622: Johnny Cattanach, Prince of Shinty 622: Iain Catanach, ‘Prionnsa’ na Camanachd
Litir shìmplidh sheachdaineach do luchd-ionnsachaidh le clàr-fuaime, tar-sgrìobhadh is eadar-theangachadh. A simple weekly letter to Gaelic learners with audio, transcription and translation.
Tha an litir bheag ag obrachadh leis an fhaclair. Tagh an taba ‘teacsa Gàidhlig’ agus tagh facal sam bith san teacsa agus fosglaidh am faclair ann an taba ùr agus bidh mìneachadh den fhacal ann. The little letter is integrated with the dictionary. Select the tab ‘Gaelic text’ and choose any word and the dictionary will open and you will see the English explanation of the Gaelic word.
Iain Catanach, ‘Prionnsa’ na Camanachd
An cuala sibh riamh air Iain no Seonaidh Catanach? Tha cuid ag ràdh gum b’ e an cluicheadair iomain a b’ fheàrr a bha ann riamh. Bhuineadh e do Bhàideanach. Rugadh e ann an ochd ceud deug, ochdad ʼs a còig (1885). Bha athair na mharsanta ann am Bail’ Ùr an t-Slèibh. Fhuair Iain foghlam ann an Sgoil Bhail’ Ùr an t-Slèibh agus Sgoil Cheann a’ Ghiùthsaich, mus deach e gu Colaiste Sheòrais Watson agus Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann. Rinn e ceum ann an Eòlas-leigheis. Bha e ag obair mar dhotair ann an Sasainn agus sa Chuimrigh.
Bha e na lùth-chleasaiche air leth. Ann an naoi ceud deug ʼs a naoi agus a deich (1909/1910) bhuannaich e an leumfhada ann am farpaisean Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann. Bha e cuideachd sònraichte math air hocaidh. Chluich e airson sgioba hocaidh na h-Alba.
Ach ʼs e a’ chiad chaman a thog e fear na h-iomain. Bha na sgilean camanachd aige air leth. Nuair a bha e air an rathad chun an Eilein, pàirc na h-iomain ann am Bail’ Ùr an t-Slèibh, bhiodh e a’ ruith airson leth-mhìle a’ cumail a’ bhuill san adhar le a chaman.
Bha sgioba a’ Bhail’ Ùir soirbheachail nuair a bha Iain Catanach a’ cluich dhaibh. Ann an naoi ceud deug ʼs a naoi (1909), chluich iad an Fhùirneis ann an Cuairt Dheireannach Chupa na Camanachd. Bhuannaich iad aon tadhal deug gu trì. Agus chuir Iain Catanach ochd tadhail! Tha cuid dhen bheachd gun seas sin gu sìorraidh mar an uiread as motha de thadhail a chuir aon chluicheadair anns a’ Chuairt Dheireannach.
Gu mì mì-fhortanach, chaill Iain Catanach a bheatha anns a’ Chiad Chogadh. Bha e ann an Corps Meidigeach Rìoghail an Airm. Chaidh a leòn anns na Dardanelles ann an naoi ceud deug is còig-deug (1915). Cha d’ fhuair e seachad air sin, agus chaochail e.
Chaidh ainmeachadh ann an Talla nàiseanta an Sàr-luchd-spòrs – an aon chluicheadair iomain a fhuair an inbhe sin. Bidh òraid agus duais ainmichte air a shon air an toirt le Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann gach bliadhna. Tha daoine ga chuimhneachadh mar ‘Prionnsa na Camanachd’ fhathast.
Johnny Cattanach, Prince of Shinty
Have you ever heard of John or Johnny Cattanach? Some people say he was the best shinty player ever. He belonged to Badenoch. He was born in 1885. His father was a merchant in Newtonmore. Iain was educated in Newtonmore School and Kingussie School before he went on to George Watsonʼs College and Edinburgh University. He did a degree in Medicine. He was working as a doctor in England and Wales.
He was an exceptional athlete. In 1909/10 he won the long jump at the University of Edinburgh championships. He was also excellent at hockey. He played for the Scottish national hockey team.
But the first stick he picked up was the shinty stick. His shinty skills were exceptional. When he was on the way to the Eilan, the shinty field in Newtonmore, he would run for half a mile, keeping the ball in the air with his caman.
Newtonmore were successful when John Cattanach played for them. In 1909, they played Furnace in the Camanachd Cup Final. They won by eleven goals to three. And John Cattanach scored eight goals! Some people think that will stand forever as the greatest number of goals that one player scored in the Final.
Tragically, John Cattanach lost his life in the First World War. He was in the Royal Armny Medical Corps. He was wounded in the Dardanelles in 1915. He never recovered, and he died.
He was inducted into the Scottish Sporting Hall of Fame – the only shinty player that has been granted that accolade. A lecture and prize named for him are given by the University of Edinburgh every year. People still remember him as the ‘Prince of Shinty’.
Iain Catanach, ‘Prionnsa’ na Camanachd
An cuala sibh riamh air Iain no Seonaidh Catanach? Tha cuid ag ràdh gum b’ e an cluicheadair iomain a b’ fheàrr a bha ann riamh. Bhuineadh e do Bhàideanach. Rugadh e ann an ochd ceud deug, ochdad ʼs a còig (1885). Bha athair na mharsanta ann am Bail’ Ùr an t-Slèibh. Fhuair Iain foghlam ann an Sgoil Bhail’ Ùr an t-Slèibh agus Sgoil Cheann a’ Ghiùthsaich, mus deach e gu Colaiste Sheòrais Watson agus Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann. Rinn e ceum ann an Eòlas-leigheis. Bha e ag obair mar dhotair ann an Sasainn agus sa Chuimrigh.
Bha e na lùth-chleasaiche air leth. Ann an naoi ceud deug ʼs a naoi agus a deich (1909/1910) bhuannaich e an leumfhada ann am farpaisean Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann. Bha e cuideachd sònraichte math air hocaidh. Chluich e airson sgioba hocaidh na h-Alba.
Ach ʼs e a’ chiad chaman a thog e fear na h-iomain. Bha na sgilean camanachd aige air leth. Nuair a bha e air an rathad chun an Eilein, pàirc na h-iomain ann am Bail’ Ùr an t-Slèibh, bhiodh e a’ ruith airson leth-mhìle a’ cumail a’ bhuill san adhar le a chaman.
Bha sgioba a’ Bhail’ Ùir soirbheachail nuair a bha Iain Catanach a’ cluich dhaibh. Ann an naoi ceud deug ʼs a naoi (1909), chluich iad an Fhùirneis ann an Cuairt Dheireannach Chupa na Camanachd. Bhuannaich iad aon tadhal deug gu trì. Agus chuir Iain Catanach ochd tadhail! Tha cuid dhen bheachd gun seas sin gu sìorraidh mar an uiread as motha de thadhail a chuir aon chluicheadair anns a’ Chuairt Dheireannach.
Gu mì mì-fhortanach, chaill Iain Catanach a bheatha anns a’ Chiad Chogadh. Bha e ann an Corps Meidigeach Rìoghail an Airm. Chaidh a leòn anns na Dardanelles ann an naoi ceud deug is còig-deug (1915). Cha d’ fhuair e seachad air sin, agus chaochail e.
Chaidh ainmeachadh ann an Talla nàiseanta an Sàr-luchd-spòrs – an aon chluicheadair iomain a fhuair an inbhe sin. Bidh òraid agus duais ainmichte air a shon air an toirt le Oilthigh Dhùn Èideann gach bliadhna. Tha daoine ga chuimhneachadh mar ‘Prionnsa na Camanachd’ fhathast.
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Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh
This letter corresponds to Tha an Litir seo a’ buntainn ri Litir do Luchd-ionnsachaidh 926
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