Yesterday's heroes...

Heroes Index

Boleskine Juveniles 1962

Back Row L to R; Charlie Kennedy, Hamish Fraser, George Rybak, David MacKenzie, Billy MacKay.
Front Row; Hugh Fraser.

Boleskine Camanachd 1962, with the Strathdearn Juvenile Cup.

After a good few barren years for the local teams during the Fifties, a new breed were about to emerge to put local shinty back on the map. Boleskine entered a team for the Strathdearn Juvenile u16 six-a-side competition, held in Inverness each summer organised by the Strathdearn Association.

These young lads performed well on the day and were triumphant in a 5 goal to 1 win over Glenurquhart in the final match. They had disposed of Beauly by 2 goals to 0 followed by a 4 goals to 0 win over Lovat in the semi-final to reach the final match against Glenurquhart.
Goalkeeper on that day was Billy MacKay who was only twelve years of age at the time! He must have had a great day as only one goal was conceded throughout the tournament, or perhaps it was the good work by Hamish Fraser playing at Full Back?
Four of the assembled lads went on to greater things with Boleskine, teaming up to become one of the best Junior teams in Scotland through the mid Sixties, winning the Strathdearn Cup (North Junior Champions) in 1964 and 1966 along with The Sutherland Cup in 1966. Also added was the Junior League Championship (MacGillivray Cup) in 1966.
The previous season 60-61  Boleskine did not field any team that season  but a team from Foyers entered the Strathdearn Juvenile Cup u16 six a side cup in June 61.

 Foyers reached the final, beating Skye A 3-0 in the first round, Kinlochleven 5-0 in the second round, in the Semi final Lochcarron were defeated by three goals to one.  In the final against Banavie, Foyers lost by two goals to nil, the team was Billy Mackay, Hamish Fraser, Cally Maclaren, Hugh Fraser, Eddy Smith and George Rybak. This experience was not wasted, because next year the bulk of this team lifted the cup.

Boleskine Camanachd 1962, taken at the Bught Park Inverness

Back Row L to R; Neil Murray, Jock Kennedy, Donnie Macgruer, Graham Geddes, Eddie Smith, Donny Fraser.
Front Row; Billy Mackay, George Rybak, Hugh Fraser, Hamish Fraser, Dave Mackenzie, Charlie Kennedy, Pat Stewart.

© D M D & A J C 2003