University Shinty
Encyclopedia
Shinty
teams which play University Shinty are clubs which play under the banner of a university. However, these clubs are not always student teams in the strictest sense of the word and have a long history of participation at national senior level.
The move to the summer season in the sport meant that of the four teams playing in the north and south leagues only the University of Aberdeen continued to play on a full time basis.
However, the change in status means that players from clubs playing in the National Leagues
such as Kingussie and Fort William
can now play for their university outwith the senior season. Previously these players could only compete in the annual one-day Littlejohn Vase
tournament. They may now play in the winter University League.
The Scottish Universities also have a representative side which currently plays against the British Universities GAA
in Composite rules Shinty/Hurling annually. http://www.shinty.com/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=169&cntnt01returnid=15.
There are seven teams entering the University Shinty League for the 2010/11 season, these are Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, RGU (Robert Gordon University), St Andrews and Strathclyde. This season saw the demise of UHI, with many teams sighing in relief. The mens league is currently being led by a rejuvenated Glasgow side, with their female counterpart making a strong start to their season after many years playing under the banner of Strathclyde.
was the last university to enter the senior leagues. Though first founded in the sixteenth century, in 1831 the club was banned by both the university and the town for exessively rowdy and drunken behaviour. The club initially coutinued playing the sport secretly, but due to the lack of a strong Highland
community at the university it later died out. shinty
was reintroduced by medical students in 1967, who were looking for an unusual activity to participate in. To this day the vast majority of St Andrews players are entirely unfamiliar with the sport before they come to the university.
The club are enjoying increasing success on and off the pitch, finishing above Edinburgh and equalled with Aberdeen in the 2007 Littlejohn, winning the St Andrews 6s tournament (which they host) and beating London Camanachd
. The club has also benefited from players playing for Aberdour Shinty Club
, gaining valuable experience. The club has achieved great success off the pitch, with a membership which far outstrips most shinty clubs in Scotland
. Its annual ceilidh is so riotous that the club was infamously banned from having free bars.http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/campus-romance-blossomed-in-seaside-town-1.1068856
had been competing in the Littlejohn Vase since the early 1990s. Most matriculated students who did not play for their home club tended to play for Glasgow University in the senior leagues. Despite being able to draw upon a good base of players and perhaps hampered by a lack of familiarity which other universities had from playing regularly together, Strathclyde did not win the Littlejohn until in 2005 when they also won the first official University league. They reached the final in 2006 when they lost to Robert Gordon. However, Strathclyde once again won the trophy in 2007 which saw them defeat Dundee University 2-0 in the final.
The Strathclyde team have been the strongest force in University shinty in the late 2000s with players from the Premier Division and North Division One making up the entirety of their team. They appeared in five straight Littlejohn finals equalling the record of bitter rivals Glasgow University.http://www.skyecamanachd.com/default.aspx.locid-087new2kg.Lang-EN.htm
's John Barr
who made RGU a tough proposition for any team, especially in Aberdeen, played for the University.
RGU won the Littlejohn in 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2010. The University also runs a ladies' team, which featured Eilidh Middleton
, an international Equestrianist. It also depends on many Irish students with a background in Hurling.
but have also benefited from the backing of a small hardcore of experience shinty players to help drive the game forward. The club have performed admirably since formation winning the SUSF league in 2006/07 and reaching the final of the Littlejohn also. The club is not in the 2011-2012 league but should compete at the Littlejohn.
have the distinction of having won every Littlejohn they have competed in, having only competed in one to this point in 2003 defeating Glasgow University in the final 2-1. They have failed to make an appearance at any Littlejohn since. They have a sixes team which plays infrequently.
, which is a collection of various colleges from across the Scottish Highlands
and Islands
entered a team in the University Shinty League for the first time in 2008. As the UHI has institutions in areas such as Inverness-shire
and Lochaber
they can draw on a strong pool of players. By 2011 however UHI had folded, the difficulty in fulfilling midweek fixtures for a team made up mostly of tradesmen spread across the Highlands was a contributory factor.
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...
teams which play University Shinty are clubs which play under the banner of a university. However, these clubs are not always student teams in the strictest sense of the word and have a long history of participation at national senior level.
The move to the summer season in the sport meant that of the four teams playing in the north and south leagues only the University of Aberdeen continued to play on a full time basis.
However, the change in status means that players from clubs playing in the National Leagues
Shinty league system
The Shinty league system is a series of interconnected leagues for shinty in Scotland. It is administered by the Camanachd Association.-About the system:...
such as Kingussie and Fort William
Fort William Shinty Club
Fort William Shinty Club is a shinty club from Fort William, Lochaber, Scotland. The first team were Camanachd Cup holders four times in succession, between 2007 and 2010 but were knocked out in the second round in 2011...
can now play for their university outwith the senior season. Previously these players could only compete in the annual one-day Littlejohn Vase
Littlejohn Vase
The Littlejohn of Invercharron Challenge Vase, also known as simply the Littlejohn Vase, is a trophy in University Shinty. The second most expensive sporting trophy in Scotland, after the Scottish Cup, the Littlejohn Vase is competed for by University Shinty teams on an annual basis, in a one-day...
tournament. They may now play in the winter University League.
The Scottish Universities also have a representative side which currently plays against the British Universities GAA
British University Hurling Championship
The British University Hurling Championship is an annual Hurling competition held for universities in Great Britain. It is organised by the BUGAA which is a branch of the Higher Education GAA committee which oversees Gaelic Games in Universities...
in Composite rules Shinty/Hurling annually. http://www.shinty.com/index.php?mact=News,cntnt01,detail,0&cntnt01articleid=169&cntnt01returnid=15.
There are seven teams entering the University Shinty League for the 2010/11 season, these are Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, RGU (Robert Gordon University), St Andrews and Strathclyde. This season saw the demise of UHI, with many teams sighing in relief. The mens league is currently being led by a rejuvenated Glasgow side, with their female counterpart making a strong start to their season after many years playing under the banner of Strathclyde.
Aberdeen University Shinty Club
St Andrews UniversityUniversity of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
was the last university to enter the senior leagues. Though first founded in the sixteenth century, in 1831 the club was banned by both the university and the town for exessively rowdy and drunken behaviour. The club initially coutinued playing the sport secretly, but due to the lack of a strong Highland
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
community at the university it later died out. shinty
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...
was reintroduced by medical students in 1967, who were looking for an unusual activity to participate in. To this day the vast majority of St Andrews players are entirely unfamiliar with the sport before they come to the university.
The club are enjoying increasing success on and off the pitch, finishing above Edinburgh and equalled with Aberdeen in the 2007 Littlejohn, winning the St Andrews 6s tournament (which they host) and beating London Camanachd
London Camanachd
London Camanachd is the only shinty club in England. They do not field a competitive team at present. They have historically been attached to the South District. They went into abeyance in 1992 but were reconstituted in 2005...
. The club has also benefited from players playing for Aberdour Shinty Club
Aberdour Shinty Club
Aberdour Shinty Club is a shinty club which plays in Aberdour, Fife, Scotland. It is the only senior Shinty Club in Fife and was founded in 2001...
, gaining valuable experience. The club has achieved great success off the pitch, with a membership which far outstrips most shinty clubs in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Its annual ceilidh is so riotous that the club was infamously banned from having free bars.http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/campus-romance-blossomed-in-seaside-town-1.1068856
Strathclyde University Shinty Club
Teams representing the University of StrathclydeUniversity of Strathclyde
The University of Strathclyde , Glasgow, Scotland, is Glasgow's second university by age, founded in 1796, and receiving its Royal Charter in 1964 as the UK's first technological university...
had been competing in the Littlejohn Vase since the early 1990s. Most matriculated students who did not play for their home club tended to play for Glasgow University in the senior leagues. Despite being able to draw upon a good base of players and perhaps hampered by a lack of familiarity which other universities had from playing regularly together, Strathclyde did not win the Littlejohn until in 2005 when they also won the first official University league. They reached the final in 2006 when they lost to Robert Gordon. However, Strathclyde once again won the trophy in 2007 which saw them defeat Dundee University 2-0 in the final.
The Strathclyde team have been the strongest force in University shinty in the late 2000s with players from the Premier Division and North Division One making up the entirety of their team. They appeared in five straight Littlejohn finals equalling the record of bitter rivals Glasgow University.http://www.skyecamanachd.com/default.aspx.locid-087new2kg.Lang-EN.htm
Robert Gordon University Shinty Club
Robert Gordon University was started by shinty players such as Davie "Trout" Roberston in the 1990s but became a force in University shinty when Glenurquhart Shinty ClubGlenurquhart Shinty Club
Glenurquhart Shinty Club is a shinty team which plays in Drumnadrochit on the banks of Loch Ness, Scotland. It draws its players from the part of the Great Glen which encompasses Drumnadrochit, Lewiston and Glenurquhart...
's John Barr
John Barr (shinty)
John Barr is a Scottish international shinty player from Abriachan, Scotland. He presently plays for Glenurquhart Shinty Club.-History:...
who made RGU a tough proposition for any team, especially in Aberdeen, played for the University.
RGU won the Littlejohn in 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2010. The University also runs a ladies' team, which featured Eilidh Middleton
Eilidh Middleton
Eilidh Middleton is an equestrian competitor from Finzean, Banchory, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.-Sporting Achievements:Eilidh has represented Britain at International and University level and won the Student Riders Nations Cup in the Netherlands in 2011 just before graduating with a BA from Robert...
, an international Equestrianist. It also depends on many Irish students with a background in Hurling.
Dundee University Shinty Club
Dundee University Shinty Club was founded in 2004 to compete in the University league. The new team has drawn heavily on players with experience of HurlingHurling
Hurling is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic origin, administered by the Gaelic Athletic Association, and played with sticks called hurleys and a ball called a sliotar. Hurling is the national game of Ireland. The game has prehistoric origins, has been played for at least 3,000 years, and...
but have also benefited from the backing of a small hardcore of experience shinty players to help drive the game forward. The club have performed admirably since formation winning the SUSF league in 2006/07 and reaching the final of the Littlejohn also. The club is not in the 2011-2012 league but should compete at the Littlejohn.
University of Abertay Dundee Shinty Club
University of Abertay DundeeUniversity of Abertay Dundee
The University of Abertay Dundee, usually known simply as Abertay University, is a modern university in Dundee, Scotland.- History :The University of Abertay Dundee was created in 1994, under government legislation granting the title University to the Dundee Institute of Technology...
have the distinction of having won every Littlejohn they have competed in, having only competed in one to this point in 2003 defeating Glasgow University in the final 2-1. They have failed to make an appearance at any Littlejohn since. They have a sixes team which plays infrequently.
University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI)
The UHI Millennium InstituteUHI Millennium Institute
The University of the Highlands and Islands is a federation of 13 colleges and research institutions in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland delivering higher education. Its executive office is in Inverness.-History:...
, which is a collection of various colleges from across the Scottish Highlands
Scottish Highlands
The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...
and Islands
Hebrides
The Hebrides comprise a widespread and diverse archipelago off the west coast of Scotland. There are two main groups: the Inner and Outer Hebrides. These islands have a long history of occupation dating back to the Mesolithic and the culture of the residents has been affected by the successive...
entered a team in the University Shinty League for the first time in 2008. As the UHI has institutions in areas such as Inverness-shire
Inverness-shire
The County of Inverness or Inverness-shire was a general purpose county of Scotland, with the burgh of Inverness as the county town, until 1975, when, under the Local Government Act 1973, the county area was divided between the two-tier Highland region and the unitary Western Isles. The Highland...
and Lochaber
Lochaber
District of Lochaber 1975 to 1996Highland council area shown as one of the council areas of ScotlandLochaber is one of the 16 ward management areas of the Highland Council of Scotland and one of eight former local government districts of the two-tier Highland region...
they can draw on a strong pool of players. By 2011 however UHI had folded, the difficulty in fulfilling midweek fixtures for a team made up mostly of tradesmen spread across the Highlands was a contributory factor.
Playing Colours
- Abertay: All Black With Gold Trim
- Aberdeen: Blue Shirts, White Shorts, Blue Socks
- Dundee: Red Shirts, Black Shorts and Socks
- Edinburgh: White Shirts, Red Shorts, Red Socks
- Glasgow: Gold Shirts, Black Shorts, Black and Gold Hooped Socks
- RGU: White and Blacks Stripes or Red with Black Trim.
- St Andrews: Sky Blue and White Quarters
- Strathclyde: Maroon and Gray.
- UHI: All Black.