Le Cian Ó'Conaill
Chruthaigh Cumann Lúthcleas Gael Caisleán Cnuacha rud éigin aláinn i dTír na n-Óg. Bhí fís acu fadó. Buachaillí agus cailíní ag imirt agus ag spraoi. Ón gcumann nua sin tá an laoch acu, Ciarán Kilkenny, i measc ceann de na foirne is fearr ón Ardchathair riamh.
Cinnte chuaigh airm Heffo i bhfeidhm go mór ar mhuintir Bhaile Átha Cliath ach tá laochanna nua tagtha ar an bhfód. Tá neart scéalta suimiúla le n-insint acu, agus tá tionchar na Gaeilge croí-lár i saol roinnt de na himreoirí.
Le roinnt blianta tá dul chun cinn mór déanta ag Coláiste Eoin, tóg an naoscaire, Con O’Callaghan, mar shampla. Tá éacht déanta aige i ngeansaí Cuala agus Baile Átha Cliath cosúil le Kilkenny, fear a bhfuil meas mór ag Gaeilgeoirí ar fud na tíre air.
Cén fáth go raibh Kilkenny chomh tógtha le cursaí Gaelacha? “Bhí grá agus paisean i gcónaí ag m'athair do gach rud Gaelach - peil, an iomáint, an Chumann Luthchleas Gael, an stair, an cultúr,” deireann Kilkenny le GAA.ie. “Ní raibh morán Gaeilge ag m'athair, bhí cúpla focail aige agus níl morán ag mo mháthair ach déanann sí a míle dícheall.”
Cuireann Kilkenny béim mór ar an tionchar a bhí ag múinteoirí sa scoil aige. “Bhí Gaelscoil díreach in aice linn i mBaile Blainséir, Scoil Oilibhéir. D'fhreastal mé ar Scoil Oilibhéir agus bhí an t-ádh liom imirt i gcúpla craobh i bPáirc an Chrócaigh, idir iomáint agus peil i gCumann na mBunscoil. Bhain mé an sult as sin.
“Ansin d'fhreastal mé ar mheánscoil lán Gaelach, Scoil Chaitríona agus scoil den scoth í. Tháining an grá agus an paisean a bhí ag m'athair ón stair agus cultúr a bhí ann don theanga. Chuaigh mé ar aghaidh agus is dócha go bhfuil an paisean sin ionam chomh maith maidir leis an stair agus an Ghaeilge, a rinné mé sa Choláiste. Anois táim ag treánail le bheith mar mhúinteoir bunscoile.”
Insíonn Kilkenny go mbíonn an Ghaeilge á phlé ó am go ham ar phainéil Baile Átha Cliath. “Tá neart Gaeilgeoirí ar fhoireann Bháile Atha Cliath, chuaigh a lán de na leaids chuig bunscoileanna lán gaelacha agus d'fhreastal cúpla de na leaids ar Choláiste Eoin agus Scoil Chaitríona. Chuaigh roinnt de na leaids ón lucht bainistíochta freisin, tá siad breá ábalta Gaeilge a labhairt agus is rud maith é sin.
“Tá an ceart ar fad agat, tá timpeall deichniúr nó níos mó atá in ann Gaeilge a labhairt. Is rud tábhachtach é sin. Chomh maith is féidir le na leaids sin dul chuig clubanna éagsúla timpeall Baile Átha Cliath agus fiú timpeall na hÉireann agus an Ghaeilge a spreagadh.
“Fiú amháin chun sampla maith a thabhairt do na páistí, iad a mhealladh chun an Ghaeilge a labhairt, cúpla focail a labhairt fiú mar is rud tábhachtach é. Is siombail maith í do fhéiniúlacht na tíre agus tá sé lárnach dúinn chomh maith, go bhfuil muid in ann ár dteanga féin a labhairt.”
Growing up playing for Castleknock and attending school at Scoil Oilibhéir, Kilkenny can recall painful days when the Dublin flag wasn’t perched on the summit of the Gaelic Football world.
Does that act as extra motivation or is it even talked about by the current Dublin panel? It wouldn't be discussed, but it would be fresh in lads memory,” Kilkenny admits.
“When I was a young lad I was a massive Dublin fan, all the then Dublin players were my heroes, they inspired me to play for Dublin. It was my dream to play for Dublin.
“I suppose when I was younger I went on the train to games, for many years I would have went to Leinster Championships where Dublin lost. So we just have to recognise that we are a special group at the moment and just always keep improving so we can keep improving at that level.”
In Leinster, Dublin continue to set seriously high standards with last month’s provincial decider over Kildare another particularly pleasant occasion according to Kilkenny. “We were really delighted to win the Delaney Cup again, it was special to be out on the field with Stephen Cluxton on his 88th Championship appearance,” Kilkenny says.
Cluxton’s deep influence on a generation of Dublin footballers continues. “He has been a massive leader for us, a massive inspiration for me since I've been a young lad and he still is a massive inspiration for me, he is a nice person and is great craic around the dressing room, he is a brilliant person.
“So to be on the field with him for the past couple of years has really been an honour and a privilege. We are honoured to represent the county. I suppose you have a limited time playing football with your county, a limited window so you just have to appreciate it.
“To win another Leinster title is massive, we are moving on to the Quarter-Final, all the teams left are serious teams. The beauty about the Quarter-Final is that it is knockout so there is no back door. You have to be really, really focused and prepared for that challenge, to look what is in front of you, what is present.
“At the moment we are looking to where we can really improve from the last day. We were happy with our performance, but obviously there is a lot to learn from and improve on. We are looking forward to the Quarter-Final.”
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Deirtear gur de réir a chéile a thógtar na caisleáin níl aon amhras ach go bhfuil an Caisleáin seo tógtha agus go bhfuil a ré tagtha. “Táimid sásta leis na taispeántasaí, is dócha tháinig muid ar ais ag traenáil mí t’éis gach foireann eile,” deireann Kilkenny. “Táimid lán sásta leis na taispeántasaí i gcoinne Ceatharlach, Condae na hIarmhí agus Cill Dara, ach sin ráite bhí neart le fhoghlaim ó na cluichí chomh maith agus anois táimid ag breathnú ar an mbabhta ceathrú ceannais.
“Bhí coimhlint den scoth againn i gcoinne Cill Dara, bhí atmasféar iontach ann, thart ar 66,000 ag an gcluiche. Is rud iontach é bheith ag máirseáil sa pharáid agus na dathanna bánna gorma ag an lucht féachanna, na brateacha agus gach rud. Bíonn an fuinneamh sin ann go háirithe nuair atá Craobh Laighin i gceist. Lá breá a bhí ann chomh maith agus bhí an cluiche an iomaíoch agus is dócha go raibh muid sásta leis an taispeántas ach tá a lán dul chun cinn le déanamh againn. D'fhoglaim muid a lán ag breathnú ar an bhfís ón gcluiche.”
Níl ar daoine ar fud na hÉireann ach breathnú ar an meas atá ag Kilkenny ar spórt agus an teanga le haghaidh ábhar ionsparáide. Thosaigh sé ag imirt i dTír na n-Óg. Anois is é Páirc an Chrócaigh an cúl ghairdín aige. Níl dearmad déanta ag Kilkenny go fóill ar cé as a tháinig sé.