Mull Games Results and Review

It is always difficult to convince pipers that playing piobaireachd in the pouring rain is character building and in deference to that I offered each the option of performing in the judge’s tent, writes the Editor.

Only one did, the rest braving the penetrating summer drizzle so typical of the west coast. Tobermory does not often suffer such a poor day, but on we went, determined to have our way with the music, elements be damned.

Up rose the spirit in the face of such defiance and the big tunes were offered and given: Earl of Ross’s March, Patrick Og, MacDougall’s Gathering, Ronald MacDonald of Morar, Rory MacLeod…

The day had begun well with the traditional Tobe breakfast courtesy of hotelier Jim Wright, the new owner of the majestic Western Isles and Tobermory Hotels and a man determined to do everything to boost the town’s prosperity. To boot he was a piper.

Up the hill then, led by the 50-strong Oban High School band, (what a great job those MacColls are doing with no little help from drum teacher Grant Cassidy), and thence to the tent where Torquil T and Alasdair MacG carried out the draw. Are there better stewards in world piping?

Ten in the senior light music and nine in the ceòl mòr – and a wheen o’ weans in the juniors.

Angus MacColl began the piobaireachd with Lament for Patrick Og. Once he had settled the high G this was finely controlled with nuanced expression. The weather may have got the better of the pipe towards the a mach but first prize nevertheless.

Close on his brogue heels was Ben Duncan. His MacDougall’s Gathering was nicely set out with only an over-dwelling on some of the cadence connecting notes hindering progress. A very sweet pipe.

I gave third to plucky Kyle Cameron. He might have been rather one-paced with Rory MacLeod’s Lament but the finger and pipe were solid in face of some of the worst of the weather.

More pluck from Andrew Hall for fourth. The Earl of Ross suffered on the bottom hand. No matter, Andrew was musical throughout. He knew what he was doing with the tune and nearly got there.

Hector Munro displayed much more control that hitherto, Clan Chattan well set out with a steady drone and accurate chanter. He played the short Es in the ground but was not condemned for it. More phrasing in the T&C doubling would have improved things, and he needs to re-think the timing of the a mach.

Of the others, Chris McLeish was just too swinging with the third ground of Ronald MacDonald, ditto the connecting notes in the cadences; Calum Maclean had a good Corrienessan but the crunluath still needs attention; Scott MacLean played Lady Margaret very well until a significant slip; Nick MacLean’s straight through approach to The Men Went to Drink didn’t come off. Have a listen to Andrew Wright’s playing of it on the Piobaireachd Society’s website Nick and you won’t go wrong.

Nick is from Kilmartin, Argyll’s druidic spirit source. He was telling me that his father had been taught by Henry McGuinness. Older readers will remember Henry as the piper who would travel to the College of Piping every year to win the Veteran’s prize.

In the other contests we saw another triumphant day for Ben Duncan who took both the March and Strathspey and Reel to be proclaimed Champion Piper once more.

Postscript…….True to form, once the piping was over, out came the sun and we basked in an early evening of warmth. Such are the character building vicissitudes of piping outdoors in the Scottish summer. None but the brave dare venture forth.

Piobaireachd: 1 Angus MacColl, £100 2 Ben Duncan, £65 3 Kyle Cameron, £40 4 Andrew Hall, £25 5 Hector Munro, £10
March: 1 Ben Duncan, £65 2 Angus MacColl, £40 3 Chris McLeish, £25 4 Scott MacLean, £15 5 Hector Munro, £10
S&R: 1 Ben Duncan, £65 2 Scott MacLean, £40 3 Angus MacColl, £25 4 Andrew Hall, £15 5 Hector Munro, £10
Local Piob.: 1 Angus MacColl 2 Calum Maclean 3 Scott MacLean 4 Nick MacLean
Local March: 1 Angus MacColl 2 Scott MacLean 3 Nick MacLean 4 Calum Maclean
Local S&R: 1 Scott MacLean 2 Angus MacColl 3 Nick MacLean 4 Calum Maclean
Junior Piob.: 1 Alfie Robertson 2 Euan McCracken 3 Hugh Anderson 4 Ronald MacColl 5 Lily Robertson
Junior March: 1 Callan McGuigan 2 Hugh Anderson 3 Euan McCracken 4 Alexander MacDonald 5 Mark Hewitt
Junior S&R: 1 Callan McGuigan 2 Hugh Anderson 3 Alfie Robertson 4 Alexander MacDonald 5 Mark Hewitt
Judges: B Donaldson, B Duncan, R Wallace.