There is probably no player more synonymous with Camanachd Leòdhais than Daniel ‘Gaga’ Gallagher, and everyone at the club would like to wish him and his lovely wife Kimberley all the best after their recent wedding.

A formidable opponent as a tackler, man marker and general obstacle in the path to goal, Gaga has taken on some fine players in his time and either got the better of them or forced them to come up with a plan ‘G’ to get past the rock at the back. Even when having dealt the team has taken a heavy defeat, opposition forwards will still remark years later about the challenge of playing “The Gaga”. He would admit himself that his hitting is the weakest part of his game, yet he has worked incredibly hard to improve this, has great game awareness and his dedication to fitness has meant that he has transformed himself into lean, mean machine without sacrificing any of his physical presence.

His strength and imposing nature on the pitch is only matched by his kindness and humbleness off it. Gaga has dedicated much of his life to the club. He has served continuously as a player from the Back Camanachd days right through Cup entry, the North Division Three days, North Two and into the post pandemic era of the Interim Leagues. Gaga was player of the year in 2007, 2008 and 2013, as well as being Captain of the winning HebCelt side in 2013 as well, and injuries aside, has played a major role in every season so far (even getting a shot up front once against Lochcarron! Photo evidence below)

Gaga will hopefully continue to go from strength to strength on the park for many years to come in the Dubh is Gorm, and we are sure that he will bring the qualities that have made him a legend for our club to married life. To Daniel and Kimberley, a h-uile latha sona dhuibh, gun latha idir dona dhuibh!

Tha latha an-diugh an còigeamh latha den Mhàrt a’ comharrachadh deich bliadhna on dearbh latha a chluich Camanachd Leòdhais geam lìog airson a’ chiad uair. Bhiodh sin cudromach leis fhèin, ach bha na thachair an latha sin cuideachd anns a’ Mhanachainn ga dhèanamh buileach nas cudromaiche. Chuir Calum Stamper aig Leòdhas a’ chiad thadhal agus chùm iad greim air an cothrom sin airson uair a thìde. Ged a thug a’ Mhanachainn buaidh orra mu dheireadh thall 5-1, airson uair a thìde, bha Camanachd Leòdhais air mullach an t-saoghail! Abair eachdraidh!

Today the 5th of March marks ten years exactly since the first ever Camanachd Leòdhais league game. That would be important in and of itself, but what happened on the day lives long ins the memory, Calum Stamper opening the scoring and the Lewis boys holding onto that lead for an hour. Even though Beauly eventual brought their resources to bear to win 5-1 for an hour at least, Camanachd Leòdhais were kings of the world. What a history!

Squad – Conor Macdonald, Daniel Gallagher, Micheal Macdonald, Eoghan Stewart, Sean MacLeod, Paddy Sinclair, Scott Murray, Donald Lamont, Paul Duke, Ally MacKenzie, Kenny Mould, Calum Stamper, Michael MacLeod, Duncan Edwards, Euan Gilmour, Andrew Murray Macdonald

(Photos clipped from West Highland Free Press – originally Neil Paterson and Tina Marshall)

Bidh Gàidhlig Gu Leòr agus Iomain Cholmcille a’ sgaoileadh bhideo sònraichte de chòmhradh sa Ghàidhlig eadar Pòl, Dòmhnall, Sean agus Eòghan Stiùbhart mun gheam seo air YouTube is Facebook air 6mh den Mhàrt. Gheibhear an-seo e.

Normally in October we host the Craig Morrison sixes in tribute to Craig, who played for the us in the early years of the club before his untimely passing in 2009.

With the global pandemic preventing us from inviting teams to the island and hosting the competition, we instead put on a larger sized intra-club match for the Craig Morrison Shield.

After an excellent game played in rather windy conditions, the score finished 2-2; Stuart ‘Tyson’ Campbell & Paul Duke and Scott MacLeod & Donald Lamont respectively filling up the scoresheet. A big thanks to Henry MacInnes for refereeing.

Whilst the weather held up relatively well for most of the game, by the time the full-time whistle was blown the wind & rain had intensified & one of the goals had fallen over! At that point it was decided to forego the penalty shootout & both teams shared the spoils.

It was an excellent day of shinty played in great spirits. The inclement weather didn’t manage to put a dampener on the occasion & both the energy & passion on show was a fitting tribute to our dearly missed friend. We look forward to safer times when we can welcome the shinty world back to Lewis.

Remember the AGM is on Monday 9th November at 7pm on-line. Contact Donald Lamont for more information.

Thèid Coinneamh Coitcheann Bliadhnail Chomann Camanachd Leòdhais a chumail aig seachd uairean feasgar, Diluain 9mh an t-Samhain air-loidhne, ri linn suidheachadh na slàinte aig a’ cheangal a tha seo.

Thèid na h-oifigearan airson comataidh 2021 a thaghadh aig a’ choinneamh. Tha sinn a’ sìreadh bhuill ùra cuideachd ’s feum mòr orra. Bidh fàilte ro dhuine sam bith le ùidh ann an spòrs nan Gàidheal anns na h-Eileanan Siar.

Cuir molaidhean agus tagraidhean dhan Rùnaire, Dòmhnall MacLaomainn, ro-làimhe aig donaldarchibald87{at}gmail.com

The Annual General Meeting of Comann Camanachd Leòdhais will be held at 7pm on Monday 9th November on-line, due to the on-going public health situation, at the following link.

The office bearers for the 2021 committee will be chosen at the meeting. We are also actively seeking new ordinary committee members. We welcome anybody with an interest in the sport of the Gael in the Western Isles.

Please send any proposals or applications to the Secretary, Donald Lamont, beforehand at donaldarchibald87{at}gmail.com

Suas leis an Dubh is Gorm

To mark the virtual Mòd, here are three Mòd Cup stories with a Camanachd Leòdhais connection , looking back at the three fixtures played at Stornoway Mòds in 1979, 1989 and 2001.

The first is from the 1979 Stornoway Mòd, but where the Mòd Cup was played in Lochcarron (Lochcarron and Lewis being in old Ross-shire, it was a fairly tenuous link, but the game went ahead on the Battery Park.) According to the West Highland Free Press (photos and report from there) it was “thrill-a-minute shinty” between na Carrannaich and Skye Camanachd. Skye took a 3-1 lead in at the interval, but then Lochcarron grabbed a controversial late equaliser that forced extra time. It would be our very own Boyd MacKenzie (pictured above), who went on to develop so many shinty players in Lewis, who gave Lochcarron the lead, before his namesake Alister MacKenzie scored his hat trick to win Lochcarron’s first silverware in nine years.

1989 saw shinty actually take place in Stornoway, and this time Skye were involved again, but they played against Beauly. The Gazette had a picture of the two teams at Bayhead with Henry MacInnes refereeing. The bulk of this Skye team were also on the park when they lifted the Camanachd Cup 9 months later. Beauly player Martin “Toad” MacLean also played in both this match and then the next senior match in Lewis, the first home league game at Shawbost, featuring for Lochbroom.

The Glasgow Herald the following week had an interesting anecdote surrounding Beauly player Stephen MacLean and also the shortness of Bayhead, which will be familirat to any used to playing the HebCelt at Bayhead and why the pitch is fitted in at the strangest of angles to get more length. (Of course, this anecdote from 1989 was still being used 17 years later by a few folk to deter any thought of camans ever being swung by the banks of the Creed.)

Talking of mugs — which the Oban outfit clearly are not — another

unlikely artefact to enter the shinty arena in the last few days is an

electric shaver.

This was the unexpected item presented to Beauly midfielder Stephen

MacLean for being selected as man of the match in the Mod Cup challenge

game in Stornoway which opponents Skye won 4-2. In fact, MacLean has

already had a close shave in a pre-season friendly when he suffered a

broken cheekbone after having been hit in the face with a ball and the

injury is not yet fully healed.

”It will come in handy for shaving down my shinty stick,” he joked

after a contest which entertained the smallest crowd of around one

hundred but which had some bizarre aspects.

It had been billed as a double header, counting also for league points

in Marine Harvest North Division 1, but after it became apparent that

the pitch, a rugby field, was less than the minimum dimensions for a

shinty field a decision was taken that it would be a challenge match

only.

This decision, however, has yet to be endorsed by the Camanachd

Association.

MacLean added: ”The pitch was also very muddy which made clean

hitting difficult. Although spectators felt they saw an exciting game we

could have given a better exhibition had conditions and promotion of the

event been better.”

This is a view which has been heard before in previous Mod Cup

matches. There are obvious reasons for closer contact between the

Association and An Comunn Gaidhealach and perhaps improvements can be made

next year in Glasgow.*

*1990 was the only year since 1969 when a Mòd Cup match wasn’t scheduled!

The final anecdote will be one that evokes a lot of memories, having taken place at Rally Park, Tarbert, Harris in 2001. This was the first time a side from the Western Isles had competed in the Mòd Cup and it was Back Camanachd, coached by that man Boyd MacKenzie, who faced off against a Kyleakin Primary School team. The Skye Team went on to win the game handsomely 11-0, but as many of the Skye team went on to raise the Balliemore, the National League, the Valerie Fraser or also excel in other sports it was no shame for the young Bacaich as they were just in the early flushes of shinty in Lewis.

As the shinty yearbook mentioned in 2002 “This was as effective as anything that will have happened in a week of horo-gheallaidh in the Western Isles.” and perhaps it was right. Gaga and Stompy would go on to become important players for Camanachd Leòdhais through both the entries to the cups, the leagues and beyond.

The Back Camanachd team was; Back Row – James MacKenzie, Andrew Maclennan, John Ferguson, Daniel “Gaga” Gallagher, Front Row – Daniel Clark, Michael MacKenzie, Sam Norton, David MacKay, Calum “Stompy” Stamper

The Kyleakin team wasn’t lacking in Lewis & Harris connections either, future women’s shinty icon Sarah Corrigal having a granny from Carloway, and the MacLennan brothers, Ally and “Shockie” coming from good Leòdhasach and Scalpach stock. And of course, the man who coached the team, the late Alasdair Morrison, was half Rubhach through his mother Jesanne from Garrabost, and both his sons Steven and Danny, who went on to multiple honours with Skye, played as well in the victory.

Here they are sailing back to Skye as so far the only Primary School team to have ever won a senior shinty trophy. (Photo courtesy of Anne MacCuish)

The 2005, 2011 and 2016 Mòd nan Eilean Siar fixtures for what is officially known as the Aviemore Cup, have been documented in more detail on these pages before. The Mòd Cup certainly figures very importantly in the development of shinty in the Western Isles and hopefully whenever the Mòd returns to the Western Isles at some point in the future, it’ll be another day to remember.

Some of the pictures here and from other Mòd Cups past will be seen in Iomain Aig A’ Mhòd 2020 – a special programme to mark the absence of shinty this year along with the rest of the Virtual Mòd – the programme premieres at 11am on Saturday 10th October

Camanachd Leòdhais training has resumed – COVID safety restrictions in place! S math a bhith a’ faicinn nan gillean air ais!

Conor and Scott at Broom Bar 2010

Today marks ten years since an important day in Camanachd Leòdhais history.

It marks ten years since Conor Macdonald lifted the Far North Sixes trophy in Scourie on a glorious sunny Sutherland day in June.

The Far North Sixes was a tournament the club were looking forward to debuting in, as it was a felt it might be a more suitable level of competition for Camanachd Leòdhais. Battered and bruised by some horrific cup maulings, it really felt for that small tight knit group of players that had gone through the four seasons prior that coming up against mainland opposition was like swimming the Minch in a suit of armour.  All the hard effort, training twice a week only to take a smashing away from home, like the 18-0 scoreline against Skye in Portree a month before, was really starting to take its toll. The long term sustainability of shinty in Lewis & Harris felt at stake.

There was significant risks however, Kinlochbervie had a cracking team of u18s who were playing regularly at youth level all across the Highlands, and even down in Oban and the St Andrew’s Sixes. Well-coached and motivated, they would travel almost anywhere for a game, and indeed had won the Mid-Minch Medal Youth Tournament in Stornoway comfortably the three times it was held, the most recent earlier that month.

The Farr Camanachd first team as well had some solid units as well, including Andrew Henderson, who would sign for Lewis for a season the next year. It was going to be an intriguing day

There was also the added complication of Calum ‘Stompy’ Stamper sleeping in and missing the Ferry, but also having the strips in his car. There was a little bit of classic intrigue, as Eòghan and Diablo, assisted by John Nally had put the senior players, Scott Murray, Daniel ‘Gaga’ Gallagher and Conor Macdonald (who captained) into the ‘B’ Team, decked out in Alba strips, and the ‘A’ consisting of Eòghan, Duncan Edwards and the majority of the youngsters wearing Nicolson Institute yellow.

It would prove to be a rip-roaring day.

Lewis v Lewis 2010

Here’s the Stornoway Gazette report from the 8/6/2010

It was a great day for shinty but in particular shinty in Lewis and Harris as Conor Macdonald of Camanachd Leòdhais hoisted aloft the Kinlochbervie Fishselling Company Cup at the Far North Sixes in Scourie last Saturday.

With nearby Suilven cloaked dramatically in mist, the trip north from Ullapool was sun soaked until reaching Scourie where a thick harr lay over the park.  However, as the day progressed this layer burned off and eventually the scene was set for the sun to shine on na Leòdhasaich’s finest hour since the Hebcelt Cup in 2008. This trip to Duthaich MhicAoidh was to be a true day of glory, a raid on the North West Highlands of a type not seen Domhnall Cam MacAulay’s day.

The club were able to send two teams to their debut in the competition which has been running for three years. Nicolson Institute coaches John Nally and Iain Sinclair combined with Eòghan Stewart to manage the teams.

Lewis “A” got things off to a start and considering they were the weaker team they faced up to a the host Kinlochbervie who only a long range looping shot from Kyle Clark could beat young Euan Gilmour in goals in the final minute.  The addition of Stewart, who sat in at fullback and marshalled KLB’s mercurial striker Oliver Feliz robustly but fairly, helped but this was a great start by a team which consisted almost entirely of less experienced and younger players and apart from Stewart and Duncan Edwards had been beaten convincingly by KLB in Stornoway last month.

The Lewis “B’ team then made their debut in the competition against their “A” team and both teams played in a good competitive spirit but James “Tich” Morrison swept in a couple of nice goals to ensure the “B” team got off to a flying start although Callum Blane almost sneaked one past Conor MacDonald in the A team goals when it took a wicked deflection of Macdonald’s shin.

James “Jambo” Morrison and James “Tich” Morrison lined up in attack and “Jambo” was a real nuisance as Lewis “B” then took on the Farr “B” team, several of whom were wearing kilts in a hark back to traditions of days gone by.  Farr “B” were perhaps the weakest team in the tournament but they were hearty and stuffy and it took two moments of magic from “Tich” Morrison to unlock their defence. His two goals were worthy of winning any game.  The first one saw him turn one way then the other and drive it past the keeper from 20 yards and the second was a well struck ball from a well weighted pass by Connor Chalmers, on as sub for Jambo, that tore in to the net.

The “A” team were then unfortunate to suffer almost exactly the same fate as they did against KLB in their game against Farr “A”, where a long looping shot with 30 seconds left on the clock killed of the spirited youngsters.  Farr “A” were a good tough outfit and it was probably the “A” team’s best performance of the whole tournament. Ryan MacCallum worked away well in midfield as did several of the other youngsters, Blane, Ally, Toby and the slightly older Duncan Edwards.  

Both Lewis teams stood aside and drank in the feast of shinty that enfolded in front of them, and were careful to analyse their opponents strengths and weaknesses.  With KLB having won all their previous 3 games, including a furious game with their local rivals Farr “A”, the scene was set for what was practically a final with the hosts.

Both teams took a couple of minutes to settle but then Lewis started to dominate with Scott Murray standing predominate.  The full centre dealt well with the athletic Clark and Dodi and hopefully he can take this from into next months HebCelt fixture against Uist.

At the back Paddy Sinclair and Daniel “Gaga” Gallagher kept Feliz quiet and the “Gaga” cleared the ball of the line in the only moment of real danger for na Leòdhasaich.

KLB as a team have a very strong connection with Fort William Shinty Club so it was all the sweeter for young “Tich”, who grew up in Inverlochy supporting their local rivals Kilmallie, to slam home the winner after dispossessing the KLB defenders.  The roar from Eòghan Stewart on the sidelines was deafening and the support throughout the day from the  “A” and “B” teams for each other was fantastic. As the referee Graham Cormack blew the whistle KLB were distraught and Lewis celebrated as they realised that they only needed to not lose by more than one goal against Farr “A” to secure the title.

Farr “A” gave the “B”s probably their toughest encounter of the whole day although with Murray again on top form the outcome of Lewis losing was never on the menu although Conor MacDonald was called into action more frequently than in the three previous games.  In the end, “Tich” could not add to his top scoring tally of 5 goals (a tally which now makes him the club’s all-time top scorer on his debut for the seniors!) and the game was an entertaining 0-0 draw which secured the trophy. Lewis celebrated as if they had beaten Kingussie 10-0 to lift the Camanachd Cup itself.

The final game of the tournament was a hearty game for the “A” team against Farr “B”. Eòghan Stewart moved to full centre with Duncan Edward in goal and the hard-working Toby Smith on from the start. Despite almost constant pressure, the kilted men (and lady) from Bettyhill somehow kept a clean sheet. A highly entertaining 0-0 draw brought down the curtain upon a fantastic day.

All that was left was the presentation of the trophies. In the Junior competition Farr were able to overcome KLB after a playoff but it was a delighted Conor Macdonald who had the honour of being the first Lewis captain since Paul Duke in 2008 to lift a trophy for competition.

Scott Murray was a deserved player of the tournament, bossing the midfield imperiously and was unlucky not to get his own name on the scoresheet. Murray showed the form that he has always been capable of and hopefully this is a great sign for the future with the two James Morrisons, Paddy Sinclair and Ryan MacCallum all looking like senior material already.

Eòghan Stewart thanked the organisers, in particular Heather MacNeil, but the whole community of the North West were very welcoming and hopefully Lewis can host a similar tournament in the near future. It was a day for making new friends and creating competitive rivalries which are the lifeblood of sport.

We also did a previous look back in 2014 which can be read here.

The legacy of the win is really crucial to the next steps of the Camanachd Leòdhais story. The boost in confidence it gave the club, coupled with the success of the inaugural Craig’s Sixes a month later certainly reinvigorated the enthusiasm around the club and the next step was league entry. Scott Murray indeed showed that he could run a game, a feat he did many times with aplomb as Lewis entered the leagues. More importantly though, a significant number of youth players involved in both teams that day went on to play key roles in the Dubh is Gorm, including Paddy Sinclair, Michael MacLeod, Al Reed, and Connor Chalmers. One player who never kicked on to the senior team was goal-scoring hero James ‘Tich’ Morrison, although he did provide great memories later that summer with a complete mugging of Uist Camanachd’s defence in the HebCelt Cup.

The Far North Sixes was always a great day out at the pitch in Scourie, impeccable run by Heather MacNeil and Pauline MacLeod and their committee at KLB. The weather almost always scorching, except for one particular year. It provided a lot of good memories with Al Reed and Steven Morrison picking up player of the Tournament in 2015 and 2016 respectively, as well as a development opportunity for young Leòdhasachs. The final running of the tournament in 2017 saw us send three u14 teams and it was greatly enjoyed by all.

Sadly the once thriving Far North shinty scene has withered away to virtually nothing. Kinlochbervie’s stalwarts finally decided to take a step back a few years ago, Lochbroom, Ullapool’s senior team and our one time landlords have been defunct as a league unit since 2015 (other than a 2016 appearance at the Far North Sixes), the Farr High School team in Bettyhill  is long gone (and the Naver Athletic Club that entered cup competition for one season is even longer gone), and the shinty club in Caithness, despite a couple of forays in the cups, has never kicked on to becoming a league club. A big loss for the Camanachd Association to have everything North of Garve on the mainland be a shinty desert again, but perhaps one day there will be a return to Minch Cups, Mid-Minch medals and Far North Sixes. It was a great time for the Sport of the Gael in the Far North, and when some sort of normality returns one might hope to see at least some type of revival.

Whatever the significance of the event historically, it was also just a great day for all involved, the drive back to Ullapool through stunning scenery and a quick catch up in the late lamented Broom Bar before catching the ferry home. A day that had all the best things that shinty can offer. Good play, good friends and good weather.

Results

Lewis A v Lewis B 0-2, v KLB 0-1, v Farr A 0-1, v Farr B 0-0

Eòghan Stewart, Toby Smith, Duncan Edwards, Al Reed, Callum Blane, Euan Gilmour, Michael MacLeod

Lewis B v Lewis A 2-0, v Farr B 2-0, v KLB 1-0, v Farr A 0-0

Conor Macdonald, Scott Murray, James ‘Tich’ Morrison, Connor Chalmers, Paddy Sinclair, James ‘Jambo’ Morrison, Daniel ‘Gaga’ Gallagher

The Camanachd Association has today announced the cancellation of all current competitions due to be played in 2020. Unfortunately this puts a premature end to our tenth consecutive league campaign as well as the Strathdearn & Sutherland cup competitions.

Whilst disappointing, we recognise that completing these competitions in the current climate was going to be extremely difficult & we appreciate that the Camanachd Association have come forward & provided clarity.

We look forward to getting back to playing shinty whether it be later this year or next.

Click on the link to read the full statement from the Camanachd Association.

Dubh is Gorm