[Angela NicIlleathain – Preseantair] ‘S iad an dà sgioba bho Àrd-sgoil MhicNeacail agus na sgiobaidhean bho Àrd-sgoil Àird nam Murchan agus Acadamaidh Rìoghail Bhaile Dhubhthaich a bhios a’ farpais an aghaidh a chèile san ath chuairt de Dheasbad Nàiseanta Àrd-sgoiltean na bliadhna-sa. Tha a’ cho-fharpais air a dhol bho neart gu neart bhon a chaidh a stèidheachadh bho chionn 17 bliadhna. Tha an aithris sa aig Eilidh NicLeòid.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Bha 20 sgioba bho 18 sgoiltean bho air feadh na h-Alba a’ cur air adhart an cuid argamaidean aig Deasbad Nàiseanta nan Àrd-sgoiltean am-bliadhna. Tha a’ cho-fharpais, a choisinn cliù airson an tachartais a b’ fheàrr aig na duaisean Gàidhlig an-uiridh, a’ taisbeanadh sgilean cànain agus ìmpidheachd na sgoilearan.
[Donnchadh Fearghastan] Tha e a’ toirt togail dhòmhsa. Bha mi an sàs ann an-uiridh ach tha mi a’ faicinn gu h-àraidh an-diugh sa mhadainn gu bheil a’ bhruidhinn a th’aca, na h-òraidean a th’aca aig àrd-ìre, air an deagh dheasachadh tha sin cinnteach le na tidsearan agus na h-oileanaich iad fhèin air deagh rannsachadh a dhèanamh agus air lìbhrigeadh òraidean a tha inntinneach, a tha pungail agus air amannan gu math èibhinn. Agus leis an sin ‘s e togail a th’ ann agus tha mise a’ faighinn tòrr toileachais, mar a tha na britheamhan eile às a bhith an sàs anns an fharpais seo.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Bha na deasbadan a’ dol fad dà latha aig Àrd-sgoil MhicNeacail agus an-diugh anns An Lanntair am meadhan Steòrnabhaigh. Bha atharrachadh am-bliadhna ann an cumadh na co-fharpais as dèidh dhan fheadhainn os a cionn èisteachd ri beachdan luchd-teagaisg.
[Evelyn Coull MacLeod] A’ bhliadhna seo thàinig iad thugainn ‘s bha iad ag ràdh gu robh iad a’ faireachdainn gum biodh e math dà chothrom deasbaid a thoirt dhan h-uile sgoil agus sin a rinn sinn. B’ àbhaist gum biodh sgiobaidhean a’ dol a-mach air a’ chiad latha agus gur e na ceithir sgiobaidhean aig deireadh an dàrna latha a bhiodh dol troimhe. Ach air a’ bhliadhna seo tha a h-uile sgioba a’ faighinn comharran agus a-raoir dh’inns sinn dhaibh dè na comharran a bh’ aca aig deireadh a’ chiad latha, dol a-steach dhan dàrna latha. Chuir sin ris an fharpais agus bha sin gu math inntinneach a-raoir agus aig deireadh feasgar an-diugh bidh fios againn cò na ceithir sgiobaidhean a thèid troimhe gu na cuairtean deireannach ann an Dùn Èideann.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Feumaidh an fheadhainn a shoirbhich a-nis dèanamh deiseil airson iar-chuairt dheireannach na co-fharpais ann an Dùn Èideann, leis a’ chuairt dheireannach ga chraoladh beò air Radio nan Gàidheal à Pàrlamaid na h-Alba air a 25mh dhen mhìos. Tha beachd ann gum faodadh an cothrom a gheibh iad ann am prìomh sheòmar-deasbaid na dùthcha am brosnachadh, leantainn orra na beachdan aca a chur an cèill le misneachd.
[Donnchadh Fearghastan] Oh tha iad a’ faighinn tòrr às an seo. Gu h-àraidh 40 oileanach bho air feadh na dùthcha a’ tighinn còmhla, sin mu 20 tidsear còmhla riutha. Ach a bhith bruidhinn mu choinneamh dhaoine, a’ smaoineachadh air dè bu chòir dhaibh a bhith ag ràdh, a bhith a’ cur ann an òraid, ‘s e deagh dheasachadh a tha sin. Bu chòir Nicola Sturgeon agus Kezia Dugdale a bhith ag èisteachd riutha, gheibheadh iad deagh leasanan bho feadhainn de na h-oileanaich a bha bruidhinn a-raoir.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Eilidh NicLeòid, BBC An Là, Steòrnabhagh.
[Angela Maclean – Presenter] It’s the two teams from the Nicolson Institute and teams from Ardnamurchan High School and Tain Academy who will be competing against one another in the next round of the National Secondary Schools Debate. The competition has been going from strength to strength since it was set up 17 years ago. Eilidh MacLeod has this report.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] 20 teams from 18 schools across Scotland were putting their arguments forward at the National Secondary Schools Debate this year. The competition, which was awarded the best event at the Gaelic Awards last year, exhibits the pupils language and persuasion skills.
[Duncan Ferguson] It lifts my spirits. I was involved in it last year but I can see especially this morning that their speaking, their speeches are at a high level, well prepared certainly by the teachers and well researched by the students themselves. They are delivering speeches that are interesting, articulate and sometimes very humorous. And therefore it raises my spirits and gives me a lot of joy, as it does the other judges who are involved in this competition.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] The debates were taking place for two days at the Nicolson Institute and today at An Lanntair in the centre of Stornoway. There was a change this year in the format of the competition after the organisers listened to teachers’ suggestions.
[Evelyn Coull MacLeod] This year they came to us saying they felt it would be good to give every school two opportunities to debate and that’s what we did. It used to be that teams would go out on the first day and it would be the four teams at the end of the second day who would go through. But this year every team get marks and last night we told them what their marks were at the end of the first day, going into the second day. That really added to the competition and made last night very interesting. At the end of the afternoon today we’ll know which four teams will go through to the final rounds in Edinburgh.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] Those successful must now prepare for the semi-final of the competition in Edinburgh, with the final being recorded live on Radio nan Gàidheal from the Scottish Parliament on the 25th of the month. Is it thought that the opportunity they get in the country’s main debate chamber will encourage them and allow them to continue to deliver their opinions with confidence.
[Duncan Ferguson] Oh they get lots out of this. Especially with 40 students from across the country coming together, that’s with around 20 teachers with them. Speaking in front of an audience, thinking about what they should be saying, putting it into a speech, it’s good practice. Nicola Sturgeon and Kezia Dugdale should be listening to them, they would get a good lesson from some of the students who were speaking last night.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] Eilidh MacLeod, BBC An Là, Stornoway.
[Angela NicIlleathain – Preseantair] ‘S iad an dà sgioba bho Àrd-sgoil MhicNeacail agus na sgiobaidhean bho Àrd-sgoil Àird nam Murchan agus Acadamaidh Rìoghail Bhaile Dhubhthaich a bhios a’ farpais an aghaidh a chèile san ath chuairt de Dheasbad Nàiseanta Àrd-sgoiltean na bliadhna-sa. Tha a’ cho-fharpais air a dhol bho neart gu neart bhon a chaidh a stèidheachadh bho chionn 17 bliadhna. Tha an aithris sa aig Eilidh NicLeòid.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Bha 20 sgioba bho 18 sgoiltean bho air feadh na h-Alba a’ cur air adhart an cuid argamaidean aig Deasbad Nàiseanta nan Àrd-sgoiltean am-bliadhna. Tha a’ cho-fharpais, a choisinn cliù airson an tachartais a b’ fheàrr aig na duaisean Gàidhlig an-uiridh, a’ taisbeanadh sgilean cànain agus ìmpidheachd na sgoilearan.
[Donnchadh Fearghastan] Tha e a’ toirt togail dhòmhsa. Bha mi an sàs ann an-uiridh ach tha mi a’ faicinn gu h-àraidh an-diugh sa mhadainn gu bheil a’ bhruidhinn a th’aca, na h-òraidean a th’aca aig àrd-ìre, air an deagh dheasachadh tha sin cinnteach le na tidsearan agus na h-oileanaich iad fhèin air deagh rannsachadh a dhèanamh agus air lìbhrigeadh òraidean a tha inntinneach, a tha pungail agus air amannan gu math èibhinn. Agus leis an sin ‘s e togail a th’ ann agus tha mise a’ faighinn tòrr toileachais, mar a tha na britheamhan eile às a bhith an sàs anns an fharpais seo.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Bha na deasbadan a’ dol fad dà latha aig Àrd-sgoil MhicNeacail agus an-diugh anns An Lanntair am meadhan Steòrnabhaigh. Bha atharrachadh am-bliadhna ann an cumadh na co-fharpais as dèidh dhan fheadhainn os a cionn èisteachd ri beachdan luchd-teagaisg.
[Evelyn Coull MacLeod] A’ bhliadhna seo thàinig iad thugainn ‘s bha iad ag ràdh gu robh iad a’ faireachdainn gum biodh e math dà chothrom deasbaid a thoirt dhan h-uile sgoil agus sin a rinn sinn. B’ àbhaist gum biodh sgiobaidhean a’ dol a-mach air a’ chiad latha agus gur e na ceithir sgiobaidhean aig deireadh an dàrna latha a bhiodh dol troimhe. Ach air a’ bhliadhna seo tha a h-uile sgioba a’ faighinn comharran agus a-raoir dh’inns sinn dhaibh dè na comharran a bh’ aca aig deireadh a’ chiad latha, dol a-steach dhan dàrna latha. Chuir sin ris an fharpais agus bha sin gu math inntinneach a-raoir agus aig deireadh feasgar an-diugh bidh fios againn cò na ceithir sgiobaidhean a thèid troimhe gu na cuairtean deireannach ann an Dùn Èideann.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Feumaidh an fheadhainn a shoirbhich a-nis dèanamh deiseil airson iar-chuairt dheireannach na co-fharpais ann an Dùn Èideann, leis a’ chuairt dheireannach ga chraoladh beò air Radio nan Gàidheal à Pàrlamaid na h-Alba air a 25mh dhen mhìos. Tha beachd ann gum faodadh an cothrom a gheibh iad ann am prìomh sheòmar-deasbaid na dùthcha am brosnachadh, leantainn orra na beachdan aca a chur an cèill le misneachd.
[Donnchadh Fearghastan] Oh tha iad a’ faighinn tòrr às an seo. Gu h-àraidh 40 oileanach bho air feadh na dùthcha a’ tighinn còmhla, sin mu 20 tidsear còmhla riutha. Ach a bhith bruidhinn mu choinneamh dhaoine, a’ smaoineachadh air dè bu chòir dhaibh a bhith ag ràdh, a bhith a’ cur ann an òraid, ‘s e deagh dheasachadh a tha sin. Bu chòir Nicola Sturgeon agus Kezia Dugdale a bhith ag èisteachd riutha, gheibheadh iad deagh leasanan bho feadhainn de na h-oileanaich a bha bruidhinn a-raoir.
[Eilidh NicLeòid – Neach-aithris] Eilidh NicLeòid, BBC An Là, Steòrnabhagh.
[Angela Maclean – Presenter] It’s the two teams from the Nicolson Institute and teams from Ardnamurchan High School and Tain Academy who will be competing against one another in the next round of the National Secondary Schools Debate. The competition has been going from strength to strength since it was set up 17 years ago. Eilidh MacLeod has this report.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] 20 teams from 18 schools across Scotland were putting their arguments forward at the National Secondary Schools Debate this year. The competition, which was awarded the best event at the Gaelic Awards last year, exhibits the pupils language and persuasion skills.
[Duncan Ferguson] It lifts my spirits. I was involved in it last year but I can see especially this morning that their speaking, their speeches are at a high level, well prepared certainly by the teachers and well researched by the students themselves. They are delivering speeches that are interesting, articulate and sometimes very humorous. And therefore it raises my spirits and gives me a lot of joy, as it does the other judges who are involved in this competition.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] The debates were taking place for two days at the Nicolson Institute and today at An Lanntair in the centre of Stornoway. There was a change this year in the format of the competition after the organisers listened to teachers’ suggestions.
[Evelyn Coull MacLeod] This year they came to us saying they felt it would be good to give every school two opportunities to debate and that’s what we did. It used to be that teams would go out on the first day and it would be the four teams at the end of the second day who would go through. But this year every team get marks and last night we told them what their marks were at the end of the first day, going into the second day. That really added to the competition and made last night very interesting. At the end of the afternoon today we’ll know which four teams will go through to the final rounds in Edinburgh.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] Those successful must now prepare for the semi-final of the competition in Edinburgh, with the final being recorded live on Radio nan Gàidheal from the Scottish Parliament on the 25th of the month. Is it thought that the opportunity they get in the country’s main debate chamber will encourage them and allow them to continue to deliver their opinions with confidence.
[Duncan Ferguson] Oh they get lots out of this. Especially with 40 students from across the country coming together, that’s with around 20 teachers with them. Speaking in front of an audience, thinking about what they should be saying, putting it into a speech, it’s good practice. Nicola Sturgeon and Kezia Dugdale should be listening to them, they would get a good lesson from some of the students who were speaking last night.
[Eilidh MacLeod – Reporter] Eilidh MacLeod, BBC An Là, Stornoway.