Camanachd Cup shinty medal

Sport

This is one of the oldest medals in competitive shinty. Shinty, or camanachd as it is traditionally known in the Gaelic-speaking West Highlands, is an ancient game. Introduced to Scotland along with Christianity and the Gaelic language nearly two thousand years ago by Irish missionaries (St Columba is said to have arrived on these shores as a result of some shenanigans at an Irish hurling match). It is a team game played with 12 players per team and the use of a curved stick called a caman, the idea is to hit a small ball along the ground or through the air, using either side of the stick, until you score a goal in the net at the end of the field. This medal was awarded in 1897 to a Brae Lochaber player after the second ever Camanachd Cup Final. Brae Lochaber lost to Beauly 5-0 in Inverness. The photograph is the 1926 Spean Bridge (Lochaber) team.

Material: silver

Size: Diam 15 mm

Sources: West Highland Museum