Shinty talk to bring in new year in Lochaber

One of the oldest medals in competitive shinty is to be handed over to the West Highland Museum in Fort William for safe-keeping and display.

The medal, awarded to a Brae Lochaber player after the 1897 Camanachd Cup final, which they lost to Beauly, has recently been found by a local family.

The medal and the St Mary’s Primary School Challenge Trophy, which is being reintroduced to play among young children in the Fort and Lochaber area, will be on display as part of a fundraising illustrated talk to be held in January.

The illustrated talk, The Caman and the Calluinn – shinty’s place in the games and diversions of New Year, and thoughts on the history of the shinty stick – will be delivered by Dr Hugh Dan MacLennan, pictured, recalling many of the fascinating incidents related to shinty matches at New Year in Lochaber and beyond.

The talk will focus on the historical background to these gatherings and recount details of some of the spectacular events which have ensured that New Year shinty matches are one of the most enduring traditions associated with the game.

Dr MacLennan will also discuss shinty artefacts held in the West Highland Museum and also the history of the production and manufacture of shinty sticks.

He said: ‘The West Highland Museum has a number of interesting and important historical artefacts – I discovered that it also holds an image of the 1897 Camanachd Cup final, the second ever match for the trophy, before the medal appeared. New Year, or Old New Year’s Day shinty matches have always been a great part of the shinty community’s traditions, and this talk will provide an ideal forum to draw all these strands together.’

Dr MacLennan is also keen that people in the Fort William and Lochaber areas will bring old camans and any made locally over the years to show at the evening, when the remarkable history of the making of the caman will be detailed.

The talk is being held in the Moorings Hotel, Banavie, on January 8 at 7.30pm and will be a fundraising event for the West Highland Museum and Lochaber District Shinty Memories Group.

Tickets are £5 and available from the West Highland Museum, Fort William.