THE hundreds of people gathered at a Glen Nevis grave-side in Fort William on Tuesday, under the mist-covered shoulder of the mighty Ben Nevis, in the sort of torrential rain that only Lochaber can drop, was testimony to the legacy of shinty legend Duncan Pasha Rodger, who died on Monday May 29, aged 29.
That funeral took place on 6 June, 25 years to the very date Fort William won their first Camanachd Cup at Old Anniesland, inspiring a four year-old with a distinguished pedigree in Fort colours to go on to captain his country at under 21 level, win five Camanachd medals himself, as well as a host of other awards. Some of these came in the colours of local rivals Kilmallie in the second phase of his playing career, which saw early potential identified with an under 17 National Playing Field Association medal for outstanding ability.
Shinty club colours abounded, at the family’s request, at the humanist celebration attended by the thick end of 1,000 people. Reds from Lochaber and Kinlochshiel, but mostly blues and whites, the colours of his current team and Newtonmore, the opponents Kilmallie will face in the MacTavish Cup Final this weekend.
Kilmallie will do so without their talismanic top scorer, who netted twice in a match 48 hours before he died. In the words of the celebrant Mrs Lesley Simpson, Duncan spread sunshine, was a true legend, a real hero to his family and an exceptional young man. Local king of the wind-up, he had the most disarming of smiles, the brightest of twinkles in his eye and a ready quip. Always.
Duncan, a clumsy child apparently, was an outstanding sportsman in all sorts of areas; a local golf champion commonly with the longest drive, a bowler, snooker, table-tennis, cricket, badminton and squash player who weaved a magic spell around everyone in his orbit. Hip-hop classics and “Somebody to love”, one of the unmistakable anthems of rock kings Queen, which Duncan adored, rang out before he began his final journey after a song written by former team-mate and musician Gary Innes reminded the throng of Duncan’s ability “to run like the wind, and leap like the salmon.”
Duncan was carried out of Caol Community centre by friends and family to the strains of the pipes, underneath a silver-mounted caman guard of honour held by former team-mates. “The best are taken too young” was an oft-repeated refrain in the middle of a tumultuous week which sees Kilmallie involved in three funerals, Duncan Rodger, Donald Lamont senior at 70 years of age a long-term club servant, and John “Skimpy” MacDonald, a great supporter who claimed that he did in fact play in the blue and white on a few occasions. Shinty has always met adversity with bravery, dignity, love and respect. All were in evidence in abundance on Tuesday, and the day before at Donald Lamont’s funeral and will sustain a tight-knit community, more accustomed to spending 90 minutes bawling at each other, through a period of unmitigated and unmentionable collective grief. Shinty’s bonds of friendship are like the “invisible cord” powerfully presented by Duncan’s first mentor and coach Jock Sneddon, the recipient of Duncan’s first ever Camanachd cup medal (he was only 17 at the time) in appreciation of his support.
Saturday’s match will provide both teams, but Kilmallie in particular, with an opportunity to pay a final public tribute to a truly exceptional character, a brilliant all-round sportsman and committed family man.
Duncan is survived by his wife Emma, whom he married in November 2012, their young son James and his mother Patti, along with sisters Becky and Ruth, and brother Martin.
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