Yesterday's heroes...

Heroes Index

Boleskine 1928

Back Row L to R; Ian Campbell, Rory MacDonald, Alister Gow, Willie.J.Campbell, Bob MacDonald, Jimmy Fraser (Dickiebird), Johnny Cameron (The Glebe), Davie MacLaren (Yulack), Angus MacDonald, Hugh Gray (Horner) (with clubs), Dan MacLean (Poppar).
Front Row L to R; Jock Kennedy, John Fraser (Bullar), Evan MacLean, A. J. MacKay (Jackie Inch), Roddy MacIntosh (the Baker)

Boleskine Camanachd 1928, taken at Old Anniesland, Glasgow



Boleskine Camanachd reached the final of Shinty's most prized competition in the year 1928. The match was played at Old Anniesland Glasgow against Kyles Athletic who ran out comfortable winners, 6 goals to 2, despite being 2 goals to 1 down midway through the first half, A. J. Mackay scoring both Boleskine goals. On route to the final, in the first round  Boleskine beat Beauly by three goals to two away, in the second round they had a walkover against Inverness . The district Final against Lovat resulted in a two all draw, in the replay Boleskine beat Lovat by four goals to one. The Semi-final at the Bught park Inverness was against Kingussie( who were actually a combination of the Newtonmore and Kingussie clubs) . This was a very tight game resulting in a win for Boleskine by one goal to nil  A. J. Mackay scoring .The same players played in both the semi and final games. 

Boleskine had only just formed this season with the amalgamation of Stratherrick and Foyers. No doubt this was an attempt to put the area on the map in terms of senior shinty as both teams had previously been very successful in the junior ranks. Having said this, Stratherrick at senior level, were the first winners of the MacGillivray Senior League Cup in 1925 and runners up in four Mactavish Cup Finals since 1920. In the early part of the twenty's they also ran a second team competing in the junior ranks.  Boleskine's ambitions were almost realized in their first season until they met their fate at Glasgow and further Camanachd Cup Final appearances did not materialize although they did reach the final of the MacGillivray League in seasons 1930, 31 and 32.
The team retained their amalgamation until 1933-34 season  when a breakaway team called  Foyers  entered and won the Strathdearn cup . Season 34-35 Foyers reformed and rejoined the junior ranks , Stratherrick reformed in 36-37 season, both continuing to play as separate entities until the Second World War.
On resumption of play after the war the teams again resumed with separate identities but Stratherrick amalgamated with Strathnairn to form Straths Athletic.
Boleskine's preparations towards the Camanachd Cup final of 1928, were not without controversy and some believe that this may have had an detrimental effect on the club over the next few seasons. It centered round the tragic death prior to the semi final of one of the team in a motorcycle accident at Compass near Whitebridge, his name was Alister MacDonald (His brother's, Angus and Rory are  pictured in the back row) and I believe he was running the Whitebridge hotel at this time along with  his other brother Donald Joseph . Alister was, by all accounts, a fine forward and had no small part in Boleskine reaching the Semi-Final stage of the cup.
His replacement was Evan MacLean from Inverness. (Pictured 3rd from the left in the front row) Being an Invernessian, he may not have been as readily accepted into the ranks as could be expected in the modern game! Despite his whole hearted efforts, many of the support were divided over his inclusion, citing the mercenary attitude of the club, in attempts to gain the highest prize.
Another famous name pictured in the upper photo is none other than Inverness stalwart Peter Gow's grandfather Alister Gow, pictured in the back row third from the left. He was employed on Dell Estate, near Whitebridge, as a game keeper and his son also played shinty for Stratherrick before moving to Fort William.  For some reason there never was any  photo of the 1928 Boleskine Camanachd Cup final team in our area and no knowledge of a formal photo ever having been taken, though there were some action shots of play during the match displayed in Foyers Club. The original of this picture was was lent to Alister Chisholm in the mid eighty's to get copied by by Sandy Wier,  the son of A Wier who played centre for Kyles Athletic that day .

  By the way, the featured thumbnail photograph on the index for this page is Jock Kennedy, father of Charlie, Johnny and Dunkie Kennedy. All shinty stalwarts from the area.

© D M D & A J C 2003