PP Ed’s Blog: Inverness/ Drummer’s Call/ Band Season/ N Lanarkshire Schools/ Grampian League/ SPA

To Inverness today for the Northern Meeting. It begins with a reception in the Town House – always a pleasant couple of hours. The previous year’s Gold Medallist usually gives a tune or two, so on duty tonight should be Alasdair Henderson, P/Sgt of Inveraray & District Pipe Band. Tomorrow it is on with the action at the Eden Court Theatre. The weather forecast is looking positive so it should make for a pleasant atmosphere both inside and outside the various auditoria.

We’ll have results and pictures as soon as we can get them. Follow your favourite pipers by checking our lists of runners and riders here. You can pay at the door at Eden Court. Tickets can be purchased on the day – no reservations are necessary. A ticket allows access to the various competitions within the day: Thursday 1st day £15.00, Thursday evening only £10.00, Friday 2nd day £15.00, Thursday and Friday Two Day Ticket £25.00; Under 18s free for all events. Get along and support the pipers if you can,

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Dumbarton & District Pipe Band have sent this….’Dumbarton and District Grade 2 Pipe Band elected not to compete during season 2018 due to a lack of drummers. The band is continuing to work hard and are seeking an experienced and ambitious leading drummer as they maintain their constant practice schedule working towards a  re-launch for season 2019, in which they will also celebrate the bands 50th anniversary. 

The band, under Pipe Major William Brown, enjoyed a good building season in 2017 qualifying for the World Championships final in their first season competing under William’s leadership.There are two practice sessions per week in the band’s own well equipped hall and although the band requires a disciplined work ethic, they enjoy a great camaraderie. The pipe corps have continued to make good progress and have maintained their enthusiastic drive. Contact the Pipe Major directly at w_brown10@sky.com or via the band’s email dumbartonpipeband@yahoo.com or Facebook page.

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Does anyone agree with me that the pipe band season is too short? In the old days this weekend would have seen the European Championships followed Grade 1 contests at Pitlochry and other grades at Dunblane. It all goes so quickly anyway that I think the RSPBA should put their heads together to come up with a better finish to the summer.

It could be gey dreich mind you standing in the massed bands at Shotts (the old venue of the Europeans) so perhaps a town with a sunnier disposition (Ayr, Troon, Prestwick) would fit the bill for a finale. It needn’t be a championship, just an RSPBA event at which the Champions of Champions trophies could be presented. At the moment these last get completely lost midst the Worlds prizegiving mania.

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Talking of the Champions of Champions titles it is pleasing to see the support the North Lanarkshire local authority give to their school bands. This is from their newsletter: ‘Congratulations to our Novice Juvenile B schools pipe band on winning the ‘Champions of Champions’ title for the best performances across all five major piping championships. North Lanarkshire schools came out on top – despite only taking part in four of the five championships. The band took part in the World Pipe Band Championships at Glasgow Green and finished runners-up in a 19 band field to St Johns College from Zimbabwe. Pipe Major Ross Cowan said: ‘We’ve had a terrific year winning three championships: the Scottish, British and European and we only narrowly missed a fourth one at the Worlds.