Ardnamurchan High School celebrates double awards for shinty

Ardnamurchan High School won two prestigious awards recently for their contribution to the growth of shinty in the West Highlands.

Colm O’ Rua who has taught at Ardnamurchan High School since it opened its doors in 2002 won the Sports Award at the Scottish Gaelic Awards in Edinburgh through their  recognition for his passion and hard work in ensuring Shinty has gained a real foothold in the school and in the wider Ardnamurchan community.

The school also won the Lochaber Sports Association award for being most active in promoting shinty in the school and community. This award was announced on Friday at the Lochaber Sports Association awards event and Christine Falconer, OBT presented the award.  Head teacher said that this award was a real accolade to Mrs Wendy Green, PE teacher, Colm O’Rua, Dot Lynas, Active Schools’ Coordinator and all staff  and members of the community who promote sport and support and encourage our young people.

It is not just about the sport alone, but the development of shinty at all levels which has strengthened the cultural links between the history of the area, its language and all people who make up the Ardnamurchan and Morvern community today.

The success has grown from small beginnings with a memorable day of Shinty in 2007.  Many will have witnessed the film footage of the re-enactment, in period costume, of an historic game of shinty on the beach below Castle Tioram near Acharacle.  Primary pupils were involved with the day and Ronald Ross brought the Camanachd Cup to the school to add focus to the event.

Since then,  inter-house shinty competitions have been established and under the direction of PE teacher, Mrs Wendy Green. Shinty is now part of core PE in the High School – which in turn,  leads to increased numbers participating. – currently 40% of school role are involved in shinty.
The game has  a truly interdisciplinary flavour with the technical department under Mr Ian Hogg,  involved in innovative repair and fabrication of shinty sticks and of course, Mr O Rua himself, uses Gaelic wherever possible in training.

Successes have included:

Shinty has also been an important vehicle for the sports leaders programme at Ardnamurchan High School (under the relentless support of Active Schools Coordinator, Dot Lynas) to get coaching skills and to train primary school players.

Head Teacher Christopher Millar-Craig explained: “Shinty has become more than  a sport, it has become a community venture which involves a wide range of talented and hard working people, both young people and adults.  Colm O’ Rua is the man who initiated this, so that it could become what it is to the community today.”