Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta

Official Launch of Comórtas Peile 2013 Rinn Ó gCuanach

Some 5,000 people expected to come to Gaeltacht na nDéise for this major national Festival of Football & Entertainment over the June Bank Holiday weekend

Click to view photos from the launch

Waterford inter-county footballers from Gaeltacht na nDéise were in Lawlor’s Hotel, Dungarvan on Thursday, 9 May 2013 for the official launch of this year’s Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta, which will take place in the Co Waterford Gaeltacht from the 31 May to the 3 June. Waterford inter-county footballer Liam Ó Lonáin from An Rinn performed the official opening, with the help of other local An Rinn inter-county footballers, Tadhg Ó hUallacháin and Jamie de Barún (Waterford County Minors).

Local GAA Club, Rinn ó gCuanach are hosting this year’s national Gaeltacht footballing competition, with the support of Gaeltacht neighbours, Club CLG an tSean Phobail. Some 5,000 visitors are expected to visit West Waterford over the June Bank Holiday weekend, for the weekend festival of sport, fun, games and celebration that is Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta. In addition to the full programme of football games (24 of them, including Peil na mBan) that will take place over the weekend, the local committee is organising an ancillary programme of cultural events to entertain the crowds in various venues throughout the two parishes, as well as in ‘An Bansa’, the festival marquee, which will be erected close to Páirc Uí Shíothcháin in An Rinn for the weekend.

Speaking at the launch, Liam Ó Lonáin stressed the importance of the Comórtas Peile for the Gaeltacht community, not only in terms of the huge boost it gives to the local economy of the host club each year, but because it is an annual festival that gives a sense of pride and place and increases the morale of Gaeltacht people throughout the country. “The Comórtas Peile is a celebration of Gaeltacht culture – be it sport, language, music or dance. It showcases our heritage and culture and we should be proud of it. It is a wonderful opportunity for a small Gaeltacht such as ourselves to host such a festival and I am sure that we will have a hugely successful Comórtas here in the south-east, organised very ably by our local Club.”

The Chairman of Club CLG na Rinne, Noel Ó Murchadha, said that the club was honoured to host this year’s Comórtas Peile and he welcomed the festival back to An Rinn after a gap of 14 years. He urged the people of West Waterford in general to come along and savour the fantastic atmosphere of Comórtas Peile na Gaeltachta, “you will be assured a ‘céad míle fáilte’ and there will be plenty of sporting and other cultural entertainment for everyone. Every member of the Club is working flat out to ensure that we will have a fantastic Comórtas here in the Déise and I would like to thank everyone for their commitment and hard work. I would also like to thank our neighbours in An Sean Phobal for their support and assistance in organising this year’s Comórtas. Thanks also to our sponsors – especially our main sponsors TG4, as well as Údarás na Gaeltachta and Raidió na Gaeltachta – without your generosity we could not organise such a huge event.”

Matches will take place in both the An Rinn and An Sean Phobal GAA pitches during the course of the weekend. For those that can’t travel, most of the matches will be broadcast on RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, and the semi-finals on Sunday, as well as the Finals on the Bank Holiday Monday, will be broadcast live on TG4 and on-line throughout the world. The majority of the competing teams from the various Gaeltachtaí – both men and women – have now been confirmed following local qualifying rounds. Teams will also be travelling from Belfast and Dublin and the people of Gaeltacht na nDéise are looking forward to welcoming them all to the Sunny South East in just three weeks time.

Further information on Comórtas Peile Rinn Ó gCuanach 2013 can be found at www.clgnarinne.ie, on Twitter @ComortasPeile13 or on Facebook – CLG na Rinne.

Further Information: Máire Seosaimhín Breathnach (087) 2484 632

Comórtas Peile 2013 Rinn Ó gCuanach Seolta go hOifigiúil

Suas le 5,000 duine le triail ar Ghaeltacht na nDéise

Bhí peileadóirí idir-chontae Ghaeltacht na nDéise i láthair in Óstán Lálor, i nDún Garbhán tráthnóna inniu do sheoladh oifigiúil Chomórtas Peile na Gaeltachta na bliana seo, a bheidh ar siúl i gContae Phort Láirge ón 31ú Bealtaine go dtí an 3ú Meitheamh. B’é peileadóir na Rinne agus peileadóir idir-chontae do Phort Láirge, Liam Ó Lonáin a dhein an seoladh oifigiúil, le cabhair ó pheileadóirí eile idir-chontae ón nGaeltacht – Tadhg Ó hUallacháin agus Jamie de Barún (foireann mionúir Phort Láirge).

Sé Club CLG Rinn ó gCuanach a bheidh mar óstach do Chomórtas Peile na bliana seo, le tacaíocht óna gcomharsain, Club CLG an tSean Phobail. Táthar ag súil le suas le 5,000 cuairteoir in iarthar na nDéise le linn dheireadh seachtaine saoire bainc an Mheithimh, d’fhéile mhór spóirt, scléip agus siamsaíochta an Chomórtas Peile. Chomh maith leis na cluichí peile éagsúla (24 cinn acu – Peil na mBan san áireamh) a bheidh á n-imirt sa dúiche thar an deireadh seachtaine, tá clár iomlán d’imeachtaí chultúrtha eagraithe ag an gCoiste áitiúil chomh maith, in ionaid éagsúla ar fud an dá pharóiste, agus i gceanncheathrú na scléipe,

An Bansa, marquee na féile, a bheidh lonnaithe gar do Pháirc Uí Shíothcháin sa Rinn.

Ag labhairt dó ag seoladh an Chomórtais, dúirt Liam Ó Lonáin go raibh tábhacht nach beag ag baint leis an gComórtas Peile do mhuintir na Gaeltachta, ní hamháin de bharr an buntáiste eacnamaíoch a thugann sé don gceantar ina bhfuil sé ar siúl, ach de bharr gur ócáid é a thugann ardú meanma agus mórtas cine is ceantair do phobal na Gaeltachta ar fud na tíre. “Is ceiliúradh é an Comórtas Peile de chultúr na Gaeltachta – idir spórt, teanga, ceol agus rince. Sárthaispeántas is ea é dár n-oidhreacht agus dár gcultúr agus ba cheart go mbeimís bródúil as. Is iontach an deis é do Ghaeltacht bheag ar nós Ghaeltacht na nDéise seans a bheith againn féile dá leithéad a chur ar bun agus tá mé cinnte go mbeidh Comórtas den scoth againn anseo san oir-dheisceart, eagraithe go snasta ag Club CLG Rinn Ó gCuanach.”

Dúirt Cathaoirleach Chlub CLG na Rinne, Noel Ó Murchadha, gur ábhar bhróid agus mhórtais don gClub an Comórtas Peile a bheith ar ais sa Rinn tar éis 14 bliain. “Tá gach ball den gClub ag obair ar a míle dhícheall chun a chinntiú go mbeidh Comórtas iontach againn anseo sna Déise agus gabhaim buíochas le gach éinne as a gcuid dúthrachta. Ba mhaith liom buíochas a ghabháil chomh maith lenár gcomharsain sa Sean Phobal as ucht a gcuid tacaíochta agus chúnaimh le heagrú an Chomórtais i mbliana. Buíochas chomh maith lenár n-urraitheoirí ar fad – príomh-urraitheoirí TG4, Údarás na Gaeltachta agus Raidió na Gaeltachta ach go háirithe – ní bhfaighfimis féile dá leithéad seo a eagrú gan a dtacaíocht fhlaithiúil siúd.”

Beidh cluichí ar siúl i bpáirceanna peile na Rinne agus an tSean Phobail thar an deireadh seachtaine. Craolfar formhór na gcluichí ar RTÉ Raidió na Gaeltachta, agus beidh na cluichí leathcheannais ar an Domhnach, chomh maith leis na cluichí ceannais ar an Luan Saoire Bainc, á craoladh beo ar TG4 agus ar-líne ar chraoladh gréasáin ar fud an domhain. Tá beagnach gach foireann a bheidh in iomaíocht ó na contaetha éagsúla Gaeltachta – idir fhir agus mhná – beagnach deimhnithe anois. Chomh maith leis sin, beidh foirne ag teacht ó Bhaile Átha Cliath agus ó Bhéal Feirste agus tá muintir Ghaeltacht na nDéise ag súil le céad míle fáilte a chur rompu ar fad go dtí’s na Déise i gceann thrí sheachtaine.

Is féidir a thuilleadh eolais maidir le Comórtas Peile Rinn Ó gCuanach 2013 a fháil ar www.clgnarinne.ie, nó ar Twitter @ComortasPeile13 nó Facebook– CLG na Rinne.

Tuilleadh eolais: Máire Seosaimhín Breathnach (087) 2484 632