Skye Camanachd have moved quickly to appoint Willie MacDonald as their new first team manager.
He takes over at the Mowi Premiership side from Kenny MacLeod who stepped down at the end of the 2023 shinty season.
MacDonald has named Kyles Athletic’s 1994 Camanachd Cup winning captain Davie Taylor as his assistant manager.
MacDonald managed the Skye Camanachd second team last season, taking the side to the HIS Sutherland Cup final, where they lost out 4-2 to double winners Newtonmore, and to a second place finish in Mowi North Division 1.
He begins his new role with immediate effect, managing a side that finished eighth in the Mowi Premiership last season, five points clear of the relegation zone while also reaching the cottages.com MacTavish Cup final where they lost out 1-0 to treble winners Kingussie.
MacDonald said: “I’ve been in touch with all the boys and I’m really looking forward to working with what is an exciting group of players.
“They did well last season, staying in the Premiership and while we obviously want to do the same next year, we’ll also try and get a bit higher up the table.
“The boys will keep their fitness up during the winter and we are back to training twice a week from early January.
“We are also working on a couple of preseason friendly matches, probably away from Skye given how the weather has been here over the last few years.”
MacDonald has also wasted no time appointing an assistant with Kyles Athletic’s 1994 Camanachd Cup winning captain Davie Taylor taking up the position.
He added: “I’m delighted that Davie has agreed to take on the role. He has around 15 years’ experience with Kyles so comes with a fantastic pedigree. He also has a great outlook and has clearly experienced success before.
“We’ve worked well together in the past, coaching youth shinty, and Davie has recently had a change of job meaning he’s now at home in Portree whereas before he travelled a lot.
“We both can’t wait to get going.”
Skye Camanachd Chairman Thomas Wilson said: “The board were very impressed with Willie.
“He had a successful season with our second team, turning things around after only taking on the role at the beginning of the 2023 season.
“He knows our youth players very well and he’s also an excellent man-manager and motivator who takes the role very seriously.
“He increased the size of the second team playing pool to the point where we went from struggling to get players to making choices over who plays.
“Willie can also see the bigger picture. He’s not just focused on his job but looks out for the best interests of the club as a whole.
“We are sure both Willie and Davie will do a great job.”
New Camanachd Association board
Meanwhile, the Camanachd Association should have a new President and four new Board members following Friday evening’s annual general meeting in Fort William.
President-elect Burton Morrison, a retired chartered civil engineer, is set to take over from outgoing President Steven MacKenzie.
There are four vacant directorships and four candidates, each requiring at least 50% member support, who are as follows:
Alan Clark, a past member of the Camanachd Association board for six years who was sportscotland’s partnership manager for shinty, supporting and assisting the Camanachd Association with funding and governance.
Willie MacDonald, also a past board member, who was previously youth director. He is also a Grade 1 shinty referee, taking charge of the 2023 Artemis Macaulay Cup final.
Kevin Thain, who has played senior shinty for over 40 years, representing Kingussie and Glasgow Mid Argyll with distinction, and has been managing director of the Thain Group for 25 years.
Graeme MacDiarmid, a retired Chief Inspector, who helped set up the Glasgow Gaels School shinty club and is currently Glasgow Mid Argyll women’s team coach.
