Surprise as new date for first-ever Nairn Games day is revealed
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A recent discovery revealed that the most popular event on Nairn's calendar is two years older than previously thought – and it was originally held over the festive period.
Nairn’s Highland Games Convenor, Hugh Allison, received an "intriguing" email in February in which the sender Alasdair MacDonald – the Highland and Islands representative for the Royal Scottish Highland Games Association (R.S.H.G.A.) – said he wanted to share some of his research on the history of the event.
Mr MacDonald discovered that the first Nairn Games were not the ones held on August 10, 1867, but were instead held on Christmas Day in 1865.
Mr Allison said: "This is a wonderful story – which has been verified and borne out by Nairnshire Telegraph adverts and articles from long ago. As it turns out, Nairn Games is a little older than has been previously stated.
"As far back as can be proven, the earliest Nairn Games was held on Christmas Day in 1865. It seems all went well – and delighted with this success, the committee went on to plan another (around a year later) scheduled for January 1, 1867.
"However, disaster struck – in the shape of heavy snow and ice!
"The organisers let it be known, early that morning, that the games were postponed."
What was originally planned to be a day of fun and entertainment turned instead into an afternoon of work clearing Nairn Links of snow, with brushes and shovels.
"A large crowd gathered, to watch the Games, after all," Mr Allison continued.
"It does go a long way to explaining, however, why the committee chose to hold Nairn Games in the summer, ever thereafter! It was therefore the third Nairn Games which was held on the Links on August 10 in 1867, and which could be accurately described as the first annual summer meeting for athletic sports and Highland games to be held in Nairn."
The discovery will therefore make the coming Nairn Highland Games – set to be held on August 17 this year – the 147th Nairn Highland Games.
The Nairnshire Telegraph reports of these early Games, together with lists of events and winners have been reproduced for everyone’s interest on the “Results” tab of the Nairn Games website at www.nairnhighlandgames.com.
