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Shinty’s history
goes back
2000 years to Ireland and comes from the same root as the Irish sport of
hurling.
It is thought to have been brought
to Scotland by Irish settlers. Legend has it that St Columba who arrived
in Iona in AD563 was banished from Ireland because he fell out with his
king about a game of Camanachd.
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Newtonmore Shinty
has
been played in the Newtonmore area for centuries, but
more recently, there are records of shinty being played at
the club's present field
Eilean Bheannchair - known as the Eilan - since 1877, and the club
was formerly re-constituted under the auspices of the newly formed
Camanachd Association in 1895. |
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Our record
Since then, the
club have won the Camanachd Cup - the Scottish national shinty trophy no
less than twenty eight times - a record unmatched by any other team in
the game. The club has also won the MacTavish cup a record thirty times,
together with a string of other honours.
Rivalries
Many clubs
throughout Scotland have long and friendly rivalries with Newtonmore -
notably, Kyles Athletic have been involved in many well-contested
tussles in the past and have something of a special relationship with
Newtonmore, each having invited the other to take part in their
Centenary celebrations.
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The keenest rivalry, however,
[although sometimes perhaps less than friendly!], is with near
neighbours Kingussie. In recent times, Kingussie have been
somewhat in the ascendancy, whilst Newtonmore have been forced to
rebuild and have been unfortunate to lose several promising
players to work or study commitments further afield. |
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In the 2006 season
Newtonmore finished runners up in the Premier League to Fort William
[and the second team were runners up in North Division 2 and beat
Kingussie in the final of the Strathdearn Cup]. By common consent the
first team were not outplayed in any game and it was a failure to
convert pressure into goals that cost us several points.
Interesting facts
A 15th century memorial stone on the
island of Iona depicts not only the owners broadsword, but also a caman
with a ball beside it.
100 years ago there was a huge
debate about whether the kilt or knickerbockers should be compulsory
when playing. The kilt supporters lost the argument.
In olden days the principle shinty
game would be played at New Year between villages. There was no limit to
the number of players and the game could last from dawn till dusk.
Shinty is now a summer sport.
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