There is no record in the Stornoway Gazette of any events in early 1997, but shinty coverage returned with a bang on the April 17th issue with a photo of Scottish rock and broadcasting royalty Dougie Vipond in tow with Alan MacMillan from Team Sport Scotland. They delivered an Easter shinty camp at the newly opened Smith Avenue Astro.
The Thursday 15th May issue It is apparent that with a young family keeping them busy the Barden’s had taken a back seat. Neil Ferguson was appointed Chieftain, Carol Maciver; secretary, Joan Murphy as treasurer and Boyd Mackenzie was made chairman.
The new committee over saw a tournament held at Tong on Saturday 10 May. Three teams competed at each age group – 16 adn under, 12 and under and 8 and under. Tong won the 16 and unders, Sandwick the 12 and unders and Back the 8 and unders. The number of new players was highlighted as a positive, and there was an expression of hope that sides would soon be established on the West Side and in Harris.
Down south in Uist, shinty was continuing to flourish as well. Glen Urquhart man PC Alasdair Maclean who was based in Lochmaddy had been giving up his lunch hours and Saturdays with the Southern Isles Primary School Indoor Shinty Competition. This was played at Sgoil Lionacleit on the 28th of May for the Dr Alex MacLeod Memorial Trophy, donated by Lochmaddy GP Dr John Macloed in memory of his shinty playing father.
Six teams from Paible, Canrish, Balivanich, Iochdar, Dunskellar and Lochmaddy all competed, with the winner set to go to the Lord of the Isles competition to be held in July in Stornoway.
The 29th of May issue has Sandwickhill Shinty Club receiving a set of strips from the BFL Depot, these strips were accepted by coach Joan Murphy and were presented by BFL depot manager Craig Parks.
The Thursday 10th July issue has a preview of the first Lord of the Isles trophy which was held at Sgoil a’ Bhac on Friday 18th July. Teams were invited from Wester Ross, Fodderty, Skye and Uist, as well as the local teams at that time Back, Tong and Sandwickhill.
The article from the following week makes a cryptic reference to a press report in the Ross-shire Journal from the turn of the century about teams travelling from the mainland and playing at “Newton” in Stornoway. This article can’t be traced at the moment, but overall it was indeed a very successful tournament.
“Two teams travelled from Fodderty (Strathpeffer) and Select temas mader their debut from Wester Ross and Skye. Individual Lewis teams from back, Tong and Sandwickhill took part.”
“The Fodderty “A” versus Wester Ross final was a wll balanced game with FOddert winning by four goals to one and taking the beautiful tropy to Strathpeffer.”
“The Hebridean Engineering Shield was presented to Wester Ross as runners up.”
Lord Dunrossil as Lord Lieutenant of the Western Isles presented the trophy on behalf of the then HRH Prince Charles, and there was a real a buzz about the day. Kenneth Campbell, who had been a long time supporter of the revival of shinty in the Western Isles spoke of how he was introduced to shinty when he left Scalpay to study at Portree High School and was deilghted to be openeing an inaugural event which brought mainstream shinty back to (sic) Western Isles”
A big programme for all the youngsters was developed including afternoon activities on crofting, archaeology and ornithology , as well as a barbecue, games on Coll beach and reflections from Reverend Tom Sinclair.
The lack of front line involvement from the Bardens was apparent from the lack of reports in the paper. The Gazette strangely published the shinty results in full in the October but the year ended with an article from a Uist perspective.
Alistair Maclean was leaving his post in Lochmaddy after 3 years to take up a job in Dingwall.
With visits to the MacAulay National 6s competition in Oban and the results to show, good performances in the Under-14 championships against ex-champions Kingussie; and a squad of up an coming players, he has proved you do not have to be from Badenoch, Lochaber or Skye to be a good shinty player. Alistair has enthused the youngsters of Uist and Benbecula about shinty with great success.”
Alan MacMillan of Team Sport Scotland was working hard with this articeld to see which adults might volunteer to carry on the work of the policeman as he set off to be closer to home
1998 of course would have a tragic pall cast over it, but early in the year there was a great bit of positive news,
“A new award has been introduced to encourage more youngsters to take up shinty in teh Western Isles. The Marine Harvest Western Isles Youth Team of the Year award will be up for grabs from September.”
According to David Windmill, Marine Harvest managing director said “the new award fitted in with their plans to introudce local groups to organise the development of youth shinty and provide local competitions. “We want to avoid travel to the mainland, which could act as a barrier to local development in the Western Isles because of the expense involved. ” Aborad base of yougn players competing in local competitions will aloow the best to ris and come forward to compete in wider are onational competitions.”
There was also news in the April editions
“Two shinty internationalists will pass on their skills at Easter camps in teh WEstern Isles next week. An six players will be selected form teh events to attend the Natioanl playwer Developmetn Camp in Largs during June.”
The players in question were Graham MacMillan and Scott Rodger – this article was next to a picture of kids playing that strange local substitute for shinty that continues to this day, unihoc.
Of course, there are several articles dealing with the tragic passing of Dr Barden in July but these In the issue dated Thursday 3rd September, the Gazette carried a small noticed that “Comann Camanachd Leòdhais, the Lewis Shinty Assocaition, are regrouping and reforming this Saturday after the sad death of Dr Alasdair Barden, the group leader.”
“The group will meet at 10.30am at the field opposite the Council building on Sandwick Road if weather is dry. If it is wet they will meet at the all-weather pitch.”
“The group would like to encourage new people of any age to attend the meeting as the Chieftain of the Association, Neil Ferguson, will be coaching and giving advice about how to play this ancient Scottish sport.”
The main sponsors were Uist Builders (Construction) Ltd. They were “[d]isappointed that the two Uist teams pulled out due to a clash with re-scheduled events in the Uists.”
