Steven Kinvig, Secretary, Kilsyth Thistle Pipe Band: The organisation of the Worlds for bands attending the event disappoints me each year.
For most bands the location of where to park their coach, and in what zone is important, mobility issues etc. RSPBA and Glasgow Life are selling bus pass coded for colour but neither are able to identify the geographical location of any of the coloured zones.
The person selling the tickets at Glasgow Life didn’t know or care about the issue, asking me in closure ‘do you want a ticket or not?’
Surely the bus passes should not be sold without this information being clearly available. All I ask is for something simple and constructive for bands attending the event. Those in the grades that don’t matter, are treated with indifference.
I contacted RSPBA HQ in Washington Street telling them that these passes should not go on sale without the actual locations of the zones being made clear to all. To his credit Colin Mulhern, RSPBA Chief Executive, responded quickly and attached a map. He also apologised for me not being able to get the information from Glasgow Life.
He wrote: ‘Car accessible parking is on the east carriageway access via Arcadia Street; that’s the same location as the red bus parking on the Saturday. Early release bus parking is in the Yellow zone. I hope this helps with your planning.’
A reply from the RSPBA but they seem incapable of obtaining the full info. It’s just not good enough.
Scots Guards KO
P/M Jimmy Banks MBE: Due to the piping season catching us up this year, I’m having the semi-finals and final of the popular Scots Guards Knock-out on Sunday, June 8th, at the usual venue, the Scots Guards Club in Haymarket, Edinburgh.
There’s a photo call for the pipers at 1pm and then the first semi-final at 2pm between Cameron May and Brodie Watson Massey. There then follows the second semi featuring Bobby Allen and Craig Muirhead. The final will be held right after that. Entry is £10 with a free pie! Should be a really good day of piping.
Argyllshire Gathering
Ian Tegner of Kilninver has been awarded the inaugural ‘Bruno Schroder Medal’ for outstanding service to piping in Argyll, writes Torquil Telfer. The inscribed medal was awarded at a ceremony at Kilninver by Leonie, Bruno’s daughter, on behalf of the Argyllshire Gathering Trust.
Bruno was a founding Trustee of the Trust, which for more than 30 years has funded piping tuition in Argyll.
By 1995 a decline in Argyll piping was becoming ever more acute as teaching in schools fell away, and so Ian encouraged trustee, the late Angus Nicol, to explore with the newly formed Argyll & Bute Council a schools tuition scheme.
In 1996 the scheme started in Oban Primary Schools with Ronnie Lawrie as tutor, before expanding to other areas in subsequent years.
Ian became a Trustee in 2002 and when he stepped down in 2011, the scheme was providing tuition through three tutors to 167 primary school children in 17 Argyll Primary Schools in Oban, mid Argyll, Islay and Mull, as well as making sets of pipes available for pupils to use as they progressed.
Today the scheme, in collaboration with Argyll and Bute Council, provides funds for tuition through six tutors to 249 pupils in 30 Primary Schools in Argyll in the areas already mentioned as well as Kintyre, Dunoon, Luss and Helensburgh.
Over the years thousands of boys and girls have benefited and many have gone on to become top pipers. Argyll pipe bands have also flourished, and names like Inveraray, Mid-Argyll and of course Oban High School have become world-famous.
Ian was also presented with a silver cup by the Argyllshire Gathering chairman, Jon Strickland. The Gathering is the parent organisation of the Trust, which also runs the annual Oban Games. Ian was also heavily involved over many years in running the Games, utilising his skills as a chartered accountant and financial expert.
Finally, Jon Strickland on behalf of the Trust, passed on two sets of pipes (above) for use in the tuition scheme to Oban High School to Pipe Major Angus MacColl, recently returned with the band from Tartan Day in New York. Angus rounded up the evening with a selection of pipe tunes much appreciated by all!
Miscellany
A new book ‘Keeping the Stories Alive’ by David Meldrum Lowe features central Scotland pipe bands including BP Grangemouth, Cowie & District, Denny & Dunipace, and others. Available here.
Gordonstoun Pipe Band recently celebrated its 70th anniversary with a special performance at the school’s annual Highland Games. The band regularly plays at the annual Braemar Gathering attended by HM King Charles. The King, who played the chanter as a student at the school, awarded the band special commemorative medals for playing during the Coronation celebrations in Scotland in 2023. There are now more than 150 students piping and drumming at the school every week.
Gaelic arts organisation, Fèisean nan Gàidheal, has appointed Calum Alex Macmillan as its new Chief Executive. He will take up the position early next month. Originally from Lewis, Calum has a keen interest in Gaelic culture, is a renowned Gaelic singer winning two gold medals at the National Mòd, and is also a piper.
