{"id":2690,"date":"2024-07-02T19:05:13","date_gmt":"2024-07-02T19:05:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/kenmorehighlandgames.com\/?page_id=2690"},"modified":"2026-06-03T13:24:29","modified_gmt":"2026-06-03T13:24:29","slug":"history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/kenmorehighlandgames.com\/?page_id=2690","title":{"rendered":"History"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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History<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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A Brief History of Kenmore Highland Games<\/p>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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The village of Kenmore can trace its origin way back to the 16th Century.\u00a0 At that time, it was called Inchadney and was approximately two miles from its current location, north of the River Tay.<\/p>

In 1540, the village was moved to its present position when Sir Colin Campbell of Glenorchy built Balloch Castle, now known as Taymouth Castle.\u00a0 From high on the hills above Loch Tay, the area where the Loch meets the land below resembles a big head and shoulders.\u00a0 The Gaelic word Caenmore means \u201cbig head\u201d and it is believed that this is how the village acquired its name, which subsequently became Kenmore.<\/p>

We now know that the first Games took place in September 1843.\u00a0 \u00a0The Games were held to celebrate the visit of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert to Taymouth Castle in 1842. Reports from both the Perthshire Courier and the Perthshire Advertiser can be read below.\u00a0<\/p>

Those reports state that crowds gathered in Kenmore Square and proceeded through the West Gate, also called the Kenmore Gate, led by 150 Breadalbane Highlanders who had formed the Queen’s Guard the year before.\u00a0 They further report that Lord Breadalbane and guests were seated in a pavilion on a hill, along with a vast crowd who had walked 5 minutes to take their place to watch the games.<\/p>

The Games of 1843 featured a gun salute.\u00a0 We know that at that time, canons were situated on what is known locally as Hangman\u2019s Hill. Hangman’s Hill is the large tree-lined hill to the north of the sports ground.\u00a0\u00a0The Games moved to Aberfeldy after a few years, and the Breadalbane Gathering lapsed.\u00a0<\/p>

The good news, however, is that a group of locals got together in 1972 with a vision to transfer a local summer games night held at Mains of Taymouth since 1967 into the Kenmore Highland Games.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Those locals were Duncan Menzies, Ian Menzies, Kenneth MacVicar, Sandy Mitchell & Alec Dott, amongst others.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

Thereafter, the Kenmore & District Sports Association was incorporated, and a site for the new Games was chosen and purchased.\u00a0 At the time, they had no idea that the site purchased for the Games was the same location chosen by Lord Breadalbane some 130 years earlier!\u00a0 \u00a0Lord Breadalbane decided upon a spot close to the head of Loch Tay at Kenmore; a site which formed a natural amphitheatre with sloping ground on two sides and a large area of flat ground at the base.\u00a0 The arena is a perfect place for a spectator sport to take place, which is exactly what the local group thought all those years later!\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>

It took a few years to get the Games running in the way they wanted, and the first fully fledged Kenmore Highland Games took place in July 1976.<\/p>

Early Games were compered by Kenneth McVicar, who was the local minister.\u00a0 On one evening, upon being asked if he could guarantee good weather, Rev. MacVicar’s response was “I’ll have a word with the Boss”.\u00a0 \u00a0The Games featured \u2018Heavy\u2019 events, running races, dancing, stalls and caravaners.\u00a0 The evening also featured a Pillow Fight competition for children – please see the image below.<\/p>

The Pavilion and children\u2019s playing area you see today were added at later dates.\u00a0<\/p>

Today\u2019s games are organised and run by local volunteers who form the Committee of the Kenmore & District Sports Association.\u00a0 In order to make the Games as successful as they are, the group works throughout the year to prepare and ensure the \u2018Friendly Games\u2019 continue.\u00a0<\/p>

The Kenmore Sports Association also has a group of Trustees who oversee the Committee to ensure that the Games are held in the spirit of their forefathers \u2013 literally!\u00a0 The Trustees are Ian Duncan-Miller, Colin Menzies, Robin Menzies and George Mitchell, whose fathers got together to get the Games going again some 50 years ago.<\/p>

In past years, we have welcomed visitors from every part of the World you can name!\u00a0 The atmosphere created by these visitors as they watch the competitors is electric, making it a pleasure for all.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

We are keen to hear from anyone who has any information about the history of Kenmore Highland Games, in particular photographs from the 1970s onwards would be very welcome.\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\tBig thanks to Colin Menzies and his sister Fiona for the fantastic images below from the early 1970s. Taken before the Pavilion was built and in the days when the Games featured a Pillow Fight for children! The images prove that the Games were as popular then are they are today! <\/span>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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Reports of the First Breadalbane Highland Gathering dated 7th September 1843<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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We were delighted when we were recently contacted with some exciting news about the very first Highland Gathering at Kenmore.\u00a0<\/p>

While visiting Dunrobin Castle, Sutherland in the Scottish Highlands, a friend of the Games came across a striking brooch, measuring approximately 4\u201d in diameter. The information card read “Prize awarded by the Breadalbane Highland Gathering to John McAlister … ” (for full text, please see image).\u00a0<\/p>

This caught the visitor’s eye, and through a friend, Alasdair MacDonald was contacted to see if he could shed any light on the Brooch. Alasdair has done amazing work for several years researching the origins of many Highland Games and has information on 1500 different events!<\/p>

Alasdair quickly found fascinating information about the Games at which the Brooch was awarded and forwarded articles from the Perthshire Courier dated Thursday 14th September 1843, p3. and the Perthshire Advertiser also dated Thursday 14th September 1843, p3.\u00a0 * Evidence that newspapers were not so quick at reporting in the 1800s as they are today!\u00a0<\/p>

Please click HERE<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>to read the Perthshire Courier report dated 14th September 1843 and HERE<\/strong><\/a> to read the Perthshire Advertiser report also dated 14th September 1843. They are bursting with information about the Games at the time along with names of important visitors and winners of the competitions! We are happy to be able to share this account of the very first gathering at Kenmore and even happier to be keeping up the tradition some 182 years later!<\/p>

The documents were researched and Transcribed by Alasdair MacDonald \u2013 R.S.H.G.A, to whom we are very grateful.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Breadalbane Highland Gatherings of 1844, 1845 And 1846<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
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We have recently received more documents researched and transcribed by Alasdair McDonald of the second, third and fourth Breadalbane Gatherings.\u00a0 Please click on the year to read these fascinating reports.\u00a0<\/p>

1844<\/strong><\/a> Perthshire Advertiser<\/p>

1845<\/strong><\/a> Northern Warder<\/p>

1846 <\/strong><\/a>Perthshire Advertiser<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

History A Brief History of Kenmore Highland Games The village of Kenmore can trace its origin way back to the 16th Century.\u00a0 At that time, it was called Inchadney and was approximately two miles from its current location, north of the River Tay. In 1540, the village was moved to its present position when Sir […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"no-sidebar","site-content-layout":"page-builder","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"disabled","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"enabled","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"_themeisle_gutenberg_block_has_review":false,"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2690","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/kenmorehighlandgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2690","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/kenmorehighlandgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/kenmorehighlandgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kenmorehighlandgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/kenmorehighlandgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2690"}],"version-history":[{"count":88,"href":"https:\/\/kenmorehighlandgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2690\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3482,"href":"https:\/\/kenmorehighlandgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2690\/revisions\/3482"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/kenmorehighlandgames.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2690"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}