Shinty

The Cairngorms National Park has deep-rooted connections with shinty, a traditional sport using a curved stick and ball. 

Played all across Scotland but most prominently in the Highlands and West Coast, the game has long been at the heart of communities throughout Badenoch and Strathspey with competitive teams still active in Kingussie, Newtonmore and Strathspey. 

Shinty is a fast-paced, physical contact sport played on grass. Typically, there are 12 players in each team, including the goalkeeper. Each player has a curved wooden stick called a ‘caman’, that is used to hit a small leather ball with the aim of scoring more goals than the opposition.  

It is believed that shinty was brought to Scotland from Ireland a long time ago, alongside the Christian faith and Gaelic language. Irish mythology suggests that the sport has been played for 1000s of years and that it may be one of the oldest sports still being played today. 

Shinty is strongly linked with Scottish culture and heritage, and Highland traditions like music and poetry. Gaelic is undoubtedly the language of the sport, with both players and spectators historically being native speakers from surrounding communities. The language on the pitch was also in Gaelic, as were the cheers from supporters on the side-lines. As a result, many of the terms now associated with the game, which are still used prominently today, are in the language. 

‘Camanachd’ is the Gaelic word for shinty.  

• The Dell shinty ground, Kingussie James Stevens

  

  
• Shinty bench art installation at Newtonmore James Stevens

  

  
• Shinty training Ed Smith

  

  

Badenoch Shinty Memories 

Badenoch Shinty Memories is a local community group that supports people living with dementia and experiencing social isolation in the Badenoch area of the Cairngorms National Park. They use photographs and artefacts to connect with local residents around a shared interest of shinty. 

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