2010 – Present
Since the Balliemore win in 2009, Strathglass has not been able to maintain the form of the previous two decades yet the club continues to field a competitive team.
2010 saw the club finish bottom of the North Division One, (ironically saved from relegation by Glenurquhart Reserves pipping Glengarry to the North Two title) and then proceed to do so again in 2011 and yet again in 2012.
At the end of 2013 the club’s second team withdrew from league competition and Strathglass first team found itself in a six team North Division One (Lochcarron having requested relegation to North Division Three at the last minute) where they managed to squeeze out of last space ahead of Inverness. Yet this lowly position meant that they were still effectively relegated with the resurrection of National Division One, as they joined Inverness and Skye in a third tier North Division One.
After several years of struggle, playing at a lower level allowed the Strath to rebuild and gain confidence winning games again. They came third in 2014, and whilst 2015 was a disappointing season for the men, the women won National Division Two but decided against promotion.
In 2016 the club was unfortunate to miss out to a strong Newtonmore reserve side for the North Division One title under the managership of David Balharry. However, it was felt that the club would make a case for promotion to the National Division One and this was accepted by the Camanachd Association.
The club resumed 2017 in the National Division and with its second team re-established. The club had a good run to the Camanachd Cup Quarter Finals, defeating Ballachulish and Kilmory on the way to a narrow defeat to Skye Camanachd. The second team recorded several fine results as well, blooding a bunch of new youngsters.
2018 saw the club continue to develop this young crop of players, whilst maintaining its position in the National Division reasonably comfortably.
Lawrence Jones
2019 began with the tragic loss to suicide of popular player, Lawrence Jones.
This devastating event left a legacy that continues to this day of heightened awareness around mental health and support for young people.
Lawrence is memorialised every year with the An Solas Mòr dawn walk, apple trees in the far corner of the ground, and a memorial bench beside the changing rooms.
2019 also saw the club reach semi-finals in the Balliemore Cup and MacTavish Cup as well as some fine results for the second team with Allan MacLeod.
The COVID-19 pandemic however had a very large impact on the development of the club. The club signed off before lockdown with a fine win against Lochaber at Cannich.
Fittingly, the very first game of shinty played in Scotland as restrictions were lifted was the Ali Bàn match between those ancient rivals the Glen and the Strath. With no supporters allowed, it was a routine 6-0 win for the Glen second string in a fixture they have always dominated.
2021 saw shinty resume in regional leagues Strathglass were placed in a very hard league composed of giants such as Newtonmore, Kingussie, Lovat and high-flying Caberfeidh alongside Beauly. There were many challenging games, but one bright spot was that Strathglass won the MacDonald Cup for the first time in several years. Josh Fraser was the winning captain and Penri Jones scored a hat-trick. The club would lose the Mòd Cup to Inverness on penalties after a pulsating 2-2 game at the Bught Park.
MacDonald Cup Winners 2021
Post-Covid 2022 and 2023 were two difficult seasons on the park for Strathglass, results were hard to come by in an increasingly challenging National Division and at the end of 2023, after finishing last, the club was relegated back to North Division One.
2024 was a resurgent year for the club in terms of the first team, winning a highly competitive North Division One and lifting the MacGillivray Trophy for only the second time. The club captain for 2024 Penri Jones was also named North Player of the Year at the MOWI shinty awards.
North Division One Champions 2024
Penri Jones netted a hat trick in 2021 MacDonald Cup win
Penri Jones Mowi North Division One Player of the Year 2024
Ken Thomson
Ken Thomson passed away aged 65 years in 2019. He was a great supporter of Strathglass Shinty Club and was the sport’s longest running strip sponsor with a number of his businesses appearing on the front of Strath’s strip for over 30 years. The first of these was in 1986 with Moray Firth Finance culminating with the final one, Thai Dining.
Ken, who always had a soft spot for the Strath, grew up in Cannich where his father was an engineer with the Hydro Board at Fasnakyle Power Station.
Ken was the Camanachd Association’s first finance convenor prior to becoming President where he forged close links with Sportscotland which enhanced youth development in shinty.
He also served on Caley Thistle’s board for 14 years and was a director of ICT FC Social Club.
Ken Thomson