Old programmes and publicity pamphlets are an excellent record of piping competitions and Highland Games, writes the Editor. Calum Maclean, Tobermory, has forwarded a couple from the Mull Games of the 1960s.
In 1965 the date and venue were more less the same as today. Duty band was the Ceannloch Pipe Band from Campbeltown under ‘P/M MacCallum’ and ‘Drum Major Lang’. Can anyone give us more information on these two gentlemen? There are so many MacCallum pipers from Campbeltown that it is easy to get them mixed up:
What is astonishing is the amount of public transport laid on to get folk to the games. Island people would give a tooth or two for that sort of service these days. Just look at the array of buses and steamers lined up for the big day:
Judges in 1965 were Hugh Kennedy MA, BSc, of the well known 2/4 march by Peter MacLeod, Scots Guards P/M John MacLean, Glasgow, and P/M Hector MacLean. One highlight of the day was a dancing display by the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards.
Calum has also sent a programme for 1961. It has more piping information. Here is the list of competitors:
The presence of the likes of Gold Medallists John Burgess, Donald MacLean of Lewis (misprint in programme I fear) Kenny MacDonald, Jimmy MacGregor, Hector MacFadyen and Ronnie Lawrie, shows just how important the top players viewed the Games 60 years ago.
To them we can add others including Jimmy Jackson of the Dumbarton band, Jimmy Young, Ronnie Morrison and Robert Stewart, Inveraray, all excellent pipers too, and making for a high quality day of pipe music at Erray Park in 1961.
Like today, there were competitions for Open and Local Piobaireachd and March and Strathspey & Reel plus they also had a chanter competition.
Duty band that year were the Pipes and Drums of the 8th Argylls. Would John MacKenzie, later of the Queen Victoria School, have been P/M then?
Mull piper Duncan Lamont, he of the well-known reel, a tutor of Hector MacFadyen, Pennyghael, Mull, was Piping Convenor, and the judges were again Hugh Kennedy, D.R. MacLennan, long travelled from North Berwick, and a John MacLean of Tiree.
Incidentally joint MC at the Games Dance was Bobby MacLeod of the Mishnish Hotel, the former piper and world-renowned accordionist. Bobby wrote the popular 6/8 for Seumas MacNeill, who, as you can see, was also a competitor at Tobermory in 1961.
MacCrimmon Piobaireachd, the Classic Tunes
Download a complete tune played in full on the practice chanter by ceol mor expert Robert Wallace. By using circular breathing he is able to demonstrate the linking of lines, variations and phrases so vital to good piobaireachd delivery. These tunes are all associated with the great MacCrimmon family, hereditary pipers to MacLeod of Dunvegan. Most are suitable for the piping competitions at the…
