RSPBA Chief Executive Confirms Five Majors for 2027

RSPBA Chief Executive Officer Colin Mulhern has confirmed that all five major pipe band championships are in place for 2027. This includes the Worlds at Glasgow Green. And Mr Mulhern forcefully scotched all rumours circulating of a fallout between the Association and Worlds promoters Glasgow Life. Mr Mulhern took time out from his busy day at the European Pipe Band Championships in Perth to talk to Piping Press about this…

Review: European Pipe Band Championship, Grade 1

Can we talk bass drums? Why are they being thumped so hard? On Saturday at the Euros you would have thought some of these stick people were preparing for the 12th of July! I listened to all of Grade One and there was only one mallet man who produced the soft-stroke musicality, the sort of purr that blended with the bass drones. That was the chap from St Laurence O’Toole….

European Pipe Band Championships 2026 Results

The North Inch, Perth, was the venue for this year’s European Pipe Band Championships, the third major of the season. 119 bands entered. Field Marshal Montgomery were crowned Grade 1 champions. The weather was dry, warm, blustery and overcast. Grade 1 bands submitted two medleys, one chosen at the line. G2 bands two MSRs one chosen at the line; G3 one medley; Juv.: MSR. Grade 1 1 FMM2 Boghall3 SLOT4…

Editor’s Notebook: Old Recordings & Jeannie Book/ Mull Games/ Neil Clark/ Worlds Tickets

Reader Michael Dunn has alerted me to his excellent collection of early, re-mastered, piping recordings. Click on the picture of Willie Ross to hear the maestro play Captain Norman Orr Ewing and the link below for many other tunes. There’s music from the likes of JB Robertson, Robert Reid, Henry Starck (bagpipe maker), John Macdonald, Inverness, Glasgow Police under P/M John MacDonald (1945), and many more. Full play list here…

RSPBA CEO Steps Down After Difficult Period in Office

That Colin Mulhern has decided to step down as RSPBA Chief Executive Officer will not surprise anyone on the inside track at the Association, writes the Editor. Mr Mulhern has had difficult times since he took over from Ian Embelton five years ago. He has offered his resignation before – before being persuaded to withdraw it. The uncertainty surrounding provision of the major championships has always been a major concern…