The Mod Cup (Scottish Gaelic Cupa a' Mhòid), also known as the Aviemore Cup, is a trophy in the sport of shinty first competed for in 1969, traditionally played for by the two teams who are based closest to the host venue of the Royal National Mod. The current holders are Ballachulish.(2025)
Since 2018 there has been a women's trophy presented as well, this is also known as the LearnGaelic Challenge Cup.
History
The Cup is presented by the Aviemore branch of An Comunn Gaidhealach as part of the week-long Mod as a celebration of shinty's links with Scottish Gaelic. The trophy originally had a lid which has been lost. The first running of the cup was in 1969 as the Mod was held in Aviemore and the two closest sides were the sport's historic giants, Kingussie and Newtonmore. Newtonmore won the first running of the cup 5-2 and to this day the Mod Cup is perhaps the one trophy that the club is eligible to compete for that Kingussie has never won.
Over the years, the Mod has been held in towns without shinty teams which has resulted in teams being imported (Stornoway Mods in the 1980s, when Beauly Shinty Club and Skye Camanachd or in areas with a plethora of shinty teams, such as the Lochaber Mod 2007 when a select Lochaber East Side played Lochaber West in Ardnamurchan. The expansion of shinty into areas where it had previously not been played for a long time means that there should be teams from that locale competing for the trophy in the future. This was the case with the Caithness Mod in 2010 and the Western Isles Mod in 2011.
The 2004 fixture was played between Tayforth and Edinburgh East Lothian, at South Inch, Perth. The 2008 fixture was to be competed for between Aberdour Shinty Club and Glasgow Mid-Argyll at Little Kerse, Grangemouth as part of the Mod in Falkirk. However, the fixture was rained off.
The 2009 fixture was played between Lochside Rovers and Oban Celtic at Mossfield Park, Oban on 10 October 2009 as part of a normal league fixture which Lochside won. The Cup provides many smaller teams with an opportunity to win national silverware.
The 2010 fixture between Caithness and Sutherland was a historic game as it was the most northerly official shinty game ever played. Caithness won 3–1.
The 2011 final was played in Uist, and was contested between Uist and Lewis, with Lewis gaining revenge over their 2005 conquerors, winning 2–0.
In 2016 on the west side of Lewis, Skye recorded a 3–0 victory over their island rivals in wet and windy conditions. Goals from Peter Gordon, Iain MacLellan, and Kenny MacLeod took the Mod Cup over the sea to Skye.
Men's Winners 2025 Ballachullish 3 vs Ardnamurchan 2 2023 Strachur-Dunoon 4 v Glasgow University 1, Renfrew 2022 Aberdour 2 v Tayforth 2, Aberdour win on penalties, Perth 2021 Inverness 2 v Strathglass 2, Inverness win on penalties, Inverness 2020 No Competition due to Mòd Postponement 2019 GMA 0 v Bute 0, GMA win on penalties 3–1, Glasgow Green, Glasgow 2018 Inveraray bt Col-Glen, Dunoon 2017 Kilmallie 3 v 2 Fort William, at An Aird, Fort William (played in 2018) 2016 Skye Camanachd 3 v 0 Lewis Camanachd, at Shawbost, Isle of Lewis 2015 Oban Camanachd bt Glenurquhart, at Mossfield Stadium, Oban 2014 Boleskine 4 v 2 Inverness, at Bught Park, Inverness 2013 Bute 1 v 1 Glasgow Mid Argyll, Bute won after penalty shoot-out, at Thornly Park Campus, Paisley 2012 Kyles Athletic 9 v 1 Bute, at Dunoon 2011 Lewis Camanachd 2 v 0 Uist Camanachd, at Uist 2010 Caithness Shinty Club 3 v 1 Sutherland, at Wick 2009 Lochside Rovers bt Oban Celtic, at Mossfield, Oban 2008 Match between Aberdour and Glasgow Mid-Argyll abandoned due to weather, at Grangemouth 2007 West Lochaber bt East Lochaber, at Ardnamurchan 2006 Strachur & District bt Col-Glen 2005 Uist Camanachd 3 v 0 Lewis Camanachd, at Lionacleit 2004 Tayforth bt Edinburgh East Lothian, at South Inch, Perth 2003 Oban Camanachd bt Oban Celtic 2002 Kyles Athletic 1 v 0 Bute, at Largs 2001 Kyleakin Primary School 11 v 0 Back Camanachd, at Tarbert, Harris 2000 Kyles Athletic 1999 Fort William 1998 Skye Camanachd 1997 Strathglass 1996 Tayforth bt Strathclyde Police 1995 Caberfeidh 1994 Kyles Athletic bt Strachur 4-0 (not recorded on trophy)Nicholson hits four as Kyles win the Mod Cup 1993 Inveraray bt GMA 7–1, at Airdrie 1992 Oban Camanachd bt Oban Celtic 5–0, at Oban 1991 Caberfeidh 1990, No Competition 1989, Skye Camanachd 4 v 2 Beauly, at Bayhead, Stornoway 1988, Glenorchy bt Strachur, at Bishopbriggs 1987, Livingston bt Glasgow University 1986, Tayforth, at Peffermill 1985, Glengarry 1984, Inverness bt Boleskine 1983, Glasgow Mid-Argyll bt Strathclyde Police 1982, Skye Camanachd, at King George V Playing Field, Skye 1981, Lochaber won a tournament involving Invergarry, Fort William and Kilmallie 1980, Tayforth bt Livingston 1979, Lochcarron 5 v 3 Skye Camanachd 1978, Oban Celtic bt Oban Camanachd 1977, Glenurquhart 3 v 0 Beauly, at Brora, Sutherland 1976, Aberdeen Camanachd bt Aberdeen University 1975, Glasgow Mid-Argyll bt Kyles Athletic 1974, Aberdeen Camanachd bt Tayforth 1973, No Competition 70th, 1973 - Royal National Mòd Programmes and fringe events > Royal National Mòd Programmes > Programme of the ... annual Mod - An Comunn Gaidhealach - National Library of Scotland, game scheduled but no teams elected to play 1972, Lovat bt Inverness at Bught Park 1971, Glasgow Mid-Argyll (GMA) 1970, Oban Celtic bt Oban Camanachd, at Oban 1969, Newtonmore 5 v 2 Kingussie, at Aviemore
Club Total Years Oban Camanachd 4 1992, 2003, 2009* (Lochside Rovers), 2015 Oban Celtic 2 1970, 1978 Skye Camanachd 4 1982, 1989, 1998, 2016 Kilmallie 1 2017 Lochaber 1 1981 Newtonmore 1 1969 Aberdour 1 2022 Fort William 1 1999 Uist Camanachd 1 2005 West Lochaber 1 2007 Caithness 1 2010 Boleskine 1 2014 Inverness 2 1984, 2021 Kyleakin Primary School 1 2001 Camanachd Leòdhais 1 2011 Strathglass 1 1997 Glenurquhart 1 1977 Lovat 1 1972 Strachur 1 2006 Strachur-Dunoon Shinty Club 1 2023 Inveraray 2 1993, 2018 Glenorchy 1 1988 Aberdeen Camanachd 2 1974, 1976 Glengarry 1 1985 Lochcarron Camanachd 1 1979 Caberfeidh 2 1991, 1995 Kyles Athletic 4 1994, 2000, 2002, 2012 Bute 1 2013 Livingston 1 1987 Glasgow Mid-Argyll 4 1971, 1975, 1983, 2019 Tayforth 4 1980, 1986, 1996, 2004
Women's Mòd Cup Winners
2022, Aberdour bt Tayforth, 3–0, Perth 2021, Inverness bt Alba, Inverness 2019, GMA bt Bute, Glasgow 2018, Oban Lorn bt Cowal & Bute, Dunoon
References