Reader Gary Clacher: My dad, Adam Clacher, won the World Solo Drumming Championship in 1959 when he was with the Grade 2 Michael Colliery band. Not sure if this has been done before or since by a Grade 2 leading drummer. I wonder if anyone has any photos of my dad, or the Michael Colliery Band, competing? A long shot but photos seem so hard to find from this time.
Here’s one of the Michael Colliery band Gary (above). Don’t know if you can spot your father. The picture was taken in 1949. Can anyone help on the World Solo Drumming front?
SOLO SEASON
The solo season ends this weekend with Pitlochry Games tomorrow and Bowhill in Fife on Sunday. There are very good entries for both competitions.
The piobaireachd at Pitlochry has had to be limited to 20 and the draw is as follows: 1 Cameron May 2 Hazel Whyte 3 Craig Muirhead 4 Allan Russell 5 Cameron MacLeod 6 Edward Gaul 7 Brian Lamond 8 Bradley Parker 9 Dan Nevans 10 Chris Armstrong 11 Angus MacPhee 12 Callum Wynd 13 Cameron O’Neil 14 Andrew Smith 15 Chris McLeish 16 Greig Canning 17 Eala Niamh McElhinney 18 Bobby Allan 19 Gordon Barclay 20 Hector Munro.
Draws have been made for the light music too. There will be no entries on the field for seniors. Pleasing to see the piobaireachd competition so well supported after the suggestion it should be re-instated, with the support of the Piobaireachd Society, a couple of years ago.
Looking at the season more generally, I think it is marvellous that the solo contests last for the best part of four months. Hardly a town or village north of the central belt has not rung with the sound of the great pipe this wet summer. Congratulations to all the hard working volunteers who keep our Highland Games circuit purring along – and to the pipers who get out there and support them week after week.
Quite a contrast with the bands where the season seems to be getting shorter and shorter. Only a couple of decades ago it more closely mirrored the solos, beginning in May and ending mid-September. What has happened? The Cowal Championship used to be the last Saturday in August with the Europeans a week later with a couple of minors to round things off.
Ending the ‘majors’ season at the Worlds is unsatisfactory – yet the way things are we need to be grateful that we had the five majors this year. I hear that RSPBA HQ are going flat out to secure everything for next year and we wish them well in their endeavours.
EDITH MACPHERSON
The death at the age of 96 of pioneering lady piper Edith MacPherson has been announced. Edith passed away in Raigmore Hospital, Inverness. A champion Highland dancer she was also a Champion Piper – in the days when women entering the male domain of competition was frowned on.
Indeed when Edith took the Piobaireachd at Invergordon Games in 1947 there was much shuffling of brogues and tut-tutting in the beer tent.
In those days ladies and girls were not allowed to play at Oban and Inverness, shocking though that seems to us now. The Equality Act of 1974, and pressure from campaigners such as Seumas MacNeill, changed all that thank goodness.
Now we have a situation where ladies are fulfilling roles at all levels of piping and pipe bands: judges, pipe majors, leading drummers, champion soloists. The only barrier to success is desire and ability.
Edith had piping in her family. Her great-great uncle was Alexander Ross piper to Sir Colin Campbell at Alma in the Crimean War. Edith had lessons from P/M John MacDonald, Inverness, and, mostly, P/M William Young, Cameron Highlanders (also an early tutor of Jimmy McIntosh). Edith won the top ceòl mòr prize at the National Mod in Glasgow when she was only 17 and was second in the Dunvegan Medal on three occasions.
FUNERAL DETAILS
Joe Noble’s funeral will be held at Dalnottar Crematorium, Clydebank, at 2.30pm on the 18th of September. Thereafter to Kilmardinny House, Bearsden, G61 3NN.
Malky Mackenzie’s funeral is on September 20th at Glasgow Crematorium, Lambhill, at 10.30am, thereafter to Ellengowan Social Club, 9 Douglas Street, Milngavie, G62 6PA.
