Tha an darna latha den Fhaoilleach 2025 a’ comharrachadh deich air fhichead bliadhna on a thill an iomain camain do dh’Eilean Fraoich ri linn beachd-smuain Donna Barden, le brosnachadh on duine aice Dr Alasdair Barden. Bha Donna air leughadh san leabhar aig Dòmhnall Dòmhnallach mun iomain a bhith ga cluich aig a’ Challainn. Leis gun robh an t-Sàbaid air a’ Challainn fhèin, chruinnich daoine aig Col Uarach air an dara latha agus chluich iad le batannan hocaidh air iasad on ionad-spòrs leis nach robh camain iomain san eilean. Thaghadh an dithis as òige, Clare James (5) agus Ian James (7) mar sgiobairean agus chluicheadh an geam san t-seann dòigh le “saoil” far an robh am ball ga iomain thairis air crìoch seach a-steach gu tadhal. Bha an sgioba aig Clare 2-1 shuas aig leth-àm air latha sneachdach far an robh am ball geal a’ dol air chall gu math tric. Bha cuid a’ cluich ann an bòtanann wellington agus rinn seo e buileach na bu dhorra. San dara leth, fhuair sgioba Iain saoil eile agus chaidh iad a-steach gu ùine a bharrachd “bàs obann”. Chuireadh an tadhal a bharrachd le sgioba Clare eadar na puist ball-coise.
B’ e geam eachdraidheil a bh’ ann leis an dealas aig an òigridh a’ toirt brosnachadh do Dhonna is Alasdair a bhith a’ cur air chois Comunn Camanachd Leòdhais agus farpais Cuach nan Dusan sna miosan a bha romhpa. As aonais an latha sònraichte seo, chan eil e cinnteach am biodh iomain air tilleadh mar a tha i dha na h-eileanan seo. Tha sinn uile fad an comain Donna is Alasdair nach maireann airson cur ris an aiseirigh den t-seann spòrs Ghàidhealach ann an Leòdhas is na Hearadh.
The second of January 2025 will mark 30 years since shinty returned to Lewis & Harris due to the brainwave of Donna Barden, with the encouragement of her husband Dr Alasdair Barden. Donna had the idea of a shinty match after reading Donald Macdonald’s book which discussed how shinty was played at the New Year “A’ Challainn” in the districts of Lewis. As the first was the Sabbath that year, they gathered on the second at Back FC’s Col Uarach ground and used hockey sticks on loan from the sports centre as there were no shinty sticks in the island. Two teams were picked with the youngest, Clare James and her brother Ian, only 5 and 7 respectively playing with the old rules, where a “saoil” was scored by driving the ball over the end boundary instead of into a goal. Clare’s team went up 2-1 in the first half, although the white ball went missing several times in the snow which covered the park. Wellie boots were de rigeur for several players and Ian’s team levelled it at 2-2 forcing a “sudden death” extra period. Clare’s team would win the game with a final saoil which was actually scored between the football posts.
This historic game coupled with the enthusiastic response of the youngsters who played encouraged Donna and Alasdair to establish Comunn Camanachd Leòdhais, and the Cuach nan Dusan/Dozen Cup competition in the subsequent months. Without this special game it is unsure if shinty would have ever returned in any serious form to these islands. We are eternally grateful to Donna, and her late husband, Alasdair, for setting alight the fire of the revival of shinty in Lewis and Harris.
After the sad passing of Dr Barden, the Iomain Challainn again fell into abeyance, but it was revived by Sean MacLeod on Hogmanay 2010 as a curtain raiser to our famous 2011 debut league season. A list of all the fixtures since are here. It stopped due to Covid for three years but 2024’s return saw a great game between the “Dubh is Gorm” and “Irn Bru Crew”.
This year’s Iomain Challainn will be played at Smith Avenue astro in Stornoway from 12-2 on Saturday 4th January. It is open to all adults on the island, so please join us to mark 30 years of shinty returning to Lewis & Harris. Dubh is Gorm!