Ma dh’fhaoidte nach biodh Iomain Cholmcille mura robh Camanachd Leòdhais air ceumannan a ghabhail gus a bhith anns na cupannan ann an 2007. Fhuaireadh fòn o Gharry Reid aig Comann na Camanachd aig an àm ag iarraidh air a’ chlub cuideachadh le bhith a’ cur ri chèile sgioba de luchd-labhairt na Gàidhlig airson geam iomain mar phàirt de dh’Fhèill Chaluim Cille anns an Òban is ann am Muile.
Ann an 2007, ‘s e Sean MacLeòid, Conor Dòmhnallach agus Micheál Dòmhnallach a chluich còmhla ri Eòghan Stiùbhart anns a’ chiad gheam seo an aghaidh CLG Micheál Breathnach san Òban. Cha robh cus an dùil ach an geam sin, ach an uair sin thàinig iarrtasan o na cluicheadairean Albannach gum biodh ùidh aca ann an tilleadh is cèilidh a dhèanamh air an càirdean Gàidhealach.
Ann an 2008, chaidh buidheann mhòr a-null gu Indreabhàn ann an Conamara, Co. na Gaillimhe airson a’ chiad Iomain Cholmcille ann an Èirinn. Bhiodh Sean, Conor is Eòghan a’ dol ann le Dukey a’ gabhail àite Micheál agus bhiodh ar seann charaid Ruairidh Blot agus Seumas MacRàth còmhla riutha cuideachd. Chluicheadh an geam air an treas latha den turas, mar sin bha na cinn caran goirt, ach cha d’ rinn na balaich ro dhona!
Cha robh cothrom an geam a chluich ann an 2009, mar sin bha rud nach do thachair riamh on uairsin, dà Iomain Cholmcille san aon bhliadhna. B’ e a’ chiad fhear latha is oidhche eachdraidheil ann am Port Rìgh sa Ghearran, bhiodh Dòmhnall Lamont (aig Oilthigh Obar Dheathain aig an àm) còmhla ri Eòghan, Dukey, Conor is Sean. Bhiodh an aon bhuidheann sin a’ siubhal a-null a Chonamara airson turas cho ainmeil a bha riamh ann san Dàmhair, agsu ged nach deach ro mhath air a’ phàirc, ‘s e deireadh-seachdain ainmeil a bh’ ann dha na balaich a chaidh ann.
Ann an 2012, thill Micheál dhan sguad agus chluich Alba (gun Sgitheanaich) aig Iomain Cholmcille V ann am Port Rìgh – chailleadh iad an aghaidh nan Sgitheanach ach dhèanadh iad a’ chùis air Fir Uladh, sgioba a bha ùr dhan fharpais.
Ann an 2013, bha cràthadh a’ tighinn air an sguad oir bha feadhainn a chluich anns a’ chiad ghrunn fharpaisean air gluasad air adhart ach bha feadhainn òg a’ tighinn troimhe. Thàinig Ally MacLaomain agus Innes MacLaomainn, Paddy Mac na Ceàrdaich an lùib chùisean agus Seumas Charity cuideachd còmhla ri Sean, Dukey agus Eòghan air turas eile gu Conamara far an do chaill iad gu dubh an aghaidh nam Breathnach. Choisinn Eòghan duais sàr-chluicheadair na h-Alba airson cluiche eadar na puist ge-tà.
Chaidh an fharpais a chumail ann an Glaschu ann an 2014 agus bha Paddy air ais, còmhla ri Sean agus Innes. B’ e seo an àireamh as lugha de Leòdhasaich gu ruige sin, ach bha e a’ nochdadh gun robh cluicheadairean le Gàidhlig aig clubaichean eile a’ nochdadh ùidh mhòr anns a’ phròiseact. Chailleadh Alba geam faisg aig Loch na h-Innse air taobh deas Ghlaschu an aghaidh Fir Uladh.
Rinneadh Alba gu màth an ath bhliadhna agus bha ceathrar a’ nochdadh gu làidir ann an Gaoth Dobhair. Cha robh Sean ann airson a’ chiad uair riamh ach bhuannaicheadh Alba ann an Èirinn airson a’ chiad uair le geam iongantach an aghaidh Fir Uladh, as dèidh dhaibh cluiche an aghaidh Na Gaeil Óga agus Micheál Breathnach. Bha Seumas, Dukey, Paddy agus Eòghan gu math cudromach ann an geam a chaidh sìos dhan mhionaid mu dheireadh, ged a rinneadh Eòghann eile – an Caimbeulach à Uibhist – an diofar le bualadh sònraichte bho mheadhan na pàirce.
An ath bhliadhna, cha deach cùisean ro mhath dha na h-Albannnaich thall ge-tà, agus chailleadh iad geam v Micheál Breathnach ann an Conamara (an turas mu dheireadh a chaidh a chumail sa cheàrn sin gu ruige seo.) Bha Seumas agus Eòghan ann, ach bha Calum Fearghastan agus Eòsaph MacAonghais aig Uibhist air cluiche do Chamanachd Leòdhais am-bliadhna sin.
An ath bhliadhna, chùmadh an fharpais anns a’ Ghearasdan, agus b’ e Sean an aon chluicheadair on chlub air a’ phàirc, ged a bha Iain Mac na Ceàrdaich ann mar phairt den sgioba còidsidh. Bhuannaicheadh Alba ge-tà agus thogadh an cupa le Graham MacIlleDhuibh à Uibhist.
Bha na Leòdhasaich air ais gu làidir ann an 2018 ge-tà nuair a thill an fharpais gu Gaoth Dobhair. ‘S e farpais fhaisg eile a bh’ ann agus ann an cuairt dheireannach a chaidh gu ùine a bharrachd, ‘s e na h-Albannaich a ghlèidh an Còrn Cholmcille a-rithist. Bha Tyson ann, agus bha e gu math cudromach do dh’euchdan na h-Alba, còmhla ri Paddy, Dukey, Sean agus Crisdean MacRàth. Bha Sean cuideachd na mhanaidsear airson a’ chiad uair còmhla ri Aonghas MacAonghais.
Bhiodh Sean san dreuchd a-rithist ann an 2019, ged nach chluicheadh e an turas seo agus an fharpais ga chluich aig Mòd Ghlaschu. ‘S e Paddy is Tyson an dithis a nochd air a’ phàirc ann an geam a bha beò gus a’ mhionaid mu dheireadh ach ‘s e Fir Uladh a fhuair a’ bhuaidh ann an Alba a-rithist.
Chuir COVID stad air an fharpais airson trì bliadhnaichean, ach thill e gu làidir ann an Glaschu a-rithist ann an 2022. Chluch Tyson is Dukey ann am farpais a chunnaic Micheál Breathnach a’ tighinn am bàrr.
Gu h-annasach, cha robh Leòdhasach sam bith an-sàs sa bhuaidh iongantach aig fir na h-Alba ann am Beal Feirste ann an 2023, ach bha riochdachadh on chlub aig sgioba nam ban. Bha Lucy NicLeòid na chluicheadair cudromach dha na h-Albannaich is iad a’ buannachadh Còrn Sgàthaich airson a’ chiad uair ann an Èirinn.
Tha e follaiseach gu bheil pàirt mhòr air a bhith aig cluicheadairean Camanachd Leòdhais ann an eachdraidh Iomain Cholmcille agus mar sin a bhios e Disathairne seo tighinn aig Siabost le ochdnar bhon chlub a’ cluich do dh’Fhir na h-Alba.
Perhaps Iomain Cholmcille would not have happened if Camanachd Leòdhais hadn’t taken steps to enter the cups in 2007. Garry Reid from the Camanachd Assodication asking if members of the club could help put together a squad of Gaelic speakers to play a game of shinty-hurling as part of the Fèill Chaluim Cille in Oban and Mull.
In 2007, Sean MacLeod, Conor Macdonald and Micheál Macdonald headed down with Eòghan Stewart for the first every game against the Micheál Breathnach GAA club in Oban. There wasn’t much expected except the game, but afterwards the Scottish players were clamouring for a return leg against their Gaelic cousins.
In 2008, a big group went over to Inverin in Connemara, County Galway for the first Iomain Cholmcille on Irish soil. Sean, Conor and Eoghan would be joined by Dukey who took Micheál’s place and our old friends Ruairidh Blot and James MacRae were also part of the company. The game was played on the third day of the trip, so the heads were a bit sore come game time, but the boys didn’t do to bad in the end, narrowly losing.
Cha robh cothrom an geam a chluich ann an 2009, mar sin bha rud nach do thachair riamh on uairsin, dà Iomain Cholmcille san aon bhliadhna. B’ e a’ chiad fhear latha is oidhche eachdraidheil ann am Port Rìgh sa Ghearran, le Dòmhnall Lamont (a fhuar tadhal) a’ nochdadh còmhla ri Eòghan, Dukey, Conor is Sean. Bhiodh an aon bhuidheann sin a’ siubhal a-null a Chonamara airson turas cho ainmeil a bha riamh ann san Dàmhair, agsu ged nach deach ro mhath air a’ phàirc, ‘s e deireadh-seachdain ainmeil a bh’ ann dha na balaich a chaidh ann.
There was no opportunity to play the game in 2009, so two competitions were played in 2010, a one off that has never been repeated. The first was an historic day and night in Portree in February, with Donald Lamont making his scoring debut along with Eoghan, Dukey, Conor and Sean. Many of the same group would than travel to Connemara in the autumn for a famous trip, and although they didn’t get the win on the park, the stories of those who went have lasted for years.
In 2012, Micheál returned to the fold for Iomain Cholmcille V in Portree – Alba could not call on the Sgithenaich who had their own team (who won the competition) – and they would lose to the islanders, but they would beat Fir Uladh who were new to the comptition.
In 2013, the squad had begun to transition with some older heads bowing out but lots of new Gaelic speaking players emerging. Ally Lamont, Innes Lamont, Paddy Sinclair and Seumas Charity all joined Sean, Dukey and Eòghan on another Connemara trip. They would lose heavily in the final, but Eòghan at least won Alba’s player of the tournament for his performance between the sticks.
The competition was held in Glasgow in 2014 for the first time and Paddy was back, alongside Sean and Innes. This was at the time the smallest number of Lewis players, but it showed that more players than ever from other clubs had Gaelic and were interested in the project. Alba would lose a close game at Lochinch on the southside of Glasgow to Fir Uladh.
Alba would do well the next year, and four Lewis players played their part in Gweedore. Sean wasn’t there for the very first time, but Alba also won for the first time in Ireland with an amazing final against Fir Uladh, having also played Na Gaeil Òga and Micheál Breathnach. Seumas, Dukey, Paddy and Eoghan were all very important in a game that went down to the final minute, although it was another Eoghann, Ewen Campbell of Uist, who put in a man of the match performance with incredible hitting from the middle of the park.
The next year, things didn’t go so well for the Albannaich in Ireland, and they would lose the last Corn Cholmcille to be held in Connemara to date against Micheál Breathnach. Seumas and Eòghan were there representing the club, and Calum Ferguson and Joseph MacInnes from Uist had also played for the Dubh is Gorm that season were also counted as Lewis caps that year.
The next year in Fort William saw only Sean representing Camanachd Leòdhais on the park, with Iain Sinclair assisting Doneil MacLeod as part of the coaching set-up. Alba would win with Graham Black of Uist raising the cup.
The Leòdhasaich would return with a vengeance in 2018 when the tournament returned to Gweedore. It was another tight tournament and the final went to extra time, and the Albannaich lifted the Còrn Cholmcille yet again. Tyson was there, and played an important role alongside Paddy, Dukey, Sean and fellow debutant Crisdean MacRae. Sean was also manager for the first time, sharing duties with Angus MacInnes.
Sean would again be part of the management team in 2019, although he wouldnt’play as the tournament was held as part of Mòd Ghlaschu. Paddy and Tyson were the club’s playing representation and it was another thriller that Fir Uladh clunched in the final moments.
COVID stopped the competition for three years, but it returned in 2022 to Glasgow. Tyson and Dukey featured as Micheál Breathnach came out on top.
Strangely, there wasn’t a Lewisman in an incredible tournament victory for Alba in Belfast in 2023, but there was representation in the form of Lucy MacLeod for the Alba women as they lifted Còrn Sgàthaich for the first time in Ireland.
It’s obvious that Lewis players have played a big part in the history of Iomain Cholmcille and that this Saturday in Shawbost, with 8 players being involved with the Alba men, that that history will continue.