- University Shinty
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Shinty teams which play University Shinty are clubs which play under the banner of a university. However, these clubs are not always student teams in the strictest sense of the word and have a long history of participation at national senior level.
The move to the summer season in the sport meant that of the four teams playing in the north and south leagues only the University of Aberdeen continued to play on a full time basis.
However, the change in status means that players from clubs playing in the National Leagues such as Kingussie and Fort William can now play for their university outwith the senior season. Previously these players could only compete in the annual one-day Littlejohn Vase tournament. They may now play in the winter University League.
The Scottish Universities also have a representative side which currently plays against the British Universities GAA in Composite rules Shinty/Hurling annually. [1].
There are seven teams entering the University Shinty League for the 2010/11 season, these are Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Glasgow, RGU (Robert Gordon University), St Andrews and Strathclyde. This season saw the demise of UHI, with many teams sighing in relief. The mens league is currently being led by a rejuvenated Glasgow side, with their female counterpart making a strong start to their season after many years playing under the banner of Strathclyde.
Aberdeen University Shinty Club
Aberdeen University Full name Aberdeen University Shinty Club Gaelic name Club Camanachd Oilthigh Obar Dheathain Nickname The Blues Founded 1861 Ground Balgownie, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen 
Home coloursAway coloursFor the article about the senior side of the same name see Aberdeen University Shinty Club.
This club is the successor to the University of Aberdeen side which continued in the senior leagues with the advent of summer shinty in 2004. The two clubs maintain a symbiotic relationship, by having the players from the senior team helping with training. Although non-students can play for the senior side, only students can play for the students' side. Aberdeeen University welcome all players from all levels to train and play and are well known for giving people who have never played shinty a taste and help them develop into shinty players. See the senior side article for more information on the history of the club.
Edinburgh University Shinty Club
Edinburgh University Full name Edinburgh University Shinty Club Gaelic name Comann Camanachd Oilthigh Dhun Eideann Nickname Burgh Founded 1891 Ground Peffermill, Edinburgh Home coloursAway coloursEdinburgh University Shinty Club has one of the oldest shinty clubs in existence having been founded in 1891. The club has both male and female team sides and the ladies side have been instrumental in the foundation of Forth Camanachd and subsequent developments in ladies shinty in the area..
The period 1927 to 1933 is the most notable in the Club's history, the University retaining the Littlejohn Vase for six years in succession. In those days the team was also competing in the Southern League and the Camanachd Cup.
The team was once so strong it fielded a second string after the Second World War
Through the sixties and seventies the club remained strong. In the eighties the club competed in Division Three (South) save for one regrettable year of isolation when fixtures were provided by the Littlejohn Vase. Such a period shows how a University team’s fortunes can fluctuate as the season 1986-87 saw the team narrowly miss promotion, 1987-88 saw relegation to Division Four.
In 1991 the club enjoyed its centenary year in which a grand reunion was organised. Guests of honour included Sorley MacLean who played for the club in the late twenties.
In 2004, the club played its last games of senior shinty with the advent of Summer Shinty, meaning that the University could not field a team through the summer months. Players now return to their home teams or play for local sides Tayforth Camanachd and Aberdour Shinty Club.
Glasgow University Shinty Club
Glasgow University Full name Glasgow University Shinty Club Gaelic name Comann Camanachd Oilthigh Ghlaschu Nickname An t-Òr is Dubh Founded 1901 Ground Pairc na Solais, Garscube, Glasgow Home colours
Away coloursFounded in 1901, Glasgow University Shinty Club also competed in senior competition right up until the advent of summer shinty. The club's final season in 2003 in the south leagues saw them win South Division Two undefeated. Throughout the years the club has also been very strong in University competition, its glory years being in the late 1950s and 1960s, when they won the southern league and the Littlejohn three years in a row. A memory of those days is provided still by the presence of Jack Asher, honorary president who still attends games.
The club struggled in the 1980s although they had reached the final of the Sutherland Cup in 1981 but the late 1990s saw a renaissance in the team, the club appearing in 5 Littlejohn finals in a row, winning the trophy twice alongside the aforementioned league victory in 2003. However, the switch to a summer season in shinty resulted in the University leaving the league set-up. Their last senior fixture was a Glasgow Celtic Society Cup match against Tayforth in the spring of 2004.
Since 2004 amid the advent of summer shinty, the club's fortunes suffered a downturn on the park, although membership stayed steady. Glasgow failed to reach a Littlejohn final or challenge for the league between 2005 and 2010 as an exceptionally strong Strathclyde side swept all before them. However, 2011 saw a rejuvenated Glasgow leading the University league and reach the Littlejohn Final for the first time since 2004.[2]
The club is notable for having the shortest pitch in shinty and was one of the first clubs to make effective use of the internet as a recruiting tool. The club is also a major force for promoting Gaelic through shinty, the team also known in Scots Gaelic as An t-Òr is Dubh, the Gold and Blacks.
Archives
The archives of Glasgow University Shinty Club are maintained by the Archives of the University of Glasgow (GUAS).
St Andrews University Shinty Club
St Andrews University Full name St Andrews University Shinty Club Gaelic name Comann Camanachd Chill Rimhinn Nickname Saints Founded 1969 Ground University Playing Fields, St Andrews 
Home coloursAway coloursSt Andrews University was the last university to enter the senior leagues. Though first founded in the sixteenth century, in 1831 the club was banned by both the university and the town for exessively rowdy and drunken behaviour. The club initially coutinued playing the sport secretly, but due to the lack of a strong Highland community at the university it later died out. shinty was reintroduced by medical students in 1967, who were looking for an unusual activity to participate in. To this day the vast majority of St Andrews players are entirely unfamiliar with the sport before they come to the university.
The club are enjoying increasing success on and off the pitch, finishing above Edinburgh and equalled with Aberdeen in the 2007 Littlejohn, winning the St Andrews 6s tournament (which they host) and beating London Camanachd. The club has also benefited from players playing for Aberdour Shinty Club, gaining valuable experience. The club has achieved great success off the pitch, with a membership which far outstrips most shinty clubs in Scotland. Its annual ceilidh is so riotous that the club was infamously banned from having free bars.[3]
Strathclyde University Shinty Club
Strathclyde University Full name Strathclyde University Shinty Club Gaelic name Comann Camanachd Oilthigh Shrath Chluaidh Nickname The Tech Founded 1990s Ground Peterson Park, Yoker Home coloursAway coloursTeams representing the University of Strathclyde had been competing in the Littlejohn Vase since the early 1990s. Most matriculated students who did not play for their home club tended to play for Glasgow University in the senior leagues. Despite being able to draw upon a good base of players and perhaps hampered by a lack of familiarity which other universities had from playing regularly together, Strathclyde did not win the Littlejohn until in 2005 when they also won the first official University league. They reached the final in 2006 when they lost to Robert Gordon. However, Strathclyde once again won the trophy in 2007 which saw them defeat Dundee University 2-0 in the final.
The Strathclyde team have been the strongest force in University shinty in the late 2000s with players from the Premier Division and North Division One making up the entirety of their team. They appeared in five straight Littlejohn finals equalling the record of bitter rivals Glasgow University.[4]
Robert Gordon University Shinty Club
Robert Gordon University Full name Robert Gordon University Shinty Club Gaelic name Club Camanachd Oilthigh Raibeirt Ghortain Nickname RGU Founded 1990s 
Home coloursAway coloursRobert Gordon University was started by shinty players such as Davie "Trout" Roberston in the 1990s but became a force in University shinty when Glenurquhart Shinty Club's John Barr who made RGU a tough proposition for any team, especially in Aberdeen, played for the University.
RGU won the Littlejohn in 2004, 2006, 2009 and 2010. The University also runs a ladies' team, which featured Eilidh Middleton, an international Equestrianist. It also depends on many Irish students with a background in Hurling.
Dundee University Shinty Club
Dundee University Full name Dundee University Shinty Club Gaelic name Club Camanachd Oilthigh Dhun Deagh Nickname The Dee Founded 2004 Ground Riverside Home coloursAway coloursDundee University Shinty Club was founded in 2004 to compete in the University league. The new team has drawn heavily on players with experience of Hurling but have also benefited from the backing of a small hardcore of experience shinty players to help drive the game forward. The club have performed admirably since formation winning the SUSF league in 2006/07 and reaching the final of the Littlejohn also. The club is not in the 2011-2012 league but should compete at the Littlejohn.
University of Abertay Dundee Shinty Club
University of Abertay Dundee have the distinction of having won every Littlejohn they have competed in, having only competed in one to this point in 2003 defeating Glasgow University in the final 2-1. They have failed to make an appearance at any Littlejohn since. They have a sixes team which plays infrequently.
University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI)
The UHI Millennium Institute, which is a collection of various colleges from across the Scottish Highlands and Islands entered a team in the University Shinty League for the first time in 2008. As the UHI has institutions in areas such as Inverness-shire and Lochaber they can draw on a strong pool of players. By 2011 however UHI had folded, the difficulty in fulfilling midweek fixtures for a team made up mostly of tradesmen spread across the Highlands was a contributory factor.
Playing Colours
- Abertay: All Black With Gold Trim
- Aberdeen: Blue Shirts, White Shorts, Blue Socks
- Dundee: Red Shirts, Black Shorts and Socks
- Edinburgh: White Shirts, Red Shorts, Red Socks
- Glasgow: Gold Shirts, Black Shorts, Black and Gold Hooped Socks
- RGU: White and Blacks Stripes or Red with Black Trim.
- St Andrews: Sky Blue and White Quarters
- Strathclyde: Maroon and Gray.
- UHI: All Black.
External links
- Edinburgh University Shinty Club
- Glasgow University Shinty Club
- SUSF University Shinty Website
- University Shinty Results Service
- Dundee University Shinty Club
- Other Dundee Site
- University of St Andrews Men's Shinty Club
- RGU Website
- UHI
Senior teams Aberdeen University · Aberdour · Ardnamurchan · Ballachulish · Beauly · Boleskine · Bute · Caberfeidh · Col-Glen · Dundee University · Edinburgh University · Fort William · Glasgow Mid Argyll · Glasgow University · Glengarry · Glenorchy · Glenurquhart · Inveraray · Inverness · Kilmallie · Kilmory · Kincraig · Kingussie · Kinlochshiel · Kyles Athletic · Lewis · Lochaber · Lochbroom · Lochcarron · Lochside Rovers · London · Lovat · Newtonmore · Oban · Oban Celtic · Robert Gordon University · Scots · Skye · St Andrews University · Strachur & District · Strathglass · Tayforth · TaynuiltFormer Teams Edinburgh East Lothian · Forth · Furnace · Glasgow Cowal · Nairnshire · Naver Athletic · Strathclyde PoliceJunior teams Women's shinty Aberdour · Badenoch & Strathspey · Cowal and Bute · Dunadd · Glasgow Mid Argyll · Glengarry · Inveraray · Kintyre · Linlithgow · Lochaber · Strathglass · Skye · Tir Conaill HarpsCompetitions Camanachd Cup · Premier Division · League System · Macaulay Cup · Sutherland Cup · Balliemore Cup · MacTavish Cup · Glasgow Celtic Society Cup · Strathdearn Cup · Bullough Cup · Mod Cup · Valerie Fraser Trophy · Lovat Cup · Littlejohn Vase · Albert Smith MedalSee also Shinty in the United States · Composite rules · Camanachd Association · Scotland national shinty team · Schools Camanachd Association · Women's shinty · Clash of the AshCategories:- Shinty teams
- Shinty
- University and college sports clubs in Scotland
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