Inverness Piping Society are starting their recital programme at Inverness Golf Club on 3rd October, with ‘Return from the Battlefield’, featuring Duncan MacGillivray and Dougie Pincock, both former members of the Battlefield Band folk group and exceptional pipers in their own right.
Duncan was the first piper with the Battlefield, joining them in 1979, and recording several albums with them whilst touring all over the world.
By Les Hutt
A serious accident in 1983 finished his touring career, but the skill of a nearby surgeon saved his fingers and his piping.
Returning to the family farm near Nigg, Easter Ross, he started competing successfully in solos whilst continuing to perform on the folk circuit. After several spectacular performances in the Jig competitions at the Northern Meeting, Inverness, Duncan won the Gold Medal in 1997.
From early days in P/M Iain MacDonald’s renowned Neilston Pipe Band, Dougie Pincock joined the Battlefield in 1984, adding, flute, whistles and saxophone to his skills. He played with them until 1990.
After teaching at the Piping Centre in Glasgow, Dougie ran the Traditional Music Programme at Plockton High School, Wester Ross, for 23 years. The list of alumni under who graduated under his stewardship is remarkable. He was inducted into the Traditional Music Hall of Fame in 2023.
Tickets for what is sure to be a wonderful evening of music are available here.
All Ireland Solos
This piping and drumming championship was held at Lusk, Co. Dublin, last weekend.
A Piob: 1 Ruairidh Brown 2 Kris Coyle 3 Craig Muirhead 4 Steven Gray
B Piob: 1 Christopher McCartan 2 Annabel Charlton 3 Emma Livingstone 4 Owen MacGregor
A MSR: 1 James Stone 2 Steven Gray 3 Craig Muirhead
B MSR: 1 Marc Warnock 2 Reece Doherty 3 Joshua Truesdale 4 Beth Preston
C MSR: 1 Christopher McCartan 2 Ewan Mitchell 3 Conall McNamara 4 Michael Milner
U14 MSR: 1 B Rooney 2 H Spencer 3 E Tully 4 N Lau
U16 MSR: 1 J Carson 2 M Stinson 3 P Murphy 4 H Steele
U18 MSR: 1 S Purvis 2 W McFarland 3 J Rankin 4 W Currie
Judges: D Chesney, M Fitzgerald, M Houlihan, J Reville, R Maguire, J Wilson.
In the drumming, Stephen Creighton of St Laurence O’Toole continued his winning streak taking first from both judges in the Adult Snare Drumming. Stephen now holds the Ulster, UK and All Ireland titles. Stephen is pictured above (r) with A Grade MSR piping champion James Stone, his piper in all his recent successful competition performances.
