Cuach na Cloinne 2019 Title goes to Bun-sgoil an Iochdair
News release issued by Comunn na Gàidhlig
The Cuach na Cloinne Finals competition, which was held at Bught Park, Inverness, was hard fought, but at the end of the competition Bun-sgoil an Iochdair emerged victorious with Bun-sgoil Portrìgh runners up. Despite inclement weather conditions the teams provided wonderful entertainment and it was a delight to hear so many youngsters speak so fluently in Gaelic.
Over the past few weeks, regional competitions were held in Lewis, Uist, Skye, Inverness, Oban and Glasgow resulting in teams from Back, Iochdair, Portree, Dingwall, Salen and Taobh na Pàirce, Edinburgh qualifying for the national Finals which took place yesterday, Wednesday 5 June.
Cuach na Cloinne is a national football competition, which creates an opportunity for young people from primary schools across Scotland who attend Gaelic Medium Education to meet and compete against each other. It gives the youngsters the opportunity to meet and to make friends with young Gaelic-speakers from other schools and also demonstrates to the youngsters that Gaelic is spoken across Scotland, and not just in their own particular communities. The competition is held entirely in Gaelic. A record number of teams participated in this year’s competition with 75 teams representing 36 schools taking part nationally.
Highland Councillor Alister Mackinnon, Budget Leader and Chair of the Council’s Gaelic Strategy and Implementation Group said: “I would like to congratulate Iochdair school on winning this year’s Cuach na Cloinne competition. I would also like to congratulate Portree who were runners-up in the competition and all the other teams for making it to the Finals. Cuach na Cloinne is a very well established national Gaelic event on the youth sporting Gaelic circuit. I’m delighted that the event is so successful and creating a tournament which is held entirely in Gaelic supports and enhances the young people’s learning experience beyond the class room. It also provides an excellent opportunity for young people to use their linguistic skills through extra-curricular activities. The Highland Council is delighted to support the event which develops the young people’s linguistic skills and also helps to create positive relationships across Scotland’s Gaelic schools.”
An additional award ‘Sàr Neach Cleachdaidh na Gàidhlig’, was presented this year to the individual player who, in the view of the referees, made the best use of the Gaelic language throughout the event. The winner of the award was Iain Macdonald, from Bun-sgoil an Iochdair.
Councillor Norman A MacDonald, Convenor of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar said: “I would like to congratulate Iochdar School on doing so well in winning this competition. With 75 teams taking part in the competition, they did wonderfully well to come out on top. This illustrates that teams from our islands can compete with schools from across Scotland in sports activities and it is important that we create opportunities for them to do so. We are delighted to welcome the cup to the Western Isles once again.”
Donald MacNeill, Chief Executive of , who run the competition said, “It is extremely encouraging to see so many youngsters from all parts of Scotland taking part in the competition. Cuach na Cloinne is all about young people having a lot of fun – they also get some exercise, an opportunity to meet other youngsters from across Scotland, an opportunity to use their Gaelic out with the schools and above all else that they go home having had a good positive experience. We are grateful to The Highland Council, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and Bòrd na Gàidhlig for their continuing support for Cuach na Cloinne.”
Cuach na Cloinne 2019 is funded by Bòrd na Gàidhlig, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and The Highland Council and organised by Comunn na Gàidhlig.
Bun-sgoil an Iochdair a’ glèidheadh tiotal Cuach na Cloinne 2019
‘S iad Bun-sgoil an Iochdair, a ghlèidh farpais ball-coise Cuach na Cloinne 2019!
Bha deagh fharpais aig Cuairtean Deireannach Cuach na Cloinne, a chumadh aig pàirce Bhught, Inbhir Nis, agus, aig deireadh na farpais, b’ iad Bun-sgoil an Iochdair a thàinig am bàrr, le Bun-sgoil Phortrìgh san dàrna àite. Bha deagh chluich aig na sgiobannan air fad agus bha e na thlachd a bhith gan èisteachd agus iad a’ conaltradh le chèile cho siubhlach sa Ghàidhlig.
Thairis na beagan sheachdainean a chaidh seachad chaidh farpaisean roinneil a chumail an Leòdhas, Uibhist, An Eilean Sgitheanach, Inbhir Nis, An t-Òban, agus Glaschu, agus, a’ buannachadh troimhe chun cuairtean deireannach a chaidh a chumail an dè, Diciadain 5 Ògmhios, bha sgiobannan bho na bun-sgoiltean a leanas - am Bac, an Iochdair, Port Rìgh, Inbhir Pheotharain, An t-Salein agus Taobh na Pàirce, Dùn Èideann.
Is e co-fharpais ball-coise nàiseanta a tha ann an Cuach na Cloinne, a tha a’ cruthachadh cothrom do dhaoine òga bho bhun-sgoiltean air feadh Alba a tha ann am Foghlam tro Mheadhan na Gàidhlig, a bhith a’ coinneachadh agus a’ farpais an aghaidh a chèile. Tha e a’ toirt a’ chothrom dhan òigridh coinneachadh ri agus caraidean ùra a dhèanamh le ‘n co-aoisean o sgoiltean agus sgirean eile agus na dhearbhadh dhaibh gur e cànan a th’ anns a’ Ghàidhlig a thathas a’ cleachdadh air feadh Alba, agus nach ann a-mhàin sna coimhearsnachdan aca fhèin. Tha an fharpais air a cumail gu tur sa Ghàidhlig. Bha an àireamh is àirde a riamh a’ gabhail pàirt am farpais 2019 - 75 sgioba, bho 36 sgoiltean.
Chaidh cuach Sar Neach Cleachdaidh na Gàidhlig, a thoirt seachad airson an neach, ann am beachd na rèitirean, as fheàrr a bha a’ cleachdadh na Gàidhlig tron fharpais. Agus se Iain Dòmhnallach à Bun Sgoil an Iochdair a ghlèidh an duais sa.
Thuirt an Comhairliche Alasdair MacFhionghuin bho Bhuidheann Ro-innleachd agus Buileachaidh na Gàidhlig aig Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd, ‘Bu mhath leam meal a naidheachd a chuir air Sgoil an Iochdair, a shoirbhich ann am farpais Cuach na Cloinne 2019. Bu chaomh leam cuideachd meal a naidheachd a chuir air Bun-Sgoil Phortrìgh, a bh' anns an dàrna àite, agus cuideachd dha gach sgioba eile a fhuair chun chuairt dheireannach. Tha Cuach na Cloinne air a bhith na thachartas spòrs sa Ghàidhlig airson iomadach bliadhna a-nis agus air a bhith air leth soirbheachail cuideachd. Tha am farpais air a chumail ann an Gàidhlig a mhàin agus le sin a’ neartachadh cànan agus cleachdadh an òigridh. Tha e cuideachd na chothrom cleachdaidh dhaibh taobh a-miugh a’ chlas, ann an suidheachadh spòrsail agus neo-fhoirmeil. Tha Comhairle na Gaidhealtachd gu math toilichte a bhith a’ cumail taic ris an tachartas seo, a tha a’ leasachadh sgilean cànan an òigridh, agus a’ cruthachadh ceangalan làidir eadar na sgoiltean Gàidhlig air feadh Alba.”
Thuirt an Comhairliche Tormod Dòmhnallach, Neach-gairm Chomhairle nan Eilean Siar: “Tha mi a’ cur meala naidheachd air Sgoil an Iochdar airson cho math `s a rinn iad an fharpais a tha seo a ghleidheadh. Le 75 sgiobaidhean a’ gabhail pàirt san fharpais rinn iad sònraichte math tighinn a-mach am bàrr. Tha seo na dhearbhadh gu bheil sgiobaidhean nan eilein air chomas ceann a mhaide a chumail ri sgiobaidhean bho air feadh Alba ann an cur-seachadan spòrsail agus tha e cudromach gu bheil cothroman ann dhaibh seo a dhèanamh agus gu dearbha tha sinn a’ cur fàilte air a’ chuach a bhith a’ tighinn dha na h-Eileanan an Iar aon uair eile.”
Thuirt Dòmhnall MacNèill, Ceannard Chomunn na Gàidhlig, a tha a’ ruith na farpais, “Tha e air leth misneachail a bhith a’ faicinn uimhir de dhaoine òga bho air feadh Alba a’ gabhail pàirt san fharpais. Tha Cuach na Cloinne gu tur mu chlann a bhith a’ faighinn tòrr spòrs is toileachas – agus bidh iad cuideachd an sàs ann an eacarsaich, a’ faighinn cothrom coinneachadh ri daoine òga eile bho air feadh Alba, agus cothrom an cuid Gàidhlig a chleachdadh taobh a-muigh na sgoile agus gu sònraichte gum bi iad a’ dol air ais dhachaigh le beagan a bharrachd eòlas air an cuid chomasan fhèin. Tha sinne aig CnaG air leth taingeil do Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar agus Bòrd na Gàidhlig airson an taic leantainneach do Chuach na Cloinne.”
Tha Cuach na Cloinne 2019 air a mhaoineachadh le Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd agus Bòrd na Gàidhlig agus air a stiùireadh le Comunn na Gàidhlig.