The Scottish Military Research Group - Commemorations Project

Keptie · Posted: Sat Mar 15, 2014 11:40 am Post subject: WW1 & Shinty

Ive just received my copy of the WFA Bulletin - March 2014: and SCOTLAND NORTH chairman -Derek Bird has done a write up on the recent talks and he mentions the talk by

HUGH DAN MacLENNAN, Writer and well known sports commentator (BBC Alba ) and he talked on SHINTY in the Great War .

Being young , fit and patriotic many SHINTY players joined the army , a good number of them joining the 4th CAMERON HIGHLANDERS who suffered very heavily at Festubert in May 1915 . Many others were recruited into the LOVAT SCOUTS as Lord Lovat recognised the qualities of a the team spirit within shinty and used them in small tight knit groups , frequently consisting of players from the same team ,for scouting . A great number of players were killed and at the end of the war the sport was effectively moribund due to their being so few players returning home , but again Lord Lovat stepped in to revive SHINTY and today it is thriving again .

This little known aspect of the Great War had a profound effect on both the sport and the small Scottish communities where it was played .

( I did not think or realise that this was the case and a good story brought to the fore by Hugh Dan MacLENNAN )

patrick w anderson

(not a shinty player !)