Jordan Murchison Is First Recipient Of “Caman DR” | |
03 February 2013 Jordan Murchison became the first recipient of “Caman DR” at the Skye Camanachd Annual Dinner Dance which took place at the Skye Camanachd Clubhouse on Saturday 2 February 2013. Caman DR is a new award which Skye Camanachd has introduced in memory of one of their most influential figures, DR MacDonald. It will be presented each year to the Skye Camanachd youth player who has followed the philosophy encouraged by DR through his many years coaching youth of the Island. Skill, regard, enthusiasm and pride were some of the virtues DR looked for in his players. When Portree Primary School beat Park Primary School 2-1 at Mossfield, Oban to won the MacKay Cup on Saturday 28 May 2005, a reception for the team was hastily arranged at the Skye Camanachd Clubhouse. It was fitting that DR be asked to speak to the players that evening as he was the coach the last time Portree won the same trophy, some 31 years earlier. In an emotional speech in front of a hushed audience that evening, DR said, “I can hardly believe that it’s 1974 since we won (the MacKay Cup) last and I can tell you that when I heard that you had beaten Beauly (in the semi-finals) I leapt that high in the air. I don’t know how I managed it! It was fantastic and I was very pleased. I stay out in Braes in a quiet area and I was very pleased that I was staying in a quiet place because every so often I would jump up and shout YES!! Today (after hearing you had won the MacKay Cup) I jumped even higher! “ DR focused on the youngsters and went on to say, “As you grow up, you have to remember the people who have helped you. Particularly your Headmaster and staff, coaches who have been proven so right in their coaching, and yourselves who have had stamina, skill, strength and the will-to-win and these are just some of the things you need when you are shinty players. It makes us all tremendously proud of you to hear what you have just done – it’s fantastic - and it is great for the game in Skye and I’m sure you will bring the “big one” back one of these days.” DR’s sons Somhairle, Aonghas and Gilleasbuig were tasked with choosing the first winner of the silver mounted caman. Speaking at Skye Camanachd’s Annual Dinner Dance, Somhairle said, “I would like to thank Skye Camanachd on behalf of me, my brothers and the extended family for introducing this award in our father’s memory. We are truly honoured that the club has done this. We felt it fitting that Caman DR is a youth award as our father was so involved with youth shinty on the Island. The award will be given each year to the player, male or female, who has best represented the philosophy to shinty that our father imparted to us and to others. He taught us that values such as skill, regard, enthusiasm, pride, commitment, zeal and the desire to do well for your community meant more than playing the game for personal glory. He taught us that it was all about going out on a Saturday and making your community proud and giving them entertainment. When Aonghas, Gibbs and I met to select the first recipient of this award, we talked about that night in 2005 when our father spoke to the Portree Primary School MacKay Cup winning team and told them how proud we all were of them, we all thought of the same guy. He is someone who has shown incredible commitment to the game and who understands how important it is to play for this great club. It is also a nice touch that the winner was actually a part of that MacKay Cup winning Portree Primary School team back in 2005. The winner of Caman DR is Jordan Murchison.” 18 year old Jordan was presented with Caman DR by Somhairle and Aonghas (Gilleasbuig was not present as he was on holiday) and they were joined by Skye Camanachd Chairman Willie MacRae and Glen Edge from sponsors Vattenfall as they received a standing ovation from over 100 guests. Skye Camanachd Chairman Willie MacRae said, “It was DR who inspired me to play shinty and on occasions he made me play shinty. I can recall selecting football for school activities but I still seemed to end up getting shinty and being in DRs group. I never did find out how he did that! He made an enormous contribution shinty and to Skye Camanachd over many years. He was the main man.”
The inscription on Caman DR reads; Air a thoirt seachad gach bliadhna don iomanaiche òg a b’ fheàrr a lean ris an fheallsanachd a bhrosnaich DR MacDhòmhnaill thar iomadach bliadhna am measg òigridh an Eilein. Sgil, spèis, dealas agus moit. (To be presented each year to the young shinty player who has followed the philosophy encouraged by DR MacDonald through many years amongst the youth of the Island. Skill, regard, enthusiasm and pride.) |