’S e sgioba na h-Alba a thog Còrn Cholmcille aig Iomain Cholmcille Disathairne ann an Siabost, far an do chruinnich na ceudan de dhaoine airson a’ chiad gheam iomain eadar-nàiseanta riamh anns na h-Eileanan an Iar.

Bha an latha air fad ga ruith tron Ghàidhlig leis an dà sgioba, Alba agus Fir Uladh, a’ riochdachdadh Gàidheil na h-Èireann, a’ cleachdadh Gàidhlig air a’ phàirc.

Thòisich an geam gu slaodach, agus feumaidh gun robh an luchd-amhairc a’ smaointinn càit an robh an geam beòthail a chaidh a ghealltainn dhaibh. Ach an uair sin, thàinig an geam beò nuair a chuir Cathair O Caiside o Fhir Uladh a’ chiad phuing thairis air a’ mhaide tarsinn aig ceann a’ mhointich.

Bha Alba a’ faireachdainn rud beag air chall, agus coltas ann nach robh iad cinnteach airson mionaid no dhà. Ach taobh a-staigh mionaid eile, fhuair Ross MacFhionguin o Chamanachd an Eilein tadhal bho astar a thug car à Padraig O Mianain eadar na puist agus goirid as dèidh sin chuir Pòl Duke tadhal bho iomall a’ bhogsa airson Alba a chur gu làidir air thoiseach.

Thàinig na h-Èirinnich air ais agus bha cothrom eile aig O Conaire ach chaill e

Fhuair Duke tadhal eile air fichead mionaid agus ged a a tharraing Fir Uladh air ais dà phuing eile,  bha Alba a’ coimhead gu math cofhurtail ro leth-ùine nuair a chuir MacFhionguin puing thairis air a’ bhar. Ach bha Padraig O Mianian gu math ealamh airson ball a thilleadh gu cluiche às dèidh sin, agus chaidh am ball gu ceann eile na pàirce agus chuir O Conaire tadhal sònraichte airson am beàrn a gheàrradh gu 4 puingean sa bhad.

’S e Martainn Pringle on Eilean Sgitheanach a chuir na h-Albannaich ann an sunnd san dara leth le tadhal na aonar sa chiad mhionaid. Thill na h-Ultaich le puingean, gu h-àraidh le Ger O Dillon ach cha b’ urrainn dhaibh an gnothach a dhèanamh air Uilleam MacLeòid. Bha geam sònraichte aig Uilleam ach aig ceann eile na pàirce, bha Pàdraig O Mianain buileach nas trainge eadar na puist. ach dh’fhàs Alba ro làidir dhaibh mar a chaidh an geam air adhart. ‘S e Callum MacRisnidh a chuireadh na puingean aige fhèin, agus bhiodh Duke a’ cur tadhal eile mus do fhuair Conall MacDiarmaid dà thadhal airson crìoch a chur air an sgòradh aig Alba. B’ e an dara fear aige mar urchair rocaid nach biodh na strainnsear aig Qineteq.

Chùm Innes Begg cùisean a’ dol ann am meadhan na pàirce mar rèitire, ach thug e buille-peanais do dh’Fhir Uladh goirid ro làn-ùine. Ged a bha dithis eile air an loidhne còmhla ri Uilleam MacLeòid, chaidh am ball seachad air agus cha robh sgòr eile ann. Chrìochnaich an geam 7-3 Alba gu 2-5 gu Èirinn, no ann am puingean 24-11.

‘S e sealladh iongantach a bh’ ann a chòrd glan ris an luchd-amhairc le sluagh a’ nochdadh nach robh riamh air geam camanachd fhaicinn. Bha ochdnar chluicheadariean Leòdhasach an-sàs ann nam measg manaidsear na h-Alba, Sean MacLeòid. Ars esan “’S e sealladh iongatnach a bh’ann, gu h-àraidh dhuinne a bha a’ cluich air talamh trocair. ‘S e obair mhòr a bh’ ann Iomain Cholmcille a thoirt do Leòdhas ach ‘s fhiach e, agus bha buaidh shònraichte mar seo far an robh dùbhlain ri choinneachadh agus far an do ghabh sinn ar cothroman aig na h-àmannan ceart, a’ cur cùisean fèir air ghleus!”

Ron gheam mhòr, bha cothrom treànaidh is cluiche aig boireannaich agus an uairsin, bha geam òigridh ann airson duais ùr sònraichte a thugadh seachad le Stòras Leasachadh Horsiadair. Bha an cupa mòr seo ga ghlèidheadh le sgioba buidhe Camanachd Leòdhais 7-1 an aghaigh sgioba dubh is gorm Camanachd Leòdhais. Bha cluicheadairean o Chamanachd na Hearadh an-sàs ann cuideachd. Chaidh Cuach Horsiadair a thoirt seachad as leth an Stòrais le Gòrdan Mac a’ Mhathain.

Air an oidhche, bha cùirm oifigeil anns an Lanntair. Thugadh Coinneach MacLeòid seachad sgleataichean sònraichte dha na sgiobaidhean a bha an-sàs ann, agus fear sònraichte ga thoirt do Bhrian MacUilleim, a chuir air chois Iomairt Cholmcille ann an 1997, nuair a bha e na mhinistear ann an Oifis na h-Alba.  Thogadh an sgleat as leth Bhrian le a charaid Calum MacIlleathain, a bha uair aig Pròiseact nan Ealain agus a rinneadh e fhèin an t-uabhas airson pròiseactan Cholmcille a thoirt gu buil.

‘S e Iain MacNeacail a chluicheas do Lòbhat agus Padraig O Mianain o Roibeard Eimead Sleacht Néill CLG a choisinn Duaisean Sàr-chluicheadair Sabhal Mòr Ostaig.

‘S e Magaidh Nic a’ Ghobhainn on Taigh Cèilidh ann an Steòrnabhagh a thug seachad na buinn agus Còrn Cholmcille do sgiobair na h-Alba agus cluicheadair Camanachd Leòdhais Pàdraig Mac na Ceàrdaich.

Fhuaireadh Iomain Cholmcille taic on mhaoin Colmcille aig Bòrd na Gàidhlig, taic phraitigeach le Comhairle nan Eilean Siar agus An Lanntair, agus taic-airgid o Stòras Leasachadh Horsiadair, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig agus An Taigh Cèilidh.

The Western Isles’ first ever shinty-hurling international was a roaring success, as Alba, the Scottish Gaelic representative side, triumped 7-3 (24) to 2-5 (11) over Ireland’s Irish speaking representatives Fir Uladh at Shawbost.

Iomain Cholmcille XV was the fifteenth running of this prestigious event, the Gaelic speakers shinty-hurling international with support from Bòrd na Gàidhlig’s Colmcille fund. It attracted a large crowd to Shawbost who saw an exciting game showcasing the best of both sports in cold but dry weather.

Fir Uladh drew first blood with a point over the bar, but Alba bit back quickly with three goals. One from Ross MacKinnon of Skye, and two from Lewis’ own Paul Duke. Another point from MacKinnon on set Alba on easy street before halftime, but quick thinking from Fir Uladh keeper Padraig O Mianain got the ball up the park to Cathal O Conaire who scored a spectacular solo goal to make it 10-6 at halftime.

In the second half, Alba started well thanks to Skye’s Martin Pringle, but had to weather the storm thanks to goalie Wille Macleod. This allowed Alba to rebuild and another goal from Duke, as well as two rockets from GMA’s Conal MacDiarmaid, who has links with Lewis, made it a comprehensive Alba victory. Fir Uladh closed the deficit with a spectacular penalty in the dying moments. 24-11 the final reckoning.

Camananchd Leòdhais had eight players involved, including Alba manager Sean MacLeod who said “It was an epic spectacle, especially for those of us playing on home soil. Bringing Iomain Cholmcille to Lewis was a massive undertaking but it was lal worth it, and a fine victory where we weathered teh storms and took our chances at the right times, was the icing on the cake.”

Earlier in the day, there was a women’s come and try, and Camanachd Leòdhais Buidhe won the first Cuach Horsiadair – a new trophy for competition between districts of Lewis and Harris at youth level – which was presented by Gordon Matheson of Horshader Community Development. The score was 7-1 to the Buidhes versus the Dubh is Gorms.

In the evening, An Lanntair hosted a celebration cèilidh and the official prizegiving where Padraig O Mianain of Robert Emmet Slaughneil GAA and Iain Nicolson of Lovat received the Sabhal Mòr Ostaig Sàr-chluicheadair awards and bottles of The Hearach gladly donated by Isle of Harris Distillers, and Maggie Smith of An Taigh Cèilidh presented the medals and Corn Cholmcille to Alba captain, Lewis’ own Paddy Sinclair.

Kenneth MacLeod, convenor of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, presented commemorative slate plaques to all the participating teams and the home club, as well as one to Brian Wilson, who set up the Colmcille initiative when a minister in the Scottish Office in 1997. This was accepted on his behalf by Malcolm Maclean, formerly of the Gaelic Arts Project, who was also heavily involved in Colmcille projects when it first began.