The Camanachd Association, the governing body for shinty, has produced, in partnership with Bòrd na Gàidhlig, a set of Gaelic Coaching Cards and a bilingual shinty information leaflet.

The Coaching Cards were produced to provide a resource for Gaelic medium units to use, in order to create an improved link between the sport of shinty and the Gaelic language. Similarly, the bilingual leaflet is for Gaelic or English speakers who are new to shinty and who do not know a great deal about the sport. Within the leaflet there is information on the origins and history of shinty, who plays the sport today and where you can go to get involved.

Both resources are being launched at the MacTavish Cup Final at Bught Park, Inverness on Saturday 13^th June where there will be some Gaelic shinty coaching on display preceding the day’s shinty action.

Donald Stewart, Vice President of the Camanachd Association, said 'We have many shinty players, coaches and Club Members who are fluent in Gaelic and it is important for us to work with them, Bord na Gaidhlig and the Highland Council to ensure that both the Gaelic language and shinty go from strength to strength; this is a good start'.

Bord na Gaidhlig’s Development Manager, Donald Morrison added, "Bord na Gaidhlig is delighted to support this initiative from Comann na Camanachd and looks forward to the sport's administrators and players taking a more active interest in Gaelic and the game's linguistic heritage in the future. The new coaching and information materials will be an important asset and create strong links between the Gaelic communities in schools and the wider sporting world.

“With increased exposure on television this season through BBC ALBA, our young shinty players will have plenty of role models to look up to and it is important that the Bord and the Association work together to re-energise the links which we share through the language and our common heritage. The Bord looks forward to further progress by the Association with respect to the development of a Gaelic policy and other developments which will enable us to create a sustainable future for camanachd and Gaelic together."

For more information on the Gaelic resources, please contact the Camanachd Association on 01463 715931.

For further information on the contents of this News Release, please contact the Camanachd Association on 01463 715931