SHINTY took centre stage at the weekend as the Camanachd Association officially opened Shinty’s Story – Sgeul na Camanachd, a landmark permanent exhibition celebrating Scotland’s community sport and the people who keep it alive.
The space was formally unveiled on Saturday by First Minister John Swinney alongside Association president Burton Morrison — a symbolic moment for a game rooted in towns and villages across Argyll and Bute, from Dunoon to Tighnabruaich and Bute to Inveraray.
Created with exhibition specialists Lateral North, the bilingual (Gaelic/English) display is built around four themes — origins, community, competition and future — and blends rare artefacts with immersive digital storytelling and first- hand accounts from players and coaches past and present.
The result is part museum, part memory bank, and part rallying call for the next generation.
“This exhibition captures the spirit of shinty — local pride, hard graft and a game that belongs to its communities,” said Mr Morrison. “It honours the past and looks squarely to the future.”
The project has been backed by £544,000 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund; board member Fiona MacKenzie attended the opening and hailed the programme’s focus on safeguarding living heritage as well as objects and archives.
For supporters in this region, the exhibition offers a national stage for stories forged on our own pitches — the rivalries, the silverware, the volunteer hours and the countless youngsters who learned their first touch with a caman on a muddy Saturday morning. It’s also a timely reminder that shinty’s future depends on the same community energy that built its past: clubs coaching more kids, committees recruiting fresh hands, and fans turning out on match days.
With Shinty’s Story now open, the Association hopes schools, clubs and families from Argyll and Bute will make the trip, add their voices, and help write the next chapter. After all, this is a sport that has always been more than a scoreline — it’s a shared story, and it’s still being written.
First Minister John Swinney said: “The Shinty’s Story – Sgeul na Camanachd exhibition is a masterpiece that sets out the fabled story of the game of shinty. From the early days when it was used as a way to train warriors, to spirited community rivalries today, shinty has had a significant impact on Scotland, particularly in the Highlands. I would encourage visitors near and far to come and experience this excellent exhibition and learn the storied history of the game.”
Located at Bught Park, Inverness the exhibition is free of charge and open to the public Friday to Tuesday, 10am–4pm.
