Tayforth Camanachd
Encyclopedia
Tayforth Camanachd is a shinty
team from Perth, Scotland
. Whilst being based in Perth, the team draws players from all over the Tayside and Lothian area. The club currently plays in South Division 2.
as well as the Irish community in Perth.
Over the years the team has had a second team, consisting mainly of veterans, newcomers and veteran newcomers. The club reached the Camanachd Cup
semi-final in 1988 and won the national Aviemore sixes in 1990.
However, following the retirement of stalwarts Hugh Macmaster, Terry "Butcher" Wade and John-Joe Moran a period of decline began.
Fr. Eugene aka the shinty priest famously appeared on the front page of the Daily Star in 1982, having been sent-off for punching his opponent (it was only a Kyles athletic player, and the Kyles player was lucky that John-Joe Moran was restrained by Sam "the vet" Mansley from doing further damage. Without doubt, that team of the late 1970s and early 1980s was littered with characters, none more so than Hugh O'Kane who along with Fr. Eugene would lead the team over to Kilkenny, Ireland to participate in "The Faire Cities Cup". Stories of missed ferries, flights and lost players would make that era legendary. Hugh O'Kane famously landed a helicopter on the south inch, Perth, 10 minutes from the end of a Frews Cup match. Last known sightings of Hugh were in Helmand province, Afghanistan, where he is stationed with UN.
A great figure in the history of the club was the late Willie Dowds, (whose son Cahal would play for Tayforth) who helped found teams in Perth, Dundee and Glenrothes.
There was previously a team in the Angus Glens called Strathtay Camanachd and a team in Livingston
.
The club now runs the annual shinty competition at the Blairgowrie
Highland Games. The club has links with Linlithgow Shinty Club at Junior level.
The club narrowly missed out on promotion to South Division One in 2011 after a winner-takes-all game with Strachur.
Shinty
Shinty is a team game played with sticks and a ball. Shinty is now played mainly in the Scottish Highlands, and amongst Highland migrants to the big cities of Scotland, but it was formerly more widespread, being once competitively played on a widespread basis in England and other areas in the...
team from Perth, Scotland
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
. Whilst being based in Perth, the team draws players from all over the Tayside and Lothian area. The club currently plays in South Division 2.
History
Formed in Perth in 1973 by Barry Nesbitt, Tim Neville and John-Joe Moran the club drew upon the number of Highlanders living in the Central BeltCentral Belt
The Central Belt of Scotland is a common term used to describe the area of highest population density within Scotland. Despite the name, it is not geographically central but is nevertheless situated at the 'waist' of Scotland on a conventional map and the term 'central' is used in many local...
as well as the Irish community in Perth.
Over the years the team has had a second team, consisting mainly of veterans, newcomers and veteran newcomers. The club reached the Camanachd Cup
Camanachd Cup
The Camanachd Association Challenge Cup AKA the Camanachd Cup or Scottish Cup is the premier prize in the sport of shinty...
semi-final in 1988 and won the national Aviemore sixes in 1990.
However, following the retirement of stalwarts Hugh Macmaster, Terry "Butcher" Wade and John-Joe Moran a period of decline began.
Fr. Eugene aka the shinty priest famously appeared on the front page of the Daily Star in 1982, having been sent-off for punching his opponent (it was only a Kyles athletic player, and the Kyles player was lucky that John-Joe Moran was restrained by Sam "the vet" Mansley from doing further damage. Without doubt, that team of the late 1970s and early 1980s was littered with characters, none more so than Hugh O'Kane who along with Fr. Eugene would lead the team over to Kilkenny, Ireland to participate in "The Faire Cities Cup". Stories of missed ferries, flights and lost players would make that era legendary. Hugh O'Kane famously landed a helicopter on the south inch, Perth, 10 minutes from the end of a Frews Cup match. Last known sightings of Hugh were in Helmand province, Afghanistan, where he is stationed with UN.
A great figure in the history of the club was the late Willie Dowds, (whose son Cahal would play for Tayforth) who helped found teams in Perth, Dundee and Glenrothes.
There was previously a team in the Angus Glens called Strathtay Camanachd and a team in Livingston
Livingston, Scotland
Livingston is a town in West Lothian, Scotland. It is the fourth post-WWII new town to be built in Scotland, designated in 1962. It is about 15 miles west of Edinburgh and 30 miles east of Glasgow, and is bordered by the towns of Broxburn to the northeast and Bathgate to the northwest.Livingston...
.
The club now runs the annual shinty competition at the Blairgowrie
Blairgowrie and Rattray
Blairgowrie and Rattray and Raitear is possibly from an English language cognate of Gaelic ràth, meaning fortress + a Pictish term cognate with Welsh tref, meaning settlement) is a twin burgh in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. Amongst locals, the town is colloquially known simply as "Blair"...
Highland Games. The club has links with Linlithgow Shinty Club at Junior level.
The club narrowly missed out on promotion to South Division One in 2011 after a winner-takes-all game with Strachur.