Buaidh dhùbailte aig Gàidheil na h-Alba ann am Béal Feirste

Double victory for Alba in Belfast

Bha latha is oidhche air leth soirbheachail aig dà sgioba Gàidhlig na h-Alba aig Iomain Cholmcille XIV ann am Béal Feirste. ‘S e Farpais Eadar-nàiseanta iomain nan Gàidheal a th’ ann an Iomain Cholmcille a bhios a’ tarraing còmhla Gàidheil bho air feadh Alba agus Èirinn.

Ann am farpais nam ban, chluich Alba dà gheam fo stiùir Cheit Bradley (Àrd nam Murchan) agus Cairistìona Dhòmhnallach (Camanachd an Eilein) an aghaidh Mná na hÉireann agus ged a chaidh iad air dheireadh tràth sa chiad gheam, tharraing iad air ais e le dà thadhal bho Chlaire Delaney (Loch Abair) agus fear eile bho Karen NicFhionguin (Óban Latharnach). San dara gheam, bha e rud beag na b’fhaisge a thaobh cluich ach le cleas-bonaid o Holly NicIlleathain (Camanachd an Eilein), tadhal eile bho Delaney agus fear eile bho Mhàiri Nic Dhonnchaidh (Loch Abair), cha robh Alba riamh ann an cunnart, agus thog Alba Còrn Sgàthaich airson a’ chiad uair ann an Èirinn le sgòr 24 (8-0) – 13 (3-4) air aggregate. Thugadh an còrn seachad le Marina Mhoireach bho Chomunn na Gàidhlig do sgiobair na h-Alba Caitlin NicIlleathain (Camanachd an Eilein). B’ e soirbheachas eile a bha seo do Chaitlin a bha na sgiobair air Sgioba Co-thaghte an Taobh Siar agus Sgioba Nàiseanta na h-Alba am bliadhna seo, a bharrachd air duais an t-sàr-chluicheadair sa chuairt dheireannach Bhalerie Fhriseil a chosnadh. B’ e Ishbel Barr (Gleann Urchadain) a bh’ ann an Sàr-chluicheadair an t-Sabhail Mhòir do dh’Alba agus bha seo glè iomchaidh oir tha i ag ionnsachadh teagasg bun-sgoil aig a’ cholaiste fhèin an-dràsta. ‘S e Aoife Ní Chaiside a bh’ ann an Sàr-chluicheadair Shabhal Mòr Ostaig do Mhná na hÉireann.

Ann am farpais nam fear, bha lìog glè theann ann agus bha Alba taingeil don fhear-ghlèidhidh aca, Eòghan Stiùbhart aig Srath Ghlais airson iomadh tadhal a chumail a-mach bho Fhir Uladh. Aig a’ cheann eile, ‘s e Fionnlagh MacIlleinnein (A’Mhanachainn) a rinn an diofar le dà thadhal agus fhuair Alba troimhe 8 (2-2) gu 4 (0-4).

San dara gheam, cuideachd rinn Alba e doirbh dhaibh fhèin a-rithist, le dìreach puing mar dhiofar le Na Gaeil Óga à Baile Atha Cliath, gus an do chuir MacIlleinnein crìoch air a chleas bhonaid sa mhionaid mu dheireadh airson buaidh 11 (3-2)  – 7 (1-4).

Ged a bha iad air chall ann an geam faisg le Fir Uladh, bha an sgioba a bhuannaich an-uiridh, Micheál Breathnach à Conamara, fhathast a’ coimhead làidir agus le fios gun robh feum aca Alba a bheatadh le sgòr àrd airson an tiotal a chumail. Ann an geam a chaidh taobh seach taobh, ‘s e na Breathnaich a bha air thoiseach aig leth-ùine 11 (3-2) v  7 (2-1) ach san dara leth, le sgiobair Eòghann Caimbeul  (Inbhir Nis) aig bàrr, tharraing Alba air ais e le 4 puingean bho chluiche fhosgailte agus tadhal bho Ross Gordon (Camanachd an Eilein). Leis a’ bhuille mu dheireadh agus le dìreach puing eadar na sgiobaidhean, ‘s e Cailean MacAonghais bho Ghlaschu Mheadhan Earra-ghàidheal a chur an tadhal a rinn cinnteach gum faigheadh Alba làmh a-rithist air a’ Chòrn Cholmcille. Thugadh seo seachad le Maolcholaim Scott bho Fhoras na Gaeilge.

Bha ioadh moladh airson sàr-chluicheadair na h-Alba bho na h-Èirinnich, ach aig a’ cheann thall ‘s e Ros MacFhionguin (Camanachd an Eilein) a bha iongantach aig a’ chùl a fhuair an cliù.

Chaidh duaisean an t-sàr-chluicheadair a thoirt seachad le Aonghas MacAonghais, co-mhanaidsear fir na h-Alba agus Cathraiche an t-Sabhail Mhòir a thug taic dha na duaisean. ‘S e Aoife Ní Chaiside (Sleach Néill, Mná na hÉireann), Daithí Mac Suibhne (Na Gaeil Óga), Breandán Mhaidhc Ó Conghaile (Micheál Breathnach) agus Óran Ó Coinn (Dun Laithí, Fir Uladh) a fhuair na duaisean eile.

Aig an dìnnear oifigeil as dèidh làimh ann an Culturlann McAdam O Fiaich air Bothar na bhFhal, chaidh applacaid Abair Seo a chur air dòigh le Stiùiriche Stòrlann Nàiseanta na Gàidhlig, Dòmhnall Uilleam MacGilleMhoire a bhios a’cuideachadh conaltradh eadar Gàidheil ann an Alba is Èirinn. Gheibhear e air iOS agus air Android.

Bha Iomain Cholmcille glè thoilichte fàilte a chur air Maolcholaim Scott bho Fhoras na Gaeilge. Tha Iomain Cholmcille a’ faighinn taic airgid bhon stòras Colmcille a tha air a ruith ann an compàirteachas eadar Bòrd na Gàidhlig ann an Alba agus Foras na Gaeilge ann an Èirinn.

Tha planaichean a-nis a’dol airson Iomain Cholmcille a thèid a ruith ann an Alba ann an 2024.

It was a wonderfully successful day and night for the two Alba teams at Iomain Cholmcille XIV in Belfast. Iomain Cholmcille is the international shinty-hurling-camogie tournament for Gaelic and Irish speakers which draws Gaels from across Scotland and Ireland.

In the women’s competition, Alba played two games under the management of Kate Bradley (Ardnamuchan) agus Christina Macdonald (Skye) against Mná na hÉireann, an all-Ireland select and although they fell behind early in the first game, they pulled it back to win with a brace from Claire Delaney (Lochaber) and a goal from Karen MacKinnon (Oban Lorne).

In the second leg, although it was hotly contested on the park, the scoring of Holly Maclean (Skye) with a hat trick, another goal from Delaney and a goal from Mairi Duncan (Lochaber), Scotland were never in danger and won 24 (8-0) v 13 (3-4) on aggregate. Còrn Sgàthaich was given over by Marina Murray of Comunn na Gàidhlig to Alba captain, Caitlin MacLean. This capped a year of success for Caitlin as winning captain of the West Select, Scotland national team captain and played of the match in Skye’s Valerie Fraser win. Ishbel Barr (Glenurquhart) was the Sabhal Mòr Ostaig player of the match/sàr-chluicheadair and this was very fitting as she is currently a primary teaching student at Scotland’s Gaelic College.

In the first game of the men’s competition in a starkly competitive league, Alba had their goalie, Eòghan Stewart of Strathglass to thank for keeping Fir Uladh at bay. His clean-sheet meant that Finlay MacLennan of Beauly’s brace was enough in addition to points over the bar to get Alba over the line 8 (2-2) v 4 (0-4).

In their second game, Alba yet made it difficult for themselves, with jsut a point separating them from Dublin’s Na Gaeil Óga until that man MacLennan put the finishing touch to his hat-trick for to win 11 (3-2)  – 7 (1-4).

Although they had lost a tight game with Fir Uladh, the 2022 champions Micheál Breathnach of Connemara, were still strong and knew that big win against Alba would let them retain the title. In a game that went every which way but loose, it was na Breathnaich who led at half time 11 (3-2) v  7 (2-1) but in the second half, with Captain Ewen Campbell (Inverness) to the fore, Alba hauled themselves back with 4 points from open play and a goal from Ross Gordon (Skye). Again the Albannaich had no room for error, when Cailean Macinnes from GMA notched a fine strike to ensure Alba once again recovered Còrn Cholmcille This was presented by Maolcholaim Scott of Foras na Gaeilge.

There were many incredible performers put forward by the Irish as Alba’s Sabhal Mòr Ostaig player of the tournament but it was decided that Alba full back Ross Mackinnon (Skye) was a worthy thanks to his incredible form at the back.

The Sàr-chluicheadair prizes were presented by Alba co-manager and Chair of Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. The Irish winners were Aoife Ní Chaiside (Sleach Néill, Mná na hÉireann), Daithí Mac Suibhne (Na Gaeil Óga), Breandán Mhaidhc Ó Conghaile (Micheál Breathnach) and Óran Ó Coinn (Dun Laithí, Fir Uladh).

At the official dinner in Culturlann McAdam O Fiaich on the Falls Road, the app Abair Seo was launched by Stòrlann Nàiseanta na Gàidhlig’s Chief Executive Donald W Morrison. The app is designed to aid communication between Gaels in Ireland and Scotland and can be found on iOS and Android.

Iomain Cholmcille were delighted to welcome Maolcholaim Scott from Foras na Gaeilge. Iomain Cholmcille receives funding from the Colmcille fund which is run as a partnership between Scotland’s Bòrd na Gàidhlig and Ireland’s Foras na Gaeilge.

Plans are now in motion for holding Iomain Cholmcille 15 at a venue in Scotland in 2024.