Cuach na Cloinne Trophy Stays in Lewis

The Cuach na Cloinne will stay in Lewis for another year following Shawbost Primary School’s success in winning this year’s competition, beating Daliburgh, Portree, Inverness, Acharacle and Mount Cameron primary schools in the national finals which were held at Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Loch Abair. These six schools had qualified for the finals, winning regional competitions which had been held in Lewis, Uist, Skye, Inverness, Ard nam Murchan and Glasgow.  50 teams from 28 schools took part in this year’s competition. Laxdale Primary School won the competition in 2015.

Councillor John A Maciver, Chair of the Gaelic Plan Implementation Committee at Comhairle nan Eilean Siar said: “I would like to congratulate Shawbost Primary School on winning Cuach na Cloinne, a national competition.  With 50 teams from across Scotland taking part in the competition, they did wonderfully well to come out on top.  Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is delighted to support Cuach na Cloinne, a competition that gives young people from across our islands the opportunity to compete in a national sports competition held entirely in Gaelic.“

He continued: “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.”

The Cuach na Cloinne trophy was presented to the winners by Councillor Hamish Fraser, Chair of The Highland Council Gaelic Plan Implementation Committee, who said, “I would like to congratulate Shawbost on winning this year’s Cuach na Cloinne competition.  I would also like to congratulate Portree Primary School and BSGI who were  2nd and 3rd 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.

It is also very fitting that the finals took place at Bun Sgoil Ghàidhlig Loch Abair, which was officially opened in the Spring and is the second stand-alone Gaelic Primary School in the Highland area, it is also an excellent community facility that can host national sporting events like Cuach na Cloinne”.

The level of participation by pupils in Schools across the Highlands was excellent and my best wishes to everybody who took part in the competition.”  

Donald MacNeill, Ceannard of Comunn na Gàidhlig, who organise the competition said, “We were delighted with the numbers participating in this year’s competition.  With 50 teams from 28 schools, that is almost 350 youngsters, the highest number ever taking part in the competition. It is highly beneficial and important that such opportunities are created to enable Gaelic-speaking youngsters from across Scotland to play with their peers, to gain an understanding that Gaelic is spoken across Scotland and also to make new friends from other schools. We are grateful to our funders, The Highland Council, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and Bòrd na Gàidhlig”

Cupa Cuach na Cloinne a’ fuireachd an Leòdhas

Fuirichidh cupa Cuach na Cloinne an Leòdhas airson bliadhna eile an deidh do Bhun-sgoil Shiaboist farpais 2016 a ghleidheadh, a’ dèanamh an gnothach air bun-sgoiltean Dhalabroig, Port Rìgh, Inbhir Nis, Ath-Tharacail agus Beinn Chamshroin sna cuairtean deireannach, a chumadh aig Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Loch Abair.  Bha seo an deidh do na sia sgoiltean sa buannachadh troimhe farpaisean roinneil a chumadh an Leòdhas, Uibhist, An t-Eilean Sgitheanach, Inbhir Nis, Àird nam Murchan agus Glaschu.  B’ iad Bun-sgoil Lacasdail a ghlèidh Cuach na Cloinne an 2015. Ann am farpais 2016, bha 50 sgioba, bho 28 sgoiltean a’ gabhail pàirt.

Thuirt an Comhairliche Iain A MacÌomhair, Cathraiche Comataidh Buileachaidh Plana Gàidhlig Chomhairle nan Eilean Siar, “Tha mi a’ cur meal a naidheachd air Bun-sgoil Shiaboist airson cho math sa rinn iad an fharpais a tha seo a ghleidheadh.   Le 50 sgiobannan bho air fheadh Alba a’ gabhail pàirt san fharpais, rinn Bun-sgoil Shiaboist sònraichte math tighinn a-mach air bàrr.  Tha Comhairle nan Eilean Siar air leth toilichte a bhith a’ cumail taic ris an fharpais sa leis gu bheil e a’ toirt cothrom do chlann nan eilein compàirteachadh ann am farpais spòrs aig ìre nàiseanta, a th’ air a chumail gu tur sa Ghàidhlig.” 

Lean e air: “Tha seo na dhearbhadh gu bheil sgiobannan nan eilein air chomas cas a mhaide a chumail ri sgiobannan bho air feadh Alba ann an cur-seachadan spòrsail agus tha e cudromach gu bheil cothroman ann dhaibh seo a dhèanamh.”

Chaidh cupa Cuach na Cloinne a thoirt don sgioba shoirbheachail leis a Chomhairlaiche Hamish Friseal, Cathraiche Comataidh Buileachaidh Plana Gàidhlig Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd, a thuirt, “Bu mhath leam meal a naidheachd a chuir air Bun-sgoil Shiaboist ann a bhith a’ gleidheadh Cuach na Cloinne na bliadhna sa.  Bu mhath leam cuideachd meal a naidheachd a chuir air Port Rìgh agus Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Inbhir Nis a bh’ anns an darna agus treas àite san fharpais agus cuideachd na sgoiltean eile airson faighinn troimhe chun Cuairtean Deireannach.  Tha Cuach na Cloinne a-nis stèidhte mar fharpais nàiseanta am measg òigridh na Gàidhlig.  Tha mi toilichte le soirbheachas na farpais oir tha e cudromach gum bheil òigridh an sàs ann an cur-seachadan a th’ air an cumail sa Ghàidhlig, taobh a-muigh seòmraichean na sgoile.  Tha Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd toilichte taic a chuir ri Cuach na Cloinne, farpais a tha cur taic ri leasachadh sgilean cànain an òigridh agus a tha cuideachd a’ togail ceanglaichean is càideis am measg sgoiltean air feadh Alba.

Lean e air, “Tha e gu math iomchaidh gur ann aig Bun-sgoil Ghàidhlig Loch Abair, a dh’ fhosgladh gu h-oifigeal nas tràithe as t-earrach agus bha na darna sgoil Ghàidhlig fa-leth ann an sgìre Chomairle na Gàidhealtachd, agus a tha na deagh ghoireas airsn farpaisean nàiseanta mar Cuach na Cloinne a chumail. Bha e math na h-uidhir a chompàirteachas fhaicinn bho sgoiltean sgìre Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd san fharpais agus tha mo bheannachdan aig gach sgioba a ghabh pàirt san fharpais.”

Thuirt Dòmhnall MacNèill, Ceannard Chomunn na Gàidhlig, a tha a’ cur Cuach na Cloinne air dhòigh, “Bha sinne glan air ar dòigh leis na ghabh pàirt am farpais na bliadhna sa. Le 50 sgioba bho 28 sgoil, a’ gabhail pàirt, se sin faisg air 350 sgoilear, cha robh a riabh uidhir an sàs san fharpais.  Tha e math, agus cudromach, cothroman mar seo a thoirt do òigridh na Gaidhlig, cluich còmhla rin co-aoisean bho dhiofar chearnaidhean de Alba, tuigse fhaighinn gu bheil a’ Ghàidhlig air a labhairt an diofar chearnaidhean de Alba agus cuideachd caraidean ùr a dhèanamh bho sgoiltean eile.  Tha sinn taingeil don fheadhainn a tha a’ maoineachadh Cuach na Cloinne, se sin, Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Comhairle na Gaidhealtachd agus Bòrd na Gàidhlig.”