On a beautiful autumn afternoon the people of Kilchrenan and Dalavich on Lochaweside gathered yesterday to remember Arthur Gillies, one of Argyll’s finest pipers, writes Alastair MacGregor.
Locals were joined by visitors from as far away as Connecticut and Colorado. The event was organised by Stella Leitch, the daughter-in-law of Jock Leitch, another Kilchrenan piper and the man who started Arthur on the chanter.
This special day comprised an exhibition on the history of Netherlorn Piping in Kilchrenan Hall, and a talk by local historian Ross Christie on Arthur’s life and legacy.
This was interspersed with tunes composed by Arthur from Connel piper Jamie MacGregor. Jamie included in his performance the ever popular Samantha’s Lullaby, and the lesser known, but equally beautiful, Nameless Tune. In recognition of Arthur’s love of piobaireachd, Glengarry’s Lament was also played .
The audience of over 100 were then marched to Kilchrenan Cemetery to the tune Men of Argyll – and paused to pay their respects at the final resting places of both Arthur and Jock Leitch
The event closed with the unveiling by local children of a memorial bench with its mounted plaque. They had been piped to the site by Connel piper Innes Munro playing Arthur’s pipes, an instrument he bequeathed to Taynuilt Masonic Lodge.
As guests departed they were regaled with tunes from the recently formed Taynuilt Youth Pipe Band. Its formation would have delighted Arthur.
The respect he was held in was reflected in those who were there from the Netherlorn Piping community: Angus D MacColl, Ian Hurst, Calum Maclean and Jamie Killorn.
Springbank Invitational
This annual competition was held in Campbeltown last Saturday. Eight pipers were invited. The overall winner, on piobaireachd preference, was Brodie Watson-Massey (below with his trophies).
Piobaireachd: 1 Brodie Watson-Massey, Lament for there Earl of Antrim 2 Callum Beaumont, In Praise of Morag 3 Chris Armstrong, Lord Lovat’s Lament 4 Finlay Johnston, Donald Gruamach’s March
MSR: 1 Finlay Johnston 2 Chris Armstrong 3 Ben Duncan 4 Brodie Watson-Massey
H&J: 1 Ben Duncan 2 Finlay Johnston 3 Chris Armstrong 4 Angus MacColl
6/8: 1 Alasdair Henderson 2 Brodie Watson-Massey 3 Callum Beaumont 4 Chris Armstrong
Judges: I Duncan, A MacDonald, J Wilson.
