Construction is almost complete as Skye Camanachd move closer to unveiling a stand at their Pairc nan Laoch home in memory of one of the club’s most prominent figures, Donnie Martin.
Donnie Martin died following a road accident in 2022 and Skye started an ambitious fundraising campaign earlier this year to raise the near £100,000 required to erect a 100-seater stand including the associated lighting and access.
This target has now been reached and with building works at the final stages, the new stand will be in use ahead of the start of the new shinty season.
The seated area will be known as The Donnie Martin Stand, and is a heartfelt tribute to Donnie Martin, a cornerstone of the club’s history, whose extraordinary contributions over 50 years – as a player, coach, groundsman, chairman and chieftain – helped shape the club into what it is today.
Donnie’s daughter Kim Millar said: “After the Clubhouse was built and paid for, Dad always spoke of his ambition to have a stand erected at Pairc nan Laoch where supporters could shelter and watch the games in some comfort. He wasn’t able to do it himself, so this has been about making his dream a reality.
“We have a small committee working on this and have had fantastic support from the club, the whole community and the various funding groups and it will be quite emotional to see the stand complete and in use for the first time.”
Skye Camanachd Chairman Thomas Wilson added: “Donnie was such a huge figure at Skye Camanachd, and I can’t begin to list all the many roles he fulfilled at the club since the early 1970s, so we are all proud to have this stand in his memory.
“It’s also a monumental milestone for the club as the stand compliments our excellent clubhouse facility and a terrific playing surface. The facility is used by all age groups most days of the week, right through from primary age boys and girls through the under-14 and under-17 youth ranks to the men and women’s second teams and senior sides, so the stand is a superb addition.
“The new stand also reinforces Pairc nan Laoch’s status as an ideal venue for any of shinty’s cup finals.
“This is a defining moment for the club, and we can’t wait to see the Donnie Martin Stand up and running, celebrating both Donnie’s legacy and the future of our club.
“I’d like to add a huge thank you to everyone who has played a part in this project, whether through donations, time, or effort. Your incredible support has brought this project to this exciting stage, and we couldn’t have done it without you.”
Happy memories
Camanachd Association President Burton Morrison commented: “I have many happy memories of both playing against Donnie and having long chats with him whenever we met up, invariably at a shinty match somewhere.
“He was well-known in shinty circles, popular, and had an infectious personality. He was always good company.
“It’s wonderful that Skye are recognising Donnie’s huge contribution to shinty whether as a good player, a volunteer, or on the international front when managing the Scotland under-21s.
“It’s only right that Skye and the wider game of shinty commemorate Donnie and the Donnie Martin Stand is the best way to do so as there are wider benefits to the club’s infrastructure.
“There are many boys and girls, men and women playing shinty on Skye so it’s important that facilities are improved wherever possible to keep pace with the action on the field so that spectators can enjoy shinty in comfort.
“The Donnie Martin Stand is a fitting tribute and I’m looking forward to coming up to Skye to see it in use.”
Meanwhile, Newtonmore were unable to appoint a first team manager at their recent annual general meeting so the matter will go forward to an emergency general meeting on Friday, December 27.
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