Editor’s Notebook: Uist & Barra/ Airdrie Recital/ London Irish Rifles/ Singer Pipe Band/

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The first major solo contest of the year, the Uist & Barra Invitational, has been confirmed for March 7. As before, it will be held at the Piping Centre in Otago Street. The competition is under new management and it looks as though they have hit the ground running. Invites to a dozen or so pipers have already been sent out and they are merit-based. They include both 2025 Gold…

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History: The First Pipe Band Competitions

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We continue our look at the early days of the pipe band movement…. One of the first pipe band competitions was held at Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow in the 1890s under the auspices of the Govan Police sports committee. The winners were the Govan Police pipe band themselves, and among the bands taking part were volunteer battalion bands under Pipe Majors John MacDougall Gillies and Farquhar MacRae. The next competition…

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P/M Iain Macey 1955-2025

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We report the passing of Pipe Major Iain Macey, a well-known professional competitor in the 1980s and 90s. He was 70. Iain was from the north east of Scotland and joined the Gordon Highlanders in 1971. His early instruction was from Major John Allan and Captain Andrew Pitkeathly at the Army School of Piping, Edinburgh Castle. He passed his Pipe Majors’ Certificate with distinction in 1978. He later moved to…

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History: Pipe Bands From Early Days in the Army to a Worldwide Fraternity

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The following is taken from a special supplement produced to mark the 75th Anniversary of the RSPBA in 2005. It was written by piping historian Jeannie Campbell and edited by Robert Wallace…. Though the bagpipe had been in use in the Army for a long time the pipe band as we know it did not come into existence until the mid 19th century. Marching in step was introduced, at first…

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Northern Ireland: UK Championships/ New Bands/ Brian Harvey/ Ardmore Cup/ Cancer Kids Charity

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I surmised in my November bulletin that there remained the potential for a UK Championships in Northern Ireland, particularly with the 2026 All-Ireland Fleadh coming to Belfast from the 2nd – 9th August. My thinking was based on the fact that a significant amount of funding would be going toward that event, and that with Ulster Scots events were becoming more prevalent within the Irish folk scene for example at the…

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