PP Ed’s Blog: John McGregor Letter/ Scots Guards Juniors/ Highland League/ Alden Biesen

Grateful to piping historian Keith Sanger for forwarding this letter from the Blair Castle archives. It is dated 1830 and is by Perthshire piper John McGregor. It mentions his (McGregor’s) winning the prize pipe and Angus MacKay (pictured above) coming second. MacKay is intimated as piper to the Duke of Gordon which is news to me. I understood that before royal service with Queen Victoria he was with the Laird…

All-Ireland Pipe Band Championships Report and Pictures

Lurgan Park, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, once again came alive with the music of pipe bands when the prestigious All-Ireland Pipe Band Championships were held in the picturesque park for the first time on Saturday 1st July, write John Kelly and Andrew Cromie.  The championships rotate each year between a venue in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.  It isnow in its 72nd year. It is one of the…

All Ireland Pipe Band Championships

Field Marshal Montgomery (pictured) made a clean sweep at the All Ireland Grade 1 Pipe Band Championship held at Lurgan, Northern Ireland, today winning both MSR & Medley. Runners up were St Laurence O’Toole from Dublin. Grade 2 went to Manorcunnigham. Get full results and summaries here. Check Piping Press later for a full report from the All Irelands. Read our report on the history of the competition here. [wds…

Thornton Highland Games Results

Dry/windy day with some sunny spells. Only one entry for the junior piobaireachd and three for the light music and three for the senior events. Junior piobaireachd: 1st Campbell Stewart Junior light music 1st Campbell Stewart 2nd Morgan MacLeese 3rd Mathew McKelvie Senior Piobaireachd 1st Calum Brown 2nd Edward Gaul 3rd Lewis Russell Light music 1st Edward Gaul 2nd Lewis Russell 3rd Calum Brown Judges: E Anderson, A Frater [wds id=”2″]

Luss Games Results

The weather was bright and dry in the morning for the Piobaireachd and hard Luss drizzle in the afternoon. Twelve competed. Piobaireachd 1st Ben Duncan (MacDougall’s Gathering) 2nd Craig Martin 3rd Mael Sicard Cras (Lament for the Iolaire) Judges: Tom Speirs, Neil Mulvie March (prizes for top three only) 1st Ben Duncan 2nd Daniel McDermott 3rd Alan Russell 4th Craig Martin 5th Caitlin MacDonald 6th Bruce MacDonald Judges: Ronnie McShannon,…