it's really nothing like hockey

So, when you're a Buckley Hughes and you're on holiday, one of the things you must do is go and see some local sport. Being on the Isle of Skye, we got the local paper (West Highland Free Press - cooperative owned - impressive!) and found that there was going to be a relaatively significant shinty game played this afternoon. It was Skye Camanachd's Strathdearn Cup quarter final tie against Newtonmore at Pairc nan Laoch, Portree.

So we found out where the shinty club was in Portree, got ourselves a lunch bread each form the fantabulous Skye Bakery (basically a filled roll, but the filling is put in before the bread is baked - how clever is that?) and watched the match. I sat inside Brrenda because it was raining; Mrs BH walked the touchline because she is hardy.

It was a good match - Skye were poor in the first part, then came back strongly, and were finally beaten 3-2.

The Lonely Planet guide said that Shinty is a simple form of hockey. Well, I'm very sorry, it is not. It is very similar to Hurling, the traditional game played in Ireland with flat sticks and a seeming lack of laws relating to thwacking your opponent with the aforementioned stick. Shinty has rounder sticks (like a walking stick ish, but with a longer handle, and the other way up, obviously), but similar rules (or lacks of). We were amazed that the keepers don't have to wear a helmet. Great to watch. Shame they didn't win.