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Wednesday, March 27, 2024

Semi-Finalists Announced for The Loganair Secondary Gaelic Debating Competition 

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‘S ann suas dha na speuran a rinn sgoilearan bho air feadh Alba an slighe gu ruige baile Steòrnabhaigh an t-seachdain seo gus pàirt a ghabhail ann an farpais Deasbad Loganair nan Àrdsgoiltean Ghàidlig.

B’ ann ann an Talla a’ Bhaile, ann an Steòrnabhagh, a ghabh a’ chiad agus an darna cuairt den fharpais chliùiteach seo àite nas tràithe air an t-seachdain.

Bha dùbhlan mòr mu choinneamh na britheamhan; Agnes Rennie, Joy Dunlop agus Aonghas Mac’Illinnein. 

Ach chaidh aca air fichead sgioba a lùghdachadh sìos gu ceithir sgiobaidhean. 

Is iad na sgiobaidhean a thèid troimhe chun na h-iar chuairtean deireannach a ghabhas àite ann an Dùn Èideann, Àrdsgoil Mhicneacail A, Àrdsgoil Phortrigh, Sgoil an Tairbeirt A agus Sgoil Ghàidhlig Ghlaschu.

‘S ann aig Taigh-òsta MacDonald Holyrood ann an Dùn Èideann a bhios na h- iar-chuairtean dheireannach a’ gabhail àite air Dimàirt 29 Samhain 2022. 

Thèid a’ chuairt mu dheireadh a chumail ann am Pàrlamaid na h-Alba an oidhche an dèidh sin, Diciadain 30 Samhain, agus bi seo ri chluinntinn beò air BBC Radio nan Gàidheal.

Thuirt Luke Lovegrove, Àrd Oifigear Coimeirsealta, Loganair:

“Bha e na thlachd dhuinn sgoilearan a sgèith a Steòrnabhagh agus tha sinn a’ cuir fàilte mhòr air an naidheachd gu bheil an fharpais seo air tilleadh. 

“Tha sinn toilichte taic a chumail agus tha sinn gu mòr a’ faicinn cho cudromach sa tha an Deasbad ann a bhith a’ leasachadh sgilean cànain”.

Thuirt Joy Dunlop, as leth na britheamhan:

“Mu mhath leam meal a naidheachd a chur air gach farpaiseach a ghabh pàirt thàiris air an dà là  chaidh seachad. 

“Bha e follaiseach gun deach mòran obair ullachaidh a dhèanamh agus bha e na thlachd dhuinn uile a bhith ag èisteachd ri deasbadan a bha nan adhbhar smaoineachaidh ach a thug dhuinn gàire no dhà cuideachd. 

“Cha robh e idir furasta fichead sgioba a lùghdachadh sìos gu ceithir ach tha sinn an dòchas gu bheil gach sgioba air sgilean a leasachadh, tlachd a ghabhail bho bhith a’ gabhail pàirt agus tha sinn an dòchas mòran dhiubh fhaicinn a’ tilleadh air ais chun Deasbad anns na bliadhnaichean a tha air thoiseach oirnn”.

Thuirt an Cathraiche Calum Rothach, Cathraiche Comataidh Gàidhlig Chomhairle na Gàidhealtachd:

“Tha e math dha-rìribh faicinn gu bheil an Deasbad Nàiseanta air tilleadh.

“Tha an Deasbad a’ toirt seachad àrd-ùrlar nàiseanta do dhaoine òga airson a bhith a’ cleachdadh nan sgilean cànain aca taobh a-muigh àrainneachd fhoirmeil an t-seòmair-theagaisg.”

Lean e air adhart:

“Tha an Deasbad fìor chudromach seach gu bheil na daoine òga a’ gabhail pàirt ann an tachartas ùr-nodha, a’ leasachadh nan sgilean deasbaid aca, agus a’ coinneachadh rin co-aoisean bho àrd-sgoiltean eile taobh a-muigh sgìre na Gàidhealtachd.

“Bu toil leam an cothrom seo a ghabhail taing a thoirt do na tidsearan agus do luchd-eagrachaidh an tachartais.

“Bu mhath leam cuideachd gach soirbheachas a ghuidhe dha na sgoilearan!” 

Pupils from across Scotland took to the skies this week to make their way to Stornoway for the preliminary rounds of the Loganair Secondary Gaelic Debating competition.

The Town Hall in Stornoway was the setting for the first and second rounds of the prestigious competition which made a welcome return after a three year hiatus.

The judges; Agnes Rennie, Joy Dunlop and Angus MacLennan, certainly had their work cut out whittling twenty teams down to four. 

The four teams who have reached the semi-final stages of this year’s competition are Portree High School, Glasgow Gaelic School, The Nicolson Institute A and Sir E Scott A.

The first semi-final draw will see The Nicolson Institute A against Portree High School.

In the second semi-final, Sir E Scott A pupils will be debating against Glasgow Gaelic School. 

The semi-finals will be held in the MacDonald Holyrood Hotel in Edinburgh on Tuesday the 29th November 2022. 

The Final will be held the following evening in the Scottish Parliament and will be broadcasted live on BBC Radio nan Gàidheal.

Luke Lovegrove, Chief Commercial Officer, Loganair, said:

“It was a pleasure to fly pupils to Stornoway as the Loganair National Gaelic Schools Debate makes a welcome return as a full-scale event.

“We’re proud to be supporting this initiative and the important contribution it makes to Gaelic language learning.”

Commenting on the two days of competitions, judge Joy Dunlop, added:

“On behalf of the judges I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the teams who took part in the debates over the last two days. 

“It was apparent that a huge amount of preparatory work had taken place and all competitors are to be commended for the excellent entertainment and thought provoking debates they showcased. 

“It was never going to be an easy decision for us to reach but we hope that each and every one of the competitors will have gained valuable lifelong skills by taking part and hope to see many return again for future Deasbads”

Cllr Calum Munro, Chair of the Highland Council Gaelic Committee said:

“It’s great to see that the Deasbad Nàiseanta (National Debate) is back.

“The Deasbad provides a national platform for young people to use their linguistic skills out with the formal classroom environment.”

He continued:

“The Deasbad is hugely important as the young people are taking part in a modern and contemporary event, developing debating skills, and meeting their peers from other secondary schools beyond the Highland area.

“I wish to take this opportunity to thank the teachers and the organisers of the event, and to wish all the pupils the very best.

“Good luck!”

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