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 the person who had given outstanding service to the sport.
Hugh Dan’s extended contribution to shinty, both professionally and in a voluntary capacity, has made him an authority on Scotland’s community 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 titles 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 11th recipient of the Mowi Centenary Award, and 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
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 and 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 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 the whole of Caol in a MacBraynes’ 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 that 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 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 did not 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 generally do the things they could not 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.