Author: Robert Wallace

Dr Hugh Parker Dinwoodie, General Practitioner, Piper and Climber

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Born on this day in 1930, Dr Dinwoodie, who died last year, was a member of the Royal Scottish Pipers’ Society and a lifelong supporter of the Piobaireachd Society. This touching tribute was written by his son Colin….. There is never a good time to begin writing of a parents’ passing, and until now I have felt unable to keep pace with life and prepare this for my father, a…

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A Day at the Army School for the Captain John MacLellan Memorial

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Judges convened at 8am at Inchdrewer House, Army School HQ, Edinburgh, for a bacon roll breakfast. From table it was immediately down to work given the entries in the B and C divisions. Such was the efficiency of the stewarding and the organisation that morning fears of an early evening finish were soon dispelled. By the Editor My first task was the P Grade MSR with Andrew Frater. First on…

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Editor’s Notebook: Search for Silver MacDougalls/ Ian Plunkett/ Captain John Contest/ Letters

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Dr Katherine Macaulay: ‘I recently read an article by you on ‘History of the Scottish Piping Society of London; The Post War Years’ written in 2016. In the article you mentioned Lewis Beaton Memorial Pipes … but, sadly, the actual pipes have disappeared somewhere along the timeline. Apparently they were actually Lewis Beaton’s silver mounted MacDougalls. Where are they now? ‘My father is Iain Macaulay, nephew to, and taught the pipes by,…

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Northern Ireland Piper of the Year Results and Comment

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When, in the early 80s, I first ventured to a then much-Troubled Northern Ireland there was a decided paucity of piobaireachd in the Province. Few played it; pipe bands scorned it. A small ember of hope remained thanks to the oxygen of interest from the likes of Norman Dodds and Ken Stewart. What a lonely furrow they ploughed. Undaunted, their efforts, and that of teachers such as Andrew Wright and,…

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Leading Pipe Band Judge Responds to Recent Comments on RSPBA Training Procedures

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As I was mentioned in Friday’s article on the training of pipe band judges, I’d like to clarify my journey in joining the ranks of RSPBA piping adjudicators. There are some inaccuracies being stated as fact and misconceptions around the adjudicator training programme. By Ross Walker When I retired from playing, I was invited to attend a two-day weekend workshop at the beginning of 2017 followed by a series of…

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