill Ghaelgagh, where the language is woven into music, singing, and dancing, and she married into a Manx family.

‘Although I’m not Manx by blood, I’m Manx by heart and incredibly proud of the heritage my family shares,’ she says.

So far, four sticker designs have rolled off the press, including one boldly declaring ‘Ta mee dunnal – I am brave’, with hundreds produced using the Treisht26 funding.

Artist Leanne Higgins of Pink Seaweed Gallery in Ramsey brought the designs to life, and the stickers are now popping up in healthcare settings across the island, from Ramsey Group Practice to the community dental service at Noble’s Hospital.

Ciara hopes the project grows naturally across more surgeries and clinics. ‘It’s a low-cost, high-impact project that celebrates Manx language and culture in a way children will remember fondly.’

Healthcare settings wanting to join in can contact Ciara directly, while organisations hoping to sponsor sticker runs can reach out to Leanne Higgins at Pink Seaweed.