Angus Clarke reports…. the 2026 Raasay Restitution Competition will be held this Saturday (September 05) in Raasay House Hotel, Isle of Raasay.
The competition was specifically designed by Hamish Moore to encourage pipers to reconnect with Highland piping’s Gaelic roots and to think about the rhythms of step-dancing when playing dance tunes (jigs and strathspeys & reels).
There is also a pìobaireachd competition with a difference – players should be guided by the traditions of Gaelic song and its links with the ceòl-mòr tradition, and as such only a ground, a ‘pìobaireachd song’, or equivalent, is required.
Because of the basic premise of playing for step-dancing, one of the judges is a step-dancer, meaning that a good pipe sound and excellent solo piping technique are not enough to win the contest on their own.
The competitors and the judges are separated from each other by a screen, and this has proved to be effective in ensuring that a piper’s previous track record has less of an influence on the judges’ deliberations than might otherwise be the case.
The competition has been sponsored by the Raasay Distillery since its inception two years ago, and the distillery very generously provides a cask of ‘The Raasay’ for the winner of the dance music competition. The winner of the ‘pìobaireachd song’ competition is presented with a set of Highland pipes in A, made for the occasion by Hamish Moore.
The judges panel contains pipers, a singer and a step-dancer. They are: Sandra Robertson, Frank McConnell, Allan MacDonald, and James Graham.
The 12 competitors are: Ailis Sutherland, Hazel Whyte, Rachel Gray, Angus MacColl, Fionnlagh MacVicar, Decker Forest, Gary West, Cameron MacNeil, Ciar Milne, James MacKenzie, Angus Nicolson and Cameron MacNeil. Some basic timings and other information about the day:
8.25am Boat from Sconser.
10-12 noon Morning session of competition
12-2pm Lunch in the distillery – soup and sandwiches and a pudding, £15
2-4pm Afternoon session
4.30/5pm Announcement of prizes
5pm onwards, whisky tasting/tunes in the distillery.
Last ferry is 7.30pm
Evening – Sligachan Hotel for bar meals, drinks and tunes.
