Free Presbyterian minister Rev Allan MacColl has hit out at what he sees as "Sabbath desecration", with the recent Fort William versus Lochaber Premier League derby clash just its latest example.

The match at An Aird was the first in the history of the sport's Premier League to be played on a Sunday and was held with the agreement of both clubs and shinty's governing body, the Camanachd Association.

The game attended by a bumper crowd of 400 was switched to allow Fort William's senior players and managers to support their under-17 side sweep to victory in the junior MacTavish Cup Final in Inverness the day before.

However, that decision has been criticised by Mr MacColl, who lives in Corpach and who has just completed his training for the ministry.

He told the Lochaber News: "I note we now have top flight shinty as well as women's shinty and other sports held on the Lord's Day. Such practices are a flagrant breach of God's holy commandment to "remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy" and are an evidence of the spiritual darkness that increasingly prevails in our land.

"No-one has any right to transgress God's moral law and let the organisers, players and spectators at such events be assured that one day – whether in this life or in eternity – they will bitterly regret their sin of Sabbath desecration."

Mr MacColl then quoted from the bible, 1 Samuel 2:30, stating: "'Them that honour me I will honour, and they that despise me shall be lightly esteemed'."

He added: "Sunday should be a day of rest; a day of spiritual exercise. The commandments are the lynch pin of Christian society. Secularisation is more and more prevalent and there is inexorable pressure put on people to conform to the secular standards.

"At the end of the day if the church is doing its job correctly it is giving a voice to the message of the Lord. We as ministers are here to spread God's word. We have to obey God's word – or pay the consequences.

"The role of Christians and the church corporately is not to incorporate what secular society says is right. We can't just change the message of the Lord to fit in with the current mores. A church is out of step if it diverts from the word of God.

"I thought it was pretty symbolic that the first premier league match on a Sunday was here in Lochaber. It is just so sad and disappointing that it had to happen here."

But yesterday, local Highland councillor Donald Cameron, who regularly attends Fort William Shinty Club's matches, said: "I respect Rev MacColl's view and those of his ilk, but whether we live in a Christian or a secular society we certainly live in a democracy.

Action from the controversial game.

"The Lochaber public voted with their feet – at least 400 of them – many of whom attended their respective places of worship that day and I personally do not see the harm in them watching young men carrying on a healthy pursuit.

"As far as I am aware this will not be a regular occurrence on a Sunday but I imagine there will be similar games happening in future. Hurling and Gaelic football regularly takes place in Ireland on a Sunday and I wouldn't like to think the people of Ireland are condemned because of it."

A spokesman for the Camanachd Association told the LN: "There is nothing in our bylaws to say no to a request for shinty on a Sunday. We were faced with a request from by the clubs to switch the game from Saturday to Sunday and it was considered by our board and approved.

"There is no move to have games played regularly on Sundays and it will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

"Historically, we have had many games and tournaments played on a Sunday including Scotland versus Ireland international shinty-hurling matches and many women's and youth shinty tournaments or matches are played on a Sunday."

On the eve of the recent Fort William versus Lochaber Sunday match, Fort William manager Drew McNeil said he was in favour of the switching all shinty finals to a Sunday "to give them their rightful place".

He said: "I'm a great believer in cup finals being played on Sundays. Everyone should be aware of that before competitions start and we would all know where we stand.

"Shinty is a traditional sport, but in some aspects, we do need to move firmly into the 21st century."

s.taylor@lochaber-news.co.uk

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