Cattle breeder and prominent figure in shinty

Born: October 13, 1932;

Died: December 16, 2018

DONNIE MacKenzie, who has died aged 86, was a prominent figure in the shinty community as well as the wider world of cattle breeding and agricultural shows. He served his beloved sport in a number of roles, including player and official, and was one of the Highland sport’s most knowledgeable and committed friends. He was also peerless in the business of buying, rearing

and breeding quality cattle.

He lived in Spean Bridge, Inverness-shire, and was a man who had lived and breathed the Lochaber air all his life. Working from the Inverlochy Castle Farm on the outskirts of Fort William, he was an accomplished stock-man and breeder of Charolais cattle. He was employed too for a time at the Long John Distillery at Lochy Bridge in the shadow of Ben Nevis.

The farmhouse to which the MacKenzie family had moved from nearby Ben View Crescent, which is no more, was to be a regular dropping-in point for shinty players.

Shinty fans on their way to and from shinty committee meetings and games called in there for many years, with Donnie and his late wife Dympna the most hospitable of hosts.

Born in Fort Augustus and the son of a shepherd, Donnie and his family eventually moved to Spean Bridge.

It is no surprise that MacKenzie was steeped in the traditions of Lochaber. He worked for nearly all his adult life, a total of 38 years, at the sharp end of the agricultural industry.

He introduced ground-breaking methods, innovative cattle breeding and agricultural changes to the Great Glen Cattle Ranch at Inverlochy Castle, owned by Joseph Hobbs. Hobbs, who was known as the Great Gatsby of the Highlands was a shipping magnate, naval veteran, bootlegger and the cattle rancher who brought cowboys to Scotland. He was also one of the leading lights of the 20th century Scotch whisky industry.

Donnie MacKenzie started out as a tractor-man, but eventually became as well-known and as comfortable at the Perth Bull Sales as he was at shinty venues throughout the north of Scotland.

His skill as a cattle breeder earned him the historic achievement of having sold the most expensive bull ever to come from Lochaber, a magnificent Charolais specimen which gleaned five thousand guineas.

He also held the record for a steer at the Ben Nevis Auction Mart – nearly £2,000. These prices have been exceeded by far since then, but they continue to be legendary in Lochaber.

Donnie was also a long-term participant in the Lochaber Agricultural Show. He was also a judge at the prestigious Black Isle Cattle Show.

He eventually took over the lease of the farm on the Hobbs’ estate where he had been the stock-man and divided his time between that onerous responsibility and a singular contribution to shinty over many years.

He served on numerous shinty committees and groups, but most notably undertook roles on the disciplinary committee and as secretary, chairman and president of his home team Lochaber Camanachd. He was the second president of the Camanachd Association Referees' Association from 1981-86, succeeding his great friend Douglas MacKintosh of Newtonmore.

The silver-mounted caman he was presented with for his contribution to the fledgling referees' body was placed on his coffin at Kilmonivaig. The coffin was carried by four greats of shinty: Hugh Dan MacLellan, the BBC Alba broadcaster of rugby, shinty and Gaelic games, as well as John MacKenzie, of Newtonmore, David McMaster, of Strathpeffer, and Iain MacPhee, of Lochgilphead.

Donnie MacKenzie had been a shinty player himself, most often as a goalkeeper with Spean Bridge, but photographic evidence has emerged, to the shinty community’s surprise, of him playing in the colours of nearby and great rivals, Fort William.

Mr MacKenzie was the second youngest of a family of eight. Margaret is the only surviving family member. His brothers were Neil (Torlundy), Murdo (Cannich), John and Harry, as well as Annie, and Katy.

He is survived by his son, Donnie, himself a former shinty player and the last secretary of the Camanachd Association (1982-86) before it appointed a full-time official.

His son, Donnie said: “My father’s achievements in cattle breeding were remarkable, but he wasn’t one to shout about his success.

“His two great passions in life were agriculture and shinty. It is for his involvement in these things that he will be long be remembered in Lochaber and beyond.”

BILL HEANEY