Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band under P/M Richard Parkes MBE are the new World Pipe Band Champions. They were placed first ahead of Inveraray, so reversing last year’s 1/2.  St Laurence O’Toole from Dublin took the drumming title. 214 bands took part across all grades. Conditions were wet, cold and blustery in the morning but improved later. FMM are pictured above celebrating (picture courtesy Glasgow Life). The RSPBA summary sheets showed that…

The 2018 Worlds are go! Piping Press reporters are already out and about on a grey, overcast Glasgow Green listening to the Grade 1 bands preparing for the biggest performances of their year. There are two heats with six from each going forward to tomorrow’s final. Qualifier 1 MSR 1 11:00 Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia 2 11:10 New Zealand Police – New Zealand 3 11:20 St Laurence O’Toole – Eire…

Overall Winner – Stephen Ross (pictured above receiving a new trophy, the Dr Colin Caird Quaich, from Frances Bullick (Dr Caird’s daughter) in memory of her late father, a prominent member of Piobaireachd Society and an amateur piping champion in his own right. Pictures courtesy Alastair Sinclair. Results: Grade 1 – Piobaireachd 1st Andrew Park 2nd Robert Wilson 3rd Stephen Ross Grade 1 – MSR 1st Stephen Ross 2nd Charles…

I think I know after nearly three hours of listening to them at close quarters what makes St Laurence O’Toole the band they are, writes the Editor. There is a spine of excellence running from the pipe major through their heartbeat, bass drummer John Dunne, to the admirable Creighton, D/Sgt. Stephen of that ilk. Pipe Major Alen Tully has a quiet command about him and Stephen homes in on every…

Grade 1 newcomers Lomond and Clyde Pipe Band will approach the 2019 season with a revamped practice schedule seeing them relocate a portion of their practices to Perthshire – but there will be no change in the band’s geographical identity or RSPBA branch membership. At the moment the band are looking at possible venues but they hope to secure something in the city of Perth, accessible to trains and the…