Shinty lost one of its great characters and gentlemen when Billy MacLachlan passed away peacefully on the morning of 18 January 2018.
As well as being a former Lochaber Camanachd player; Billy was also a committee member, referee and match assessor.
Billy’s shinty playing days stretched back to the days of Brae Lochaber and he will be remembered as part of the dominant Lochaber side of 1965 which swept the boards.
Lochaber played twenty one games that season, winning nineteen whilst only drawing once and losing once.
Their haul included the Scottish Junior Championship, the Sir William Sutherland Cup, the Strathdearn Cup and the MacGillivray Junior Cup.
Recalling that season some years later, Billy said, “Our main challengers that season were Boleskine and Kinlochshiel who ran us fairly close for most of the season. It was in our final game, the Strathdearn Cup Final, that Boleskine gave us our biggest fright. We played them on a Saturday evening in July on the old King George V Town Park in Fort William in front of hundreds of spectators but, unfortunately, millions of midges. We were completely out played during the first 45 minutes and we went in at half-time 3-1 down. It was the only time we ever got a “rocket” from our captain Ronnie Campbell. It had the desired effect and we pulled off an amazing escape by running out winners 4-3 at the final whistle.”
Billy also previously played for Glenorchy and Tayforth during a time in the central belt.
Billy was also a much respected referee and, after just three years officiating at the top grade, he was given the honour of refereeing the 1985 Camanachd Cup Final between great rivals Kingussie and Newtonmore at The Dell. It was the 78th Scottish Cup Final and Newtonmore eventually won 4-2.
Around this time, Billy regularly refereed matches in Portree and was also invited to referee Skye Camanachd’s annual Thomas Fergus Memorial Cup match on several occasions.
After one trip to Portree, Billy joined both sets of players afterwards for the customary after-match meal and some good shinty craic. Some hospitality was had and Billy was due to head home in a car with three other occupants.
The driver set off from Portree with the intention of catching the ferry from Kyleakin to Kyle before it retired for the night. The driver headed out the road and the car was hardly out of Portree before the three passengers took the chance to rest their eyes.
However disaster struck just above Sligachan as the lonely driver clipped the verge and the car went into a spin, careering completely off the road.
Not surprisingly, this woke the sleeping beauties from their slumber and, with darkness all around and no sign off any assistance, they took matters into their own hands. It was admiral that they were able to push the car onto the road and, with the car showing no ill-effects and a change of driver, the crew sped off to try and get their journey back on schedule.
Nobody slept this time but the roads were quiet and they were making good progress until disaster struck as a large sign by the side of the road came into view. It read, “Welcome to Portree”.
Yes, you’ve guessed it, when the car was pushed back onto the road; it was left facing in the wrong direction.
Billy’s sense of direction may have let him down that evening but it never did on the shinty field where he had the respect of the players and supporters alike.
He went on to be a member of the Camanachd Association Referees Association and latterly, Billy shared his refereeing experience with the younger generation of officials as he assumed the role of match assessor.
Billy was a current local Highland Councillor, representing the Caol and Mallaig Ward. He was elected as a member of the Scottish National Party and sat on the Lochaber Committee. He had also previously served as a councillor until 2003.
Billy had not been in good health in recent months and the sympathies of the shinty community go out to Billy’s wife Sheila and their daughters Mhairi and Aileen and their respective families.
Billy MacLachlan’s funeral takes place at Kilmonivaig Parish Church at 2pm on Saturday 27 January 2018 with the internment thereafter in Blarour Burial Ground.