Uist & Barra Professional Competition Information Released

Callum Beaumont, Glenn Brown, William Geddes, William McCallum, Niall Stewart, Gordon Walker, Angus MacColl, Gordon McCready, Finlay Johnston, Roderick Macleod, Stuart Liddell, Cameron Drummond, Faye Henderson, Alasdair Henderson, Iain Speirs.

Judges for all three events (ceol mor, MSR, H&J): Ian Duncan, Stuart Shedden and Andrew Wright. Admission £12. Venue College of Piping; start 9am; further info: 0141 569 6216.

The winner of the ceol mor receives the prestigious Glasgow Highland Club Medal. The picture above shows last year’s winner Faye Henderson receiving her trophy from U&B official Janette McHugh. Read a report on last year’s contest here.

U&B Piping Convenor, Gold Medallist John Angus Smith, said: ‘The Glasgow Uist & Barra Association is delighted once more to present a line-up of top class pipers for our annual competition.’

The Glasgow Uist & Barra Association is one of the few island associations to have a piping competition enshrined in its constitution. The association’s history reads:  ‘The Glasgow Uist and Barra Association was founded in 1888. It was established to provide support and  assistance to the people who had left the islands of North Uist, Benbecula, South Uist, Eriskay and Barra. The Association promoted social and friendly relationship among the people from the islands who had left their homes to seek employment in Glasgow and beyond.

‘Monthly meetings were being organised and held in the Waterloo Rooms in Glasgow. Constitution and Rules were drawn up, and memberships were  introduced. Annual Gatherings in the form of concerts and ceilidh dances were commenced. It is noted that at one of the Gatherings there were 700 to 800 people present. The support was admirable. It became apparent that apart from providing financial support to those in great need other aims and objectives were considered. The Gaelic language and culture had to be up held and kept alive and functional in the city of Glasgow.

‘It had its successes and failures through the world wars beginning with the Boer war then the 1st and 2nd World Wars, it is remarkable how they overcame hardship all through these years and persevered in maintaining a social life. In 1944 Glasgow Uist and Barra Piping Competition was formed. It is now one of the most prestigious competition in the piping calendar, and is held annually in March.

‘In 1952 the Association Crest was compiled and accepted. It was to be used on all paper work pertaining to the Association and this practice continues to the present day.’

• More to follow on the Uist & Barra later.