Skye Camanachd lost one of their favourite sons when Billy MacKinnon, Portree passed away on Wednesday 23 June 2021.
Billy was born in 1926 but his direct links with Skye Camanachd stretch all the way back to when the club was formed in 1892. His Grandfather William Ross was a prominent figure during the club’s early development and a member of the 1898 MacTavish Cup winning side, the club’s inaugural success. He was also a war hero lost in tragic circumstances at the Battle of Festubert in 1915.
Billy’s father, Angus MacKinnon, played in goals for the team during the 1920s and was later made a club President. Angus was captured at St Valery during WW2 before being marched to a Prisoner of War Camp in Poland where he spent 6 years.
Younger brother Donnie MacKinnon was installed as Skye Camanachd’s first senior team manager after the club’s re-emergence in 1969. The team was initially managed by committee and Donnie’s successes included managing the 1979 Sutherland Cup winning side.
Younger sister, the late Mhairi Cowie, was married to the late Willie Cowie who was an integral part of Lovat’s 1953 Grand Slam winning side before coming to play for Skye late in the 1950s. Their sons Ross and Willie were so instrumental in many of the club’s successes since the 1970s, including the 1990 Camanachd Cup win, whilst their grandson Will Cowie is part of the current Skye side.
Billy’s son William MacKinnon came through the youth ranks with Skye Camanachd and played in the forward line in the 1990 Camanachd Cup winning side;
Even Billy’s son-in-law Duncan Martin had strong links to the club, playing for Skye, managing the second team for a spell and as a committee member.
These connections to Skye Camanachd stretch to wider family members and Billy was proud of them all.
Billy’s contribution to Skye Camanachd was recognised when he was made a Vice-President, a position which acknowledges those who have made a significant contribution to the club.
That recognition was extended further when Billy was given the honour of being made Skye Camanachd Chieftain for the maximum three year period between 2012 and 2014. The truth is that Billy took a bit of persuasion before accepting the role. He always thought there was someone else more worthy. There wasn’t.
Billy’s finest moment in a Skye Camanachd shirt came when he played full forward in the club’s 1950 Sutherland Cup winning team. Skye started the competition by topping their local section with convincing win over Lochcarron (8-2) and Lochalsh (7-1). Skye beat Beauly, who had just dropped their senior league commitments that season, 5-4 in a hard-fought quarter-final at Lochcarron whilst Straths Athletic were despatched 6-1 in the semi-finals to set up a final against Newtonmore.
The final took place at the Ferry Park, Beauly on Saturday 1 April 1950 and Skye hired a 20-seater bus from Neil Beaton Ltd, staying overnight in Inverness on the Friday to be fresh for the next day. The move paid off as they beat favourites Newtonmore seconds 5-4 to become Scottish junior champions. Billy scored the opening goal and he added another before half-time.
Billy MacKinnon and his Skye team-mate John ‘Jonacks’ MacKenzie were great friends and as well as the shinty, they socialised and went fishing together. So when Jonacks was switched from buckshee back to buckshee forward, it was no surprise that the pair struck up a telepathic partnership on the shinty pitch.
Indeed one of Skye’s goals in the 1950 Sutherland Cup Final came when Ewen MacLean launched a long free-hit forward. Without looking, ‘Jonacks’ played the ball first-time to Billy who swept it into the net before the Newtonmore keeper had time to react.
Photo: The 1950 Skye Camanachd Sutherland Cup winning team. Back row, left to right: Harry Bruce, (Secretary); Calum Maclean, Bernisdale; Alasdair Maclean, Bernisdale; John MacKenzie (Jonacks), Portree; Murdo Nicolson, Portree; Angus Murchison, Bernisdale; Neillie Campbell, Bernisdale; Donald Macleod, Portree; Angus MacKinnon, Portree (President). Front row, left to right: Angus MacDonald, Portree; Charlie MacKenzie, Bernisdale; Billy MacKinnon, Portree; Alec Michie, Braes; Ewen MacLean, Portree.
Note: Angus MacKinnon (far right back row) is Billy’s father.
Many people will have first come across Billy at the Corner Shop on Wentworth Street but before then, he served in the Navy during WW2 and was based in Malta. Probably the only time he left Skye for any period of time.
Billy always supported the club’s fund raising events including the annual Sale of Works which were an occasion in themselves in the ‘70s and ‘80s. Even in later life, Billy supported the club by selling weekly Shinty Lotto tickets, a fund raising contribution he made for 20 years.
He was also a regular attender at games, first at the King George V Playing Fields and then at Pairc nan Laoch, and he looked in his element watching Skye Camanachd in action whilst catching up with his many friends around the touchline. When he wasn’t able to attend matches, he followed the club’s fortunes on a Saturday afternoon by tuning in to Radio Skye.
Billy will always be regarded as a Skye Camanachd stalwart but his sporting skills weren’t limited to the shinty field. He was a fine footballer for Portree FC, he was best all-round local athlete at the Skye Highland Games in 1951 and he of course enjoyed his fishing. He was also a member of the King George V Playing Fields committee when it was formed in 1945.
We’ll all miss Billy’s cheery welcome and interesting conversation. He was a font of knowledge and a ‘go to’ person on the history of Portree and could answer the questions others couldn’t.
Billy leaves a big gap in many lives and the deepest sympathies from everyone at Skye Camanachd go out to wife Janet, daughters Janice, Anna and Rhoda and son William and their families as well as to the extended family and Billy’s many friends.
(Grateful thanks to Richard Stoddart for the associated photographs)