The Annual Irish Piobaireachd competition was held last Saturday (Feb 1) in the Firgrove Hotel, Mitchelstown, Co. Cork, close to the Kilworth Hills. All events were judged by William Morrison and the event was sponsored by RG Hardie, Cork Co. Council and Foras Na Gaeilge. Competitors, officials and judge pictured above. Results: Beginners 1. Eamon Casey, Salute on the Birth of Rory Mor2. Dylan Lawerence, Glengarry’s Lament Intermediate 1. Brian Crawford, Lament for…

RSPBA Headquarters in Washington Street, Glasgow, have confirmed the judging panels for this year’s five major championships. Beginning with the Worlds in Glasgow August 14/15 we have for the Friday, Grade 1 Qualifier: On Saturday the judges for all grades are as follows: More….. For the first Major of the season, the British at Paisley on May 23 we have: This information appears courtesy the RSPBA. Adjudicator allocations for all…

We are grateful to reader Steve Thomson from Dumbarton, but now resident in Detroit, Michigan, for alerting us to this previously unknown piece of pipe band history. The Ford band is pictured above in 1939. The story is from ‘The Henry Ford’ an innovation and history project. It reads: If you’re out celebrating St. Patrick’s Day you’re sure to hear the sound of the bagpipes. In America, you’ll most likely…

Pipe Major William Ross’s third book of ceòl beag appeared in 1938 and was reviewed anonymously in the Oban Times newspaper. The review was positive, congratulating the author and publisher on ‘a notable addition to the literature of the Highland bagpipe’. However one paragraph set the fans and family of piper and composer GS McLennan all aquiver. It read: ‘…..but Pipe Major Ross has avoided the grosser forms of exagerration…

The National Piping Centre in Glasgow has returned a significant increase in profits its latest accounts show. In the financial year ended April 30, 2019, the Centre had an income of over £3.5m against expenditure of just over £3m giving them a profit of slightly less than £500,000 and a doubling of its profit on 2018. The exact figures: Income £3,554,151; Expenditure £3,067,655; Profit: £486,496. The details are contained in…