Cuach na Cloinne

Sgoil an Iochdair from South Uist are victors of this year’s Cuach na Cloinne schools’ football competition.

Bun-sgoil Portrìgh were runners-up finals in a hard fought finals in Inverness.

Cuach na Cloinne is a national football competition for children from Gaelic medium education primary schools across Scotland.

The competition is held entirely in Gaelic.

It gives the youngsters the opportunity to meet and make friends with young Gaelic-speakers from other schools and also demonstrates to the youngsters that Gaelic is spoken across Scotland, and not just in their own particular communities.

A record number of teams participated this year with 75 teams representing 36 schools taking part nationally.

Regional competitions were held in Lewis, Uist, Skye, Inverness, Oban and Glasgow resulting in teams from Back, Iochdar, Portree, Dingwall, Salen and Taobh na Pàirce of Edinburgh qualifying for this week’s finals.

Alister Mackinnon, chair of the Highland Councouncillor Council’s Gaelic group said: “I would like to congratulate Iochdar school on winning this year’s Cuach na Cloinne competition.

“I would also like to congratulate Portree who were runners-up 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.”

An additional award ‘Sàr Neach Cleachdaidh na Gàidhlig’, was presented this year to the individual player who, in the view of the referees, made the best use of the Gaelic language throughout the event.

The winner of the award was Iain Macdonald from Bun-sgoil an Iochdair.

Sgoil an Iochdair football tournament champions

6 June 2019