Gaelic at Murrayfield (1)
I want to tell you about two Gaelic-speakers who played rugby at
Murrayfield the first time that Scotland won the grand slam in the Five
Nations Championship. A grand slam means when one country defeats every
other country in the competition. It happened to Scotland for the first
time in 1925.
The first game took place in January in Inverleith in Edinburgh.
Scotland defeated France.
The Scots had a good team, particularly among the backs. George
MacPherson was very strong. So was Ian Smith who was playing on the
wing. MacPherson and Smith both played for Oxford University. Smith
scored four tries against France.
He score four tries again in the second game against Wales in Swansea.
Scotland won 24-14. In the third game in Dublin, Scotland defeated
Ireland. Then the English came to Scotland’s new stadium – Murrayfield.
They played the game in front of seventy thousand people.
The day was dry and sunny, and the game was tight. Scotland won by
three points – 14-11.
There were at least two people on the field on that famous day who were
Gaelic-speakers. John Bannerman was highly respected as a player for
Scotland. He was born in Glasgow. But his father belonged to South
Uist. And John spoke Gaelic.
On the other team there was a Roddy MacLennan – Roderick Ross Forrest
MacLennan. Although he was playing for England, he was also born in
Glasgow. And he was a Gaelic-speaker.
Were the two men speaking to each other on the field in Gaelic? I can’t
say. But they were after the game, apparently. I’ll tell you about it next
week.
Gàidhlig aig Murrayfield (1)
Tha mi airson innse dhuibh mu dhithis aig an robh Gàidhlig, a chluich
rugbaidh aig Murrayfield a’ chiad turas a thug Alba a-mach an t-sàr-bhuaidh
no grand slam ann am Farpais nan Còig Dùthchannan. ʼS e a tha ann
an sàr-bhuaidh nuair a nì aon dùthaich an gnothach air a h-uile dùthaich
eile san fharpais. Thachair e do dh’Alba a’ chiad triop sa bhliadhna naoi
ceud deug, fichead ʼs a còig (1925).
Ghabh a’ chiad ghèam dhen fharpais àite anns an Fhaoilleach ann an Inbhir
Lìte ann an Dùn Èideann. Rinn Alba a’ chùis air an Fhraing.
Bha sgioba mhath aig na h-Albannaich, gu h-àraidh am measg nan
dìonadairean. Bha Seòras Mac a’ Phearsain air leth làidir. Bha, agus Iain
Mac a’ Ghobhainn, a bha a’ cluich air an iomaill. Bha Mac a’ Phearsain agus
Mac a’ Ghobhainn le chèile a’ cluich airson Oilthigh Oxford. Chuir Mac a’
Ghobhainn ceithir scòraichean an aghaidh na Frainge.
Chuir e ceithir scòraichean a-rithist anns an dàrna gèam an aghaidh na
Cuimrigh ann an Swansea. Bhuannaich Alba fichead ʼs a ceithir gu
ceithir-deug. Anns an treas gèam ann am Baile Atha Cliath, rinn Alba a’
chùis air Èirinn. An uair sin thàinig na Sasannaich gu stadium ùr na h-Alba
– Murrayfield. Chluich iad an gèam mu dheireadh dhen fharpais air beulaibh
seachdad mìle duine.
Bha an latha tioram is grianach, agus bha an gèam teann. Bhuannaich Alba le
trì puingean – ceithir-deug gu h-aon-deug.
Bha co-dhiù dithis air a’ phàirc air an latha ainmeil sin aig an robh
Gàidhlig. Bha Iain Mac Ille na Brataich cliùiteach mar chluicheadair airson
sgioba na h-Alba. Rugadh e ann an Glaschu. Ach bhuineadh athair do
dh’Uibhist a Deas. Agus bha Gàidhlig aig Iain.
Anns an sgioba eile, bha fear Ruairidh MacIllInnein – Roderick Ross Forrest MacLennan. Ged a bha e a’ cluich airson
Sasainn, rugadh esan cuideachd ann an Glaschu. Agus bha Gàidhlig aige.
An robh an dithis a’ bruidhinn ri chèile air a’ phàirc ann an Gàidhlig?
Chan urrainn dhomh a ràdh. Ach bha an dèidh a’ ghèam, a rèir choltais.
Innsidh mi dhuibh mu dheidhinn an-ath-sheachdain.
