camanachd

sf Shinty, hurley, golf. The national game of Gaeldom. Equal sides are picked, the object of the game being to score as many goals or hails as possible. Stones are used for goals. The ball may be of wood, hard wound worsted, or of hair, peat or other available material, while the caman is a bent stick of wood or a large tangle. In Uist, people have to be ingenious and to make the best of the materials they have. As Uist is barren of trees, a tangle caman is nearly as common as a wooden one. Another ingenious caman is made of a large piece of canvas bent with both ends caught in the hand. It is very effective. The Uist boys used to be, and in some places still are, very proficient at the game, the main qualities necessary for an ideal player being speed and dexterity. The following is an invitation to shinty: Thugainn a dh’iomain. Dé ’n iomain? Iomain chaman. Dé ’n caman? Caman iubhair. Dé ’n iubhar? Iubhar adhair. Dé ’n adhar? Adhar ian. Dé ’n t-ian? Ian air iteig. Dé ’n iteag? Iteag fithich. Dé ’m fitheach? Fitheach feòla. Dé ’n fheòil? Feòil dhaoine. Dé na daoine? Daoine naomh. Dé naomh? Naomh eich. The translation is as follows: Come to play a ball game. What ball game? Shinty. What club? A yew club. What yew? Yew of the sky. What sky? Sky of the birds. What bird? Bird on the wing. What wing? Raven’s wing. What raven? A raven of flesh. What flesh? Flesh of men. What men? Holy men. (Saints) What holy man? (Saint) Saint of horse.


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