1 James MacKenzie, The Bicker 2 Alex Gandy, Salute to Donald 3 John Dew, Marquis of Argyle’s Salute 4 Steven Leask, Massacre of Glencoe 5 Xavier Boderiou, Marquis of Argyle’s Salute Judges: N Mulvie, S Shedden, J Wilson

Someone on social media was asking about this picture. For those who don’t know, it is of the MacCrimmon Cairn at Borreraig on Skye. The piper is John MacFadyen and the listener Seton Gordon the writer, naturalist and piping judge. The occasion, early 1970s, would be the ‘penny and a piobaireachd’ ceremony which was organised annually (before my time) by the College of Piping. In return for the money and…

Whilst the weather has not always been at its best during the pipe band season, when the curtain came down on the summer contests the sun came out for the Ulster Championships at Donard Park, Newcastle. Not only did it stay out all day but so too did thousands of spectators as evidenced by the full car parks and indeed almost every available space in adjoining residential areas resulting no…

The Gathering’s PR department have forwarded this… Resplendent in their Highland regalia and shouldering their traditional eight-foot long pikes, the Lonach Highlanders were the star attraction at the 178th Lonach Highland Gathering and Games which was held in Aberdeenshire on Saturday, 24th August. Following in the footsteps of their forefathers, the Lonach Highlanders set out at 7:50am from Bellabeg on their historic six-mile march through Strathdon.  With the strains of the…

The death has been reported in Victoria, British Columbia, of James Hardie son of the famous pipe major RG Hardie. James was 63. Born in 1955 James, or Jimmy, followed his father into piping and was taught exclusively by him. He won all the juvenile and junior prizes available at that time. He was a very musical player with all his father’s devotion to phrasing and pointing coming through in…