AG12: Agallamh le Iain Tormod MacLeòid: Iomain Interview with John Norman MacLeod: Shinty Presenter: Seumas Dòmhnallach (James MacDonald)

SEUMAS: JAMES: Cuide rinn an-dràsta tha Iain Tormod MacLeòid à Stafainn anns an Eilean With us now is John Norman MacLeod from Staffin on the Sgitheanach aig a bheil ùidh mhòr ann an iomain. Fàilte ort, Iain Thormoid. Innis who has a special interest in shinty. Welcome, John Norman. Tell us dhuinn an toiseach, ma-thà, ciamar a chuir thu fhèin eòlas air a' gheama a tha seo first of all how you were introduced to this game we call shinty? ris an can sinn iomain.

IAIN TORMOD: JOHN NORMAN: Uill, tha mi a' creidsinn gur ann anns an sgoil a thòisich mi fhìn. Bhiodh iomain Well, I think it was in school that I first started. We played shinty in againn anns a' bhun-sgoil, ach chan e iomain mar a bha mi fhìn eòlach air nuair a primary school, but it wasn't the sort of shinty I got used to after chaidh mi dhan àrd-sgoil a bh' ann. Cha robh camain cheart mar sin againn. Ach moving to secondary school. We didn't have proper camans as such. nuair a chaidh mi dhan àrd-sgoil, ghabh mi ùidh mhòr anns an iomain, agus bha But when I went to secondary school, I took more of an interest in aon duine, tha mi a' creidsinn gu sònraichte a bha a' togail an ùidh againn anns an shinty, and there was one man especially who encouraged my interest iomain, agus 's e sin DR Dòmhnallach, a bha a' teagasg Gàidhlig. Mar sin, bhithinn in shinty, and that was DR MacDonald, who taught Gaelic. So I used to a' cluich iomain a h-uile feasgar Dihaoine. Bha cothroman againn a bhith a' dol a- play shinty every Friday afternoon. We had the opportunity to go out mach 's a bhith a' feuchainn rudan eadar-dhealaichte agus bhithinn a' cluich an and try different things and I used to play then in school and I carried uairsin anns an sgoil agus chùm mi orm nuair a chaidh mi dhan an oilthigh on playing shinty when I went to university too and after I returned cuideachd a' cluich iomain agus às dèidh nuair a thill mi dhan oilthigh agus bha mi from university I was then a teacher myself, and I then did a lot of fhìn a' teagasg bha mi an uairsin a' dèanamh tòrr trèanadh còmhla ri na balaich training with the young lads and I continued like that for many years, òga 's chùm mi orm thairis air na bliadhnaichean mar sin, a' cluich beagan ach a' playing a little, but doing more work with young people. dèanamh barrachd obair còmhla ri òigridh.

SEUMAS: JAMES: Seadh. Ciamar a chaidh fear nach robh a' cluich mòran iomain sa bhun-sgoil, mar Right. How did someone who didn't play much shinty in primary a thuirt thu fhèin, ciamar a chaidh a tharraing dhan a' ghèam cho sgiobalta nuair a school, as you yourself said, how did he become so keen on this game chaidh e dhan an àrd-sgoil? so quickly after moving to secondary school?

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IAIN TORMOD: JOHN NORMAN: Uill, a-rithist, cha robh mòran 's dòcha bhon an sgìre agam fhìn anns a' chiad dol a- Well, again, there weren't many people from my local area who played mach a' cluich. Cha bhiodh sinn a' cluich, fhios agad, às dèidh na sgoile no càil dhe in the first place. We didn't play, you know, after school or anything sin. Ach chanainn fhìn gur e sin a bh' ann, dìreach gun do ghabh mi iomain nuair a like that. But I'd say that's what it was, just that I tried shinty when I chaidh mi dhan an àrd-sgoil agus bha e a' còrdadh rium math fhèin. 'S bha tòrr went to secondary school and I really enjoyed it. And also a lot of the dhe na balaich an uairsin cuideachd a bha a' gabhail Gàidhlig, bha mise a' lads at that time were taking Gaelic, and I felt they were with us. As a faireachadh. Bha iad còmhla rinn. Mar sin, bhiodh tòrr fealla-dhà againn 's mean result, we had a great laugh, and little by little, I think shinty was air mhean, tha mi a' smaoineachadh gu robh iomain dìreach a' fàs nas làidire anns becoming more popular in the school, too and so that also encouraged an sgoil cuideachd agus, mar sin, bha sin a' togail m' ùidh. my interest.

SEUMAS: JAMES: Do dhuine nach eil eòlach air iomain, innis dhuinn mun a' ghèam. Dè an seòrsa For someone who knows very little about shinty, tell me about the gèam a th' ann? game. What sort of game is it?

IAIN TORMOD: JOHN NORMAN: Uill, 's e ... Tha mi a' creidsinn gur e a' chiad rud mu dheidhinn tha thu ga chluich Well, it's ... I suppose the first thing about it is that it's played with a le caman, agus ... Innis dhomh dè a th' ann an caman. Uill, caman, 's e tha, maide, caman, and ... Explain to me what a caman is. Well, a caman is ... I dh'fhaodadh tu a ràdh anns an dòigh sin a th' ann. Tha e air a dhèanamh de fiodh suppose in a way, you could say it's a stick. It's made from different eadar-dhealaichte, ach tha an caman, faodaidh tu a bhualadh taobh seach taobh. types of wood, but the caman, you can strike with either side of it. Bidh daoine ag ràdh, "O tha iomain coltach ri hocaidh." Uill, chan eil anns an dòigh People say, "Oh, shinty is like hockey." Well, it isn't in that respect. sin idir. Tha ... Faodaidh tu a bhualadh bho gach taobh. Ma tha thu a' cluich, can, You ... You can strike with either side of it. If you're playing, for anns an loidhne dìon aig a' chùlaibh bhiodh caman nas motha agad airson am ball example, in the defensive line at the back, you'd have a larger caman a thogail nas àirde. Ma tha thu a' cluich anns an loidhne toisich, aig an aghaidh, to lift the ball higher. If you're playing in the attacking line, at the bhiodh an caman agad ... bhiodh e caran flat mar a chanadh sinn airson am ball a front, your caman would be ... it would be quite flat, as we'd say to chumail ìosal. keep the ball low.

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IAIN TORMOD: JOHN NORMAN: 'S e gèam gu math luath a th' ann, gèam cruaidh a th' ann ann an tòrr dhòighean It's a very fast-paced game, a very hard game in many ways and you agus feumaidh deagh shùil a bhith agad. Feumaidh tu a bhith math air am ball a need a good eye. You have to be able to hit the ball well too, but I feel bhualadh cuideachd, ach tha mi a' faireachadh an seòrsa gèam a th' ann, tha thu that it's the type of game where you're really playing against the player gu mòr tha thu a' cluich an aghaidh an duine a tha thu suas na aghaidh, fhios marking you, you know? It's very ... You know, you aren't ... The team agad? Tha e gu math ... Fhios agad, chan eil thu ... Tha an sgioba cudromach, ach is important, but I'd say the player you're up against is also important. tha e cudromach cuideachd cò a tha thusa a' cluich na aghaidh, chanainn. Gèam It's a very fast game. You move back and fore. The ball goes up and luath, ge-tà. Tha thu air ais 's air adhart. Tha am ball a' dol sìos is suas a' phàirce down the pitch, and ... Oh, it's a great game in that respect. agus ... Och, gèam math anns an dòigh sin.

SEUMAS: JAMES: Bhruidhinn thu an siud air a bhith a' bualadh a' bhuill suas is sìos a' phàirce. Dè an You spoke there about hitting the ball up and down the pitch. What seòrsa ball a th' ann? Cò ris a tha e coltach? sort of ball is it? What's it like?

IAIN TORMOD: JOHN NORMAN: Uill, 's e ball gu math cruaidh a th' ann. Cha chreid leamsa an-diugh gu bheil e cho Well, it's a very hard ball. I don't believe they're as hard as they used cruaidh 's a bha e. Nuair a thòisich mise a' cluich, 's e ball dubh a bh' ann, leathair to be. When I first started, it was a black ball, black leather, and the dubh, 's nuair a thigeadh e a-mach 's a' chiad turas, bha e coltach ri cnap guail. first time you played with it, it was like a lump of coal. But since then, Ach bhon uairsin, tha na buill ... Saoilidh mise nach eil iad cho cruaidh 's a bha iad. the balls are ... I don't think they're as hard as they used to be. I think Tha mi a' smaoineachadh gu bheil iad a' tighinn à Èirinn a-nise, feadhainn dhiubh some of them also come over from Ireland nowadays, and I feel that cuideachd, agus 's e rud a' tha mi fhìn a' faireachadh mu dheidhinn an gèam, the game has, over the years, especially, for example, in the time that thairis air na bliadhnaichean, gu h-àraid air, can, anns an ùine a bha mi fhìn a' I've been coaching youngsters, I'd say that the game has become safer, tòiseachadh air trèanadh òigridh, gu bheil an gèam a-nise air fàs, chanain-sa, nas or at least more suitable for younger players, not just boys, but girls sàbhailte no nas fheàrr airson feadhainn òga a bhith ga chluich, chan e a-mhàin too. And the ball ... You can get softer balls, and also some people balaich, ach nigheanan cuideachd. 'S tha ball ... Gheibh thu ball nas buige, agus now wear helmets, which was unheard of when I started playing cuideachd, bidh daoine a' cur orra clogadan a-nise, rud nach robh ann nuair a shinty. And so, I think the game has become much better for different thòisich mise a' cluich iomain. 'S mar sin, tha mi a' smaoineachadh gu bheil an people, for different ages to play the game. gèam air fàs tòrr nas fheàrr airson daoine eadar-dhealaichte, aoisean eadar- dhealaichte, a bhith a' cluich an geama.

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IAIN TORMOD: JOHN NORMAN: Agus faodaidh tu cuideachd a bhith a' cluich an geama taobh a-staigh talla. Tha, And you can also play the game indoors in a hall. In English, it's called mar a chanas sinn ann am Beurla, "first shinty" ann, le camain a tha air an first shinty, and uses camans made of plastic and rubber, and that's dèanamh de phlastaig 's de rubair, 's tha sin math cuideachd, dìreach airson na also good from the point of view of improving the skills and the sgilean agus misneachd aig an òigridh a thogail agus an ùidh aca a thogail anns a' confidence of young players and to encourage their interest in this ghèam a tha seo. game.

SEUMAS: JAMES: A bheil thu a' smaoineachadh gu bheil na h-atharraichidhean air a bheil thu a' Do you believe that the changes you've just been speaking about, bruidhinn an sin, clogadan, sàbhailteachd, a' toirt atharrachadh air stoidhle a' helmets, safety, are changing the style of the game? ghèam?

IAIN TORMOD: JOHN NORMAN: Uill, 's dòcha gu bheil, gu ìre. Tha mi a' creidsinn, 's dòcha ma tha clogad ort, 's Well, perhaps to a degree. I suppose that if you're wearing a helmet, dòcha gu bheil thu a' faireachdainn gu bheil thu fhèin nas sàbhailte ach, an dèidh you may feel that you, personally, are safer but even so, the game sin, 's e an rud, chan eil an gèam ag atharrachadh. Feumaidh tu ionnsachadh gu hasn't changed. You have to learn early on how to go in, as we say, for math tràth ciamar a tha thu a' dol a-staigh, mar a chanas sinn, airson "tackle" a a tackle. If you're trying to block the other player's caman or stop the dhèanamh. Ma tha thu a' feuchainn ri stad 's dòcha an caman aig an duine eile no ball, but you also have to be careful when you're approaching a player am ball a stad, ach cuideachd, feumaidh tu a bhith faiceallach nuair a tha thu a' who is striking, striking the ball, that you approach from the right side, dol faisg air duine a tha a' bualadh, a' bualadh ball, gun tig thu a-staigh air an or the caman could hit you. So it's very important that all of this is taobh cheart, no dh'fhaodadh an caman bualadh annad. Mar sin, tha e uabhasach taught in the first place. fhèin cudromach gu bheil a h-uile rud a tha sin air a theagasg anns a' chiad dol a- mach.

SEUMAS: JAMES: A bheil thu a' smaoineachadh, ann an seadh spòrs, gu bheil iomain ag Do you think, in a sporting sense, that shinty teaches you to defend ionnsachadh dhut a bhith a' cur dìon ort fhèin? yourself?

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IAIN TORMOD: JOHN NORMAN: Tha sin fìor. Agus chan e a-mhàin ort fhèin. Chanain-sa gu bheil e cudromach That's true. And not just yourself. I'd say that it's also important to cuideachd gu bheil thu a' smaoineachadh air na daoine a tha thu a' cluich, a cluich think about the people you are playing, playing against, and not just ... nan aghaidh, agus chan e ... Bidh feadhainn de dhaoine a' smaoineachadh mar as Some people think that the harder or more violently you hit the ball or cruaidhe no mar as motha a bheir thu buile air a' bhall no a bheir thu an caman air raise the caman, the better it is. It isn't. The faster ... It's about ais gu bheil sin nas fheàrr. Chan eil. Mar as luaithe ... Tha e mu dheidhinn a bhith getting ... about moving everything very quickly, but it's also a faighinn ... a bhith a' gluasad luath leis a h-uile rud a th' ann, ach tha e important that you learn how to be safe in the first place and that cudromach gu bheil thu ag ionnsachadh dìreach a bhith sàbhailte anns a' chiad dol everyone is safe. a-mach agus gu bheil a h-uile duine sàbhailte.

SEUMAS: JAMES: Mar sin, slaic no dhà, agus chan eil thu fada ag ionnsachadh mar a sheallas tu às So, after a couple of strikes, it doesn't take long to learn how to look do dhèidh fhèin? after yourself?

IAIN TORMOD: JOHN NORMAN: Uill, tha mi a' smaoineachadh gu bheil sin fìor, fìor mu ar beatha, 's fìor mu Well, I think that's true, true of our lives and true of many things, just dheidhinn tòrr rudan, dìreach gu bheil thu a' tuigsinn an uairsin gu bheil agad ri that you then understand that you also have to be rather cautious and bhith caran faiceallach cuideachd agus cùramach, agus cùramach, tha mise a' careful, and careful, I think, for other people too. I think that's smaoineachadh cuideachd, mu dheidhinn daoine eile. Tha mi a' smaoineachadh important. gu bheil sin cudromach.

SEUMAS: JAMES: Iain Tormod, tapadh leat. John Norman, thank you.

IAIN TORMOD: JOHN NORMAN: Mòran taing. Thank you.

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