Iomain Cholmcille 5. | |
21 March 2012 The fifth running of Iomain Cholmcille, the shinty / hurling international series between Gaelic speakers from Scotland and Ireland, will be held at Pàirc nan Laoch, Portree, Isle of Skye on Saturday 7 April 2012. Since the competition started in Oban in 2007, the trophy has been fought for between the Alba team and Micheal Breathnach GAA, representing Ireland. This year, however, there will be a new shape to it. The festival has been supported with funding from Colmcille, the body with responsibility for strengthening links between the Gaelic communities of Ireland and Scotland. But with the event growing ever more successful each year, Colmcille have been interested in widening the scope of the series. For the first time, there will be four teams, two representing shinty, Alba and a representative Skye team, and two from hurling, Micheal Breathnach and a team from Ulster. This fulfils a long term aim of Colmcille that Northern Ireland be part of the project. The competition will be held at Pàirc nan Laoch, the home of Skye Camanachd, one of Scotland’s greatest shinty grounds and there will also be a new shape to the competition. Eòghan Stewart, the project co-ordinator said, “With the four teams, we have the opportunity to play games between the sides from the same sport – it’s not often that shinty folk get the chance to watch a hurling game, and vice-versa. Therefore, we will have a semi-final between the two Scottish teams and then one between the Irish. Then we will have two games played under the composite rules between the losers then the winners.” However victory is not the most important thing, although Eòghan will be going all out to ensure his Alba team wins the tournament. It is language revival that is the main aim of the project. “This is the thing, there are not many opportunities for young men to speak Gaelic informally. Some can access music and dance but through sports many more can come together and use the language naturally and easily.” “We only have one rule and that is that players speak Gaelic whilst training and playing. In fact we have a rule that the referee can send a player off for not speaking Gaelic but that has never happened. Everyone buys into the concept and within a day, those who may not speak Gaelic that often (for whatever reason) are filled with confidence and speaking away as fluently as everyone else.” “The last time that the Breathnaich were over, it did a lot for Gaelic in Skye. There were young players fond of shinty and who speak Gaelic seeing that opportunities like this were open to them. The Breathnaich are a good example of how to run a sports club through the medium of a Celtic language and we hope that this competition can help Gaelic and shinty go from strength to strength together.”
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Iomain Cholmcille a Còig
Thèid an còigeamh cluiche de dh’Iomain Chomcille, an co-fharpais iomain eadar-nàiseanta eadar luchd na Gàidhlig ann an Alba is Èirinn, a chumail ann am Port Rìgh, an t-Eilean Sgitheanach air Disàthairne 7mh den Ghiblean. On a thòisich an co-fharpais seo san Òban ann an 2007, tha an strì air a bhith eadar sgioba na h-Alba agus CLG Micheal Breathnach, a’ riochdachadh na h-Èireann ach am bliadhna bidh crùth air. Chaidh Iomain Cholmcille a chur air chois le taic-airgid o Cholmcille, am buidheann airson ceanglaichean eadar na Gaidheil ann an Alba is Èirinn a neartachadh. Ach, leis an tachartas a’ sìor-fhàs nas soirbhichile gach bliadhna, bha ùidh aig Colmcille a’ chùis a leudachadh. Airson a’ chiad uair, bidh ceithir sgiobaidhean ann, a dhà a’ riochdachadh iomain na h-Alba, Alba fhèín agus sgioba a’ riochdachadh an Eilein Sgitheanaich, agus a dhà a’ cluich iomain na h-Èireann, Micheal Breathnach agus sgioba o Uladh. Tha seo a’ coileanadh àmas Cholmcille gum biodh Èirinn a Tuath (no an Tuaisceart ann an Gàidhlig na h-Èireann) a’ gabhail pàirt sa ghnòthach. Thèid an co-fharpais a chumail aig Pàirc nan Laoch, dachaigh Camanachd an Eilein, fear dhe na goireasan iomain as fheàrr ann an Alba agus bidh crùth ùr air a’ cho-fhaprais cuideachd. Thuirt Eòghan Stiùbhart co-ordanaiche a’ phroiseict: “Leis a’ cheithir sgiobaidhean, tha an cothrom againn geamannan a chluich eadar na sgiobaidhean bhon aon spòrs – chan ann tric a gheibh muinntir na camanachd cothrom air “hurling” fhaicinn agus an rathad eile. Mar sin bidh iar-chuairt dheireannach eadar an dà sgioba àlbannach agus fear eadar na h-Èireannaich. An uairsin thèid dà gheam a chluich fo na riaghailtean co-rèitichte eadar na sgiobaidhean a chaill agus a bhuannaich. Chan e buannachadh an rud as cudromaiche ge-tà, ged a bhios Eòghan a’ dèanamh cinnteach gun dèan an sgioba aige cho math ‘s a b’ urrainn dha an co-fharpais a ghleidheadh. ‘S e ath-bheòthachadh cànain a tha anns a’ phrìomh àmas aig a’ phroiseact. ”S e a tha ann, nach eil cothroman gu leòr aig fir òga Gàidhlig a bhruidhinn ann an suidheachaidhean neo-fhoirmeil, tha ceòl agus dannsa ann do chuid ach ‘s ann tro spòrs ‘s urrainn dha fada a bharrachd tighinn ri chèile agus an cànan a chleachdadh gu nàdarrach is gu furasta.” “Chan eil ach aon riaghailt, ‘s e gum bruidhinn cluicheadairean Gàidhlig ann an treanadh agus air a’ phàirc. Gu dearbh, ‘s urrainn don reitire cairt dhearg a thaisbeanadh do dhuine sam bith nach bhruidhneas i ach cha do thachair sin riamh. Bidh a h-uile duine a’ gabhail ris agus taobh a-staigh latha, tha feadahinn nach eil a’ bruidhinn Gàidhlig cho tric (ge b’e an t-adhbhar) a’ togail misneachd ‘s iad cho fileanta ri càch.” “An turas mu dheireadh a bha na Breathnaich a-bhos, rinn e tòrr airson Gàidhlig san Eilean Sgitheanach. Bha gillean òga a bha dileas dhan iomain agus aig an robh Gàidhlig a’ faicinn gun robh cothroman mar seo fosgailte dhaibh. Tha na Breathnaich nan deagh eisimpleir air mar a tha comann spòrs air a ruith tro mheadhan chànain Cheilteach agus tha sinn an dòchas gun cuidich an co-fharpais seo Gàidhlig agus iomain a chol bho neart gu neart a chèile.”
Iomain Cholmcille a Còig -
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