It was with great sadness that everyone at Skye Camanachd heard of the passing of a club stalwart, Willie MacPherson, Eynort on Thursday 15 April 2021.
Willie “Duchan” MacPherson was one of seven brothers – Kenny, Lachlan and Allan who have since passed and, Alasdair, Neil, and Andy. Their father Duncan was a seaman turned crofter whilst mother Margaret was an active local Labour politician who campaigned at a national level and also had a talent for writing. Her works included “The Shinty Boys” which was published in 1963 (after initially being rejected) and she went on to write six more books.
Indeed mother Margaret served a period as Skye Camanachd Chieftain whilst Willie’s uncle, Archibald MacPherson, was elected President of the Camanachd Association, serving between 1951 and 1954, and he also refereed the 1914 Camanachd Cup Final when Kingussie beat Kyles Athletic in Glasgow.
So shinty was always going to be a big part of Willie’s life and he broke into the Skye Camanachd side in the 1950s.
With a number of players relocating to Glasgow and the burden of off-field organisational and financial matters falling on too few shoulders, Skye Camanachd went into a period of abeyance in 1964. At this time, Willie, his brothers Andy and Kenny, joined other Skye players such as Iain MacDougall in turning out for neighbours Lochcarron. However by 1969, Skye Camanachd was back playing competitive shinty and Willie was to assume a key role.
As the club grew from strength to strength, Skye, with Willie in the team, lost out narrowly to Ballachulish in the 1971 Sutherland Cup Final in Inverness.
A well respected figure, Willie was known as a clean-hitting full centre and was as fit as a fiddle. Just as importantly, he was a hugely positive and encouraging influence on a batch of young players who were breaking into the team such as Donnie Martin, Donnie “Digg” MacDonald and Ewen “Yogi” Grant and this was acknowledged in later years when Willie was named a Skye Camanachd Vice-President to recognise his contribution to the club.
When Skye Camanachd introduced a second team during the second half of the 1970s, the club took the decision to play a few of their more mature first team players in the newly formed second string for the long-term benefit of the club and Willie was perfect for that role.
The switch was a big success with the Skye seconds, managed by DR MacDonald, lifting the MacGillivray Division 3 championship – the John MacRae Cup – in 1976/77 with several youngsters from that squad progressing to the Skye sides which lifted the Sutherland Cup in both 1979 and 1981and indeed the Camanachd Cup in 1990.
Willie played into his 40s and always retained his love of shinty and his interest in Skye Camanachd’s fortunes. His shinty connection continued with son Allan playing for Skye, Aberdeen University and latterly for Lewis Camanachd.
The sympathies from everyone at Skye Camanachd go out to Willie’s wife Una, children Lindsay, Eilidh, Allan and Caitriana and the extended family.
(The photograph is of a talented Skye Camanachd team from the late 1950s taken at the King George V Playing Field, Portree and Willie MacPherson is third from the left in the back row. Thanks to Richard Stoddart for the enhanced image)
Footnote
The Skye Camanachd team photo is believed to have been taken during a Skye Week in the late 1950s. It was common-place at that time for Skye to play a guest team at the King George V Playing Field during the Island’s celebratory week. There were memorable encounters such as in 1954 when Inverness beat a Skye / Lovat select 11-10. Lovat’s involvement would no doubt have been influenced by Willie Cowie, part of the hugely successful Lovat side which won the Grand Slam (every tournament they entered) in 1953. Cowie had now relocated to Skye and returned to the junior ranks to represent the Islanders.
Beauly visited Portree in 1957, accompanied by a bus-load of supporters, and the sides drew 4-4. When Beauly returned a year later, they emerged 3-2 victors.
The Skye side pictured is (back row, left to right): Jimmy Peacock (committee member), John “Jonacks” MacKenzie, Willie MacPherson, Ewen Macqueen, Donald MacLeod, Andy MacPherson, John Don MacKenzie, Ian MacDougall. Col Jock Macdonald (Chieftain), (front row, left to right) Ewen MacLean, Willie Cowie, Donald MacKinnon, John MacInnes, Donald Neil Murchison
John Don MacKenzie (Dornie) played for Skye for a season whilst John MacInnes from Ballachulish worked on Skye.