The Kintyre Forum

I am throughly enjoying re-reading Angus Martin's "Kintyre Country Life " and was interested to read that the annual New Year shinty match at Carradale, played on the Bay in 1821, had to be abandoned because of a fight during the game.
At Crossaig the game in 1823 never even started because of fighting before the game began.
Thank goodness the game died out before murder was done

I think that the Southend New Year match did not quite escape that accolade ... cannot recall either whether anyone was successfully charged with murder, but it appears to have been more brutal than simply bruising

It was a bit of an international, too, with groups of players and spectators turning up from Ireland. A while since I read that account in Angus's book, but I think that it was last played in the early 1900's. Great reading.

No-one was charged with the murder of John MacCoag, who died after being severely assaulted at the Southend New Year's Day shinty match in 1836.The suspects fled to Ireland before they could be charged ------ perhaps helped to flee by the Irish group who were over for the match .
In 1818 John Galbreath was assaulted at a shinty game in Tayinloan, and "his life was in danger " He survived.
It seems that many of the assaults were more to do with the settling of old scores, than issues with the game.

Cheers SARID

Need to have another read of Angus's book - so much detail to take in - excellent quality!