Uist Camanachd
Encyclopedia
Uist Camanachd is a shinty
team from the Western Isles, Scotland
. The club is based in North Uist
but draws its players from the whole archipelago from Berneray
to Eriskay
.
's competitions and the rise of football after the First World War. The sport was once highly organised within the islands itself, with Tigharry being the final champions of Uist in 1907.http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/18707/18 Due to a lack of trees, camans were made with sea weed stalks at the time.
Shinty returned to Uist on a permanent basis in the 1990s and the initiatives spearheaded at this time have resulted in a vibrant youth system alongside a senior team which claimed its first senior trophy by winning the Mod Cup
in 2005 against Lewis Camanachd
. The club is also involved in coaching shinty at local Feisean.http://www.stornowaygazette.co.uk/sport/shinty_star_ronald_ross_passing_on_his_skills_to_uist_players_1_336712
.http://www.hebceltfest.com/festival/fringe/shinty.php Uist won the trophy for the first time in 2009, defeating Lewis 3-0.
At youth level, Uist has been making advances in recent years, with U-14 teams competing at National Development level, 2008 saw the team's best ever performance, finishing third. They also competed in the Minch Medal Tournament.http://www.northern-times.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/4111/KLB_high_after_Minch_shinty_win.html
In 2009, the youth teams will be competed in mainland competition on a full-time basis for the first time, playing against Skye B and Lochcarron. In August 2009, Uist hosted Skye but were defeated 12-0.http://www.stornowaygazette.co.uk/sport/Uist-Camanachd-in-third-leg.5599252.jp
In 2010, Uist lost the Hebridean Celtic Festival
Cup match to Lewis Camanachd 4-1. In 2010, the club was visited by Ronald Ross
.http://www.stornowaygazette.co.uk/sport/shinty_star_ronald_ross_passing_on_his_skills_to_uist_players_1_336712
In 2011, the club entered the Camanachd Association Development League
, a new tier of shinty for developing clubs such as Uist. They played their first ever games as a senior side on the mainland against Strathspey Camanachd
and Kinlochbervie Camanachd on the 21st of May 2011 at Beauly. The club lost in the HebCelt Cup match 3-2 to Lewis. The club competed for the Mod Cup in October 2011 but were defeated by Lewis Camanachd 2-0 on home soil.
2007 to mark a hundred years since the trophy was last played for. The game took place at Paible School and the Eastside triumphed 9-0.
The trophy was contested again in 2008 with the Westside winning 8-1. In 2009, the Eastside won 7-5. In 2010, the match was won by the Eastside again but in a tight 6-3 contest.http://www.skyecamanachd.com/default.aspx.locid-087new2f7.Lang-EN.htm The fixture is also complemented by the Lachlan McQuien Memorial Shield, an under-14 match between East and West dedicated to Lachlan McQuien, who was the last surviving player from the 1907 game and whose great-grandchildren are involved in the club today.
North Uist Shinty Challenge Cup Winners
Shinty
Shinty is a team game played with sticks and a ball. Shinty is now played mainly in the Scottish Highlands, and amongst Highland migrants to the big cities of Scotland, but it was formerly more widespread, being once competitively played on a widespread basis in England and other areas in the...
team from the Western Isles, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. The club is based in North Uist
North Uist
North Uist is an island and community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland.-Geography:North Uist is the tenth largest Scottish island and the thirteenth largest island surrounding Great Britain. It has an area of , slightly smaller than South Uist. North Uist is connected by causeways to Benbecula...
but draws its players from the whole archipelago from Berneray
Berneray, North Uist
Berneray is an island and community in the Sound of Harris, Scotland. It is one of fifteen inhabited islands in the Outer Hebrides. It is famed for its rich and colourful history which has attracted much tourism....
to Eriskay
Eriskay
Eriskay , from the Old Norse for "Eric's Isle", is an island and community council area of the Outer Hebrides in northern Scotland. It lies between South Uist and Barra and is connected to South Uist by a causeway which was opened in 2001. In the same year Eriskay became the ferry terminal for...
.
Roots of shinty in Uist
Shinty died out in the Uists in the 1900s due to a difficulty in gaining access to the Camanachd AssociationCamanachd Association
The Camanachd Association is the World governing body of the Scottish sport of shinty. The body is based in Inverness, Highland, and is in charge of the rules of the game...
's competitions and the rise of football after the First World War. The sport was once highly organised within the islands itself, with Tigharry being the final champions of Uist in 1907.http://www.tobarandualchais.co.uk/en/fullrecord/18707/18 Due to a lack of trees, camans were made with sea weed stalks at the time.
Shinty returned to Uist on a permanent basis in the 1990s and the initiatives spearheaded at this time have resulted in a vibrant youth system alongside a senior team which claimed its first senior trophy by winning the Mod Cup
Mod Cup
The Mod Cup is a trophy in the sport of shinty first competed for in 1969, traditionally played for by the two teams who are based closest to the host venue of the Royal National Mod. The current holders are Lewis Camanachd.-History:...
in 2005 against Lewis Camanachd
Lewis Camanachd
Lewis Camanachd AKA Comann Camanachd Leòdhais in Scots Gaelic, is the senior shinty team from the Isle of Lewis, Scotland. The club entered North Division Three for the first time in 2011. This was the first time a team from the Western Isles was allowed to compete in league shinty...
. The club is also involved in coaching shinty at local Feisean.http://www.stornowaygazette.co.uk/sport/shinty_star_ronald_ross_passing_on_his_skills_to_uist_players_1_336712
Modern era
In 2008 the senior side lost 4-6 to Lewis on aggregate in the HebCelt TrophyHebridean Celtic Festival
The Hebridean Celtic Festival is an international Celtic music festival, which takes place annually in Stornoway on Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The biggest headliners to date have been Runrig, The Waterboys, Proclaimers and Van Morrison...
.http://www.hebceltfest.com/festival/fringe/shinty.php Uist won the trophy for the first time in 2009, defeating Lewis 3-0.
At youth level, Uist has been making advances in recent years, with U-14 teams competing at National Development level, 2008 saw the team's best ever performance, finishing third. They also competed in the Minch Medal Tournament.http://www.northern-times.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/4111/KLB_high_after_Minch_shinty_win.html
In 2009, the youth teams will be competed in mainland competition on a full-time basis for the first time, playing against Skye B and Lochcarron. In August 2009, Uist hosted Skye but were defeated 12-0.http://www.stornowaygazette.co.uk/sport/Uist-Camanachd-in-third-leg.5599252.jp
In 2010, Uist lost the Hebridean Celtic Festival
Hebridean Celtic Festival
The Hebridean Celtic Festival is an international Celtic music festival, which takes place annually in Stornoway on Lewis, in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. The biggest headliners to date have been Runrig, The Waterboys, Proclaimers and Van Morrison...
Cup match to Lewis Camanachd 4-1. In 2010, the club was visited by Ronald Ross
Ronald Ross (shinty player)
Ronald Ross, MBE is a Scottish shinty player who currently plays for Kingussie Camanachd. He is a renowned forward, the only man to have ever scored more than 1000 goals in the sport and who has broken several other records as an individual and as part of Kingussie's record-breaking first...
.http://www.stornowaygazette.co.uk/sport/shinty_star_ronald_ross_passing_on_his_skills_to_uist_players_1_336712
In 2011, the club entered the Camanachd Association Development League
Shinty league system
The Shinty league system is a series of interconnected leagues for shinty in Scotland. It is administered by the Camanachd Association.-About the system:...
, a new tier of shinty for developing clubs such as Uist. They played their first ever games as a senior side on the mainland against Strathspey Camanachd
Strathspey Camanachd
Not to be confused with the women's shinty team, Badenoch & Strathspey Ladies Shinty ClubStrathspey Camanachd is a shinty club based in the area around Grantown-on-Spey, Strathspey, Scotland.-History:...
and Kinlochbervie Camanachd on the 21st of May 2011 at Beauly. The club lost in the HebCelt Cup match 3-2 to Lewis. The club competed for the Mod Cup in October 2011 but were defeated by Lewis Camanachd 2-0 on home soil.
North Uist Shinty Challenge Cup
On 3 November 2007, the club regained possession of the North Uist Shinty Challenge Cup, which had been in the possession of D.R. Macdonald for many years. The club is resurrected the tradition of New Year shinty in North Uist with a game between the Westside (An Taobh Siar) and the Eastside (An Taobh Sear) of the Island on HogmanayHogmanay
Hogmanay is the Scots word for the last day of the year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year in the Scottish manner...
2007 to mark a hundred years since the trophy was last played for. The game took place at Paible School and the Eastside triumphed 9-0.
The trophy was contested again in 2008 with the Westside winning 8-1. In 2009, the Eastside won 7-5. In 2010, the match was won by the Eastside again but in a tight 6-3 contest.http://www.skyecamanachd.com/default.aspx.locid-087new2f7.Lang-EN.htm The fixture is also complemented by the Lachlan McQuien Memorial Shield, an under-14 match between East and West dedicated to Lachlan McQuien, who was the last surviving player from the 1907 game and whose great-grandchildren are involved in the club today.
North Uist Shinty Challenge Cup Winners
- 2007 An Taobh Sear
- 2008 An Taobh Siar
- 2009 An Taobh Sear
- 2010 An Taobh Sear