2024 Macaulay Cup draw
Holders Oban Camanachd will cast a keen eye as the 2024 Artemis Macaulay Cup draw is made live on Oban FM on Saturday December 16.
The south and north sections will be drawn up to the semi-final stage on the Sports Show programme which starts at 6pm.
The south half of the draw is unchanged from last year with Aberdour, Bute, Col Glen, Glasgow Mid Argyll, Inveraray, Kyles Athletic, Oban Camanachd and Oban Celtic included.
There are two changes in the north with newly-promoted Lochaber and Glenurquhart replacing Beauly and Fort William. This means there are places for Caberfeidh, Glenurquhart, Lochaber, Kingussie, Kinlochshiel, Lovat, Newtonmore and Skye Camanachd.
Glenurquhart join at Beauly’s expense as the Braeview Park side are eligible for the Ferguson Transport & Shipping Balliemore Cup whilst Glenurquhart are not.
Oban Camanachd are holders, after goals from Matthew Sloss and Lewis Cameron saw them come from behind to beat Kingussie 2-1 in the 2023 final at Mossfield to win the trophy for the first time since 1995.
Oban Camanachd annual general meeting
Oban Camanachd’s annual general meeting took place at the Rockfield Centre on Friday December 1.
There’s continuity at Oban Camanachd and Lochside Rovers with boss Gareth Evans and assistant Iain MacMillan continuing with the senior side following their Artemis Macaulay Cup and Scottish Sea Farms Glasgow Celtic Society Cup successes last season, whilst manager David MacMillan and his assistant Duncan MacMillan stay on at Lochside Rovers after a strong end to last season saw them finish second to the Bute senior side in Mowi South Division 1.
David MacCuish and Alec MacVicar joined the committee, with Aidan MacIntyre taking on the transport role.
The full list of office bearers and committee members is: president – Patrick Steeman; vice president – Duncan MacMillan; secretary – Yvonne Campbell; treasurer – Katy Campbell; Superball – Donald MacLellan; transport – Aidan MacIntyre; Oban Camanachd manager and assistant manager – Gareth Evans and Iain MacMillan; Lochside Rovers manager and assistant manager – David MacMillan and Duncan MacMillan; and Oban Camanachd under 17 manager and assistant manager – Stephen Sloss and Daniel Sloss.
The club is on the look-out for a manager for its under-14 team and thank David MacMillan for his commitment to the side over the past two seasons.
Oban Camanachd stalwart Nigel Evans stepped down from the committee.
A former Scottish international, Evans enjoyed Glasgow Celtic Society and Torlundy Cup successes in an Oban Camanachd playing career that stretched from the late 1960s to the late 1980s.
He went on to manage the side for a spell and his on-field and off-field contributions to the club over many years were recognised when he was made an Oban Camanachd Honorary Chieftain.
Special award for “Swallie”
At last week’s annual general meeting, Oban Camanachd made a special presentation to club stalwart Iain “Swallie” MacIntyre who stepped down as club secretary earlier this season.
Oban Camanachd manager Gareth Evans said: “Iain has been a wonderful servant to our club over the years.
“Iain’s work as a bank manager took him all over the place and there were times when he travelled from Shetland and from down in England to play for Oban Camanachd. He richly deserves this award and I know it means a lot to him.”
A committed and active member of the club for a great number of years, Iain MacIntyre was unanimously voted back into his role as Club Chieftain.
Skye Camanachd name new manager
Willie MacDonald is the new Skye Camanachd first team manager, taking over at the Mowi Premiership side from Kenny MacLeod who stepped down at the end of the 2023 shinty season.
In his first season with the Skye seconds, Willie MacDonald led the side to the HIS Sutherland Cup final, where they lost out 4-2 to double winners Newtonmore, and to a second placed finish in Mowi North Division 1.
He now takes charge of a side that finished eighth in the Mowi Premiership last season, five points clear of the relegation zone, also reaching the cottages.com MacTavish Cup final where they lost out 1-0 to treble winners Kingussie.
Willie MacDonald said: “I’ve been in touch with all the boys and I’m really looking forward to working with what is an exciting group of players. They did well last season, staying in the Premiership, and whilst we obviously want to do the same next year, we’ll also try and get a bit higher up the table.
“We are back to training twice a week from early January. We are also working on a couple of pre-season friendly matches.”
MacDonald has also moved quickly to put together the rest of his management team. He will be assisted by Kyles Athletic’s 1994 Camanachd Cup winning captain David Taylor, with former Royal Marine Iain Urquhart responsible for fitness.
Willie MacDonald said: “I’m delighted Davie has agreed to take on the role. He has around 15 years’ experience with Kyles so comes with a fantastic pedigree. He also has a great outlook and has clearly experienced success before.
“We’ve worked well together in the past, coaching youth shinty, and Davie has recently had a change of job meaning he’s now at home in Portree whereas before he travelled a lot.
“It’s the same with Iain. He’s a former player and knows what fitness is all about. We can’t wait to get going.”
Skye Camanachd chairman Thomas Wilson said: “The board was very impressed with Willie. He had a successful season with our second team, turning things around after only taking on the role at the beginning of the 2023 season.
“He knows our youth players very well. He’s an excellent man-manager and motivator who takes the role seriously. He increased the size of the second team playing pool to the point where we went from struggling to get players to making choices over who plays.
“Willie can also see the bigger picture. He’s not just focused on his job but looks out for the best interests of the club as a whole.”
Hugh Dan receives Centenary Award
Shinty historian Dr Hugh Dan MacLennan has become the latest recipient of the Mowi Centenary Award, first presented in 1993 to mark the Camanachd Association’s Centenary and bestowed upon a person who has given outstanding service to the sport.
Hugh Dan MacLennan’s extended contribution to shinty, both professionally and in a voluntary capacity, has made him an authority on the sport and 2023 marks the end of his commentary career having decided to hang up his microphone after 40 years.
Hugh Dan has also helped the Camanachd Association in a number of unofficial ways for many years, spending time as a director and vice president of the organisation. More recently, he devoted more of his time by sitting on the association’s Heritage Committee, working to develop “Shinty’s Story” for a soon to be renovated Bught Park.
In addition to writing shinty books “Not an Orchid” and “Shinty”, Hugh Dan has been extremely generous with his time and knowledge whenever the game’s governing body was in need.
Hugh Dan becomes the eleventh recipient of the Mowi Centenary Award. The full list of previous recipients is: 1993 – Tom MacKenzie, Inverness; 1996 – Jack Richmond, Newtonmore; 1999 – Jack Asher, Glasgow; 2002 – Douglas MacKintosh, Newtonmore; 2005 – Mary-Ann Henton, Lovat; 2008 – Donnie MacNiven, Glasgow; 2011 – Willie MacDonald, Ballachulish; 2014 – Davie Hamilton, Oban; 2017 – Donald Skinner, Glasgow; and 2020 – Ian MacPhee, Ballachulish.
This is the latest accolade to come Hugh Dan’s way since commentating on his final shinty match, the Tulloch Camanachd Cup final between Kingussie and Oban Camanachd at the Bught Park, Inverness, in September.
A special concert to mark his retirement took place the previous evening at Eden Court, Inverness. It included contributions from Julie Fowlis, Art Cormack, Duncan Chisholm, Duncan MacGillivray, Davie Holt, the legendary Fergie MacDonald MBE and Iain Anderson.
Born and brought up at Glenkingie Street, Caol, where Duncan and David Shearer were neighbours, his early experiences would play a significant role in his later life.
An eight-year-old Hugh Dan vividly remembers sitting on his father’s shoulders to see Kilmallie beat Inveraray 4-1 to win the 1964 Camanachd Cup. Afterwards, he watched on as Kilmallie took the trophy around Caol in a MacBrayne’s bus, likely unaware of the major role shinty would have in his life.
He played shinty for Lochaber High School and Fort William as a teenager in the 1970s whilst attending training sessions led by Hamilton Academicals trainer Fergie MacDonald, who would go on to be a life-long friend.
Hugh Dan’s mother Effie was a native of Scarp and Gaelic was the first language in the MacLennan household with holidays to his cousins in Harris for the eight weeks of the summer helping polish up his Gaelic skills, which also served him well.
Glasgow University followed, providing education and shinty, whilst lodging with a lady who belonged to Harris, with still time for the Highlanders’ Institute and traditional trips to the Snaffle Bit, Park Bar and the Halls’ function on Friday before playing shinty on a Saturday.
Teacher training came next before Hugh Dan’s path to eventually be known as “The Voice of Shinty” began when he assisted legendary BBC commentator David Francey to broadcast the 1983 Camanachd Cup Final when Kyles Athletic came from behind to beat Strachur as the two south sides contested the first “open” final.
When another legend of broadcasting, John Willie Campbell, retired after seeing Skye Camanachd lift the Camanachd Cup in 1990, the “Voice of Shinty” mantle passed to Hugh Dan. It was a time of increased output, accelerated following the birth of BBC ALBA.
Hugh Dan’s broadcasting skills weren’t restricted to shinty though as curling, rugby, including the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand, and the World Orienteering Championship in Sweden that same year were covered and rumours both he and an accomplice got lost on the way to the latter event are believed to be true.
He recalled many great moments over the years, none more so than when Oban Camanachd’s Gordon MacIntyre, who lost an eye less than a year earlier, recovered to score the winning goal in the 1996 final against Kingussie.
Hugh Dan took the Camanachd Cup to New York and amongst other awards, was presented with a silver-mounted caman by the Camanachd Association for his contribution to the sport.
He said: “It’s been a fantastic few months, accepting different awards and accolades since my last shinty commentary at the Camanachd Cup final and I’ve been overwhelmed by the kind comments I’ve received about my contribution to the game over the years. That will continue though as I’m not walking away from shinty in any shape or form.”
Other broadcasting commitments meant Hugh Dan didn’t finally hang up his microphone until after rugby’s Super Series final between Ayrshire Bulls and Stirling Wolves at Hive Stadium on Saturday November 18.
Retirement opens opportunities for Hugh Dan and his wife Kathleen to play more golf and do the things they couldn’t do because of working weekends.
Perhaps the biggest accolade of all was the catchy tune in his honour, “Dr Hugh Dan MacLennan – Hugh Dan, the Shinty Man”, written by the irrepressible Fergie MacDonald. This could maybe be the background music as Hugh Dan and Kathleen fulfil another ambition, sailing the Panama Canal.
Billy MacLachlan Memorial Trophy
Lochaber Camanachd will once again remember shinty stalwart Billy MacLachlan when they meet neighbours Fort William at Spean Bridge on New Year’s Day.
As well as being a former Lochaber Camanachd player, Billy MacLachlan was also a committee member, grade one referee and a match assessor.
Billy’s shinty playing days stretch back to the days of Brae Lochaber and he will be remembered as part of the dominant Lochaber side of 1965 which swept the boards.
Lochaber played 21 games that season, winning 19 whilst only drawing once and losing once. Their haul included the Scottish Junior Championship, the Sir William Sutherland Cup, the Strathdearn Cup and the MacGillivray Junior Cup.
He also previously played for Glenorchy and Tayforth during a time in the central belt.
Billy was also a much-respected referee and, after just three years officiating at the top grade, he was given the honour of refereeing the 1985 Camanachd Cup Final between Kingussie and Newtonmore at The Dell. It was the 78th Scottish Cup Final and Newtonmore won 4-2.
He went on to be a member of the Camanachd Association Referees Association and latterly, Billy shared his refereeing experience with the younger generation of officials as he assumed the role of match assessor.
Throw-up is at 1pm and Lochaber have invited all shinty supporters to come along to celebrate Billy’s memory, bring in the New Year and experience shinty’s camaraderie and competition.
There will be soup, burgers, tea, coffee and beer on sale.
Fort William were 3-0 winners in the inaugural Billy MacLachlan Memorial Trophy match last year, with Mark Fraser scoring once and Bryan Simpson netting twice.
Billy’s wife Sheila, along with his daughters and granddaughters, were all present to hand over the Billy MacLachlan Memorial Trophy to Fort William captain Jack Fraser and the medals to the rest of the players.
Women’s Camanachd Association Shinty Camp
The Women’s Camanachd Association has confirmed the date for the 2024 Shinty Camp.
The popular event is for primary seven shinty players upwards and will take place between Friday April 12 until Sunday April 14 at Kilgraston.