Category: Blog

PP Ed’s Blog: John McGregor Letter/ Scots Guards Juniors/ Highland League/ Alden Biesen

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Grateful to piping historian Keith Sanger for forwarding this letter from the Blair Castle archives. It is dated 1830 and is by Perthshire piper John McGregor. It mentions his (McGregor’s) winning the prize pipe and Angus MacKay (pictured above) coming second. MacKay is intimated as piper to the Duke of Gordon which is news to me. I understood that before royal service with Queen Victoria he was with the Laird…

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All-Ireland Pipe Band Championships Report and Pictures

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Lurgan Park, County Armagh, Northern Ireland, once again came alive with the music of pipe bands when the prestigious All-Ireland Pipe Band Championships were held in the picturesque park for the first time on Saturday 1st July, write John Kelly and Andrew Cromie.  The championships rotate each year between a venue in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland.  It isnow in its 72nd year. It is one of the…

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Pipe Band Magazine for July Now Available

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Get the July edition of the RSPBA’s official magazine now! Packed with features about pipe bands and drum majors and with all the news from YOUR Association. Join thousands of other readers worldwide and download your free copy now. Articles include: Remembering P/M Iain McLeod – one of the greats Know Your Judges – David Brown under the spotlight Shotts – P/M Canning talks of the forthcoming blockbuster concert during…

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Thornton Highland Gathering Information (Updated)

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Organisers have asked us to point out that solo piping entries for this well-run little games in Fife can be made on the field tomorrow (July 1) until 11 am. Venue is Memorial Park, Thornton. There are events for senior and junior pipers. Judges for the solo piping are E Anderson and A Frater. Thornton had also planned to stage a pipe band and drum major contest with  Open, Grade 2, Grade…

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Historic Video Recording of Donald MacPherson Saved For Posterity

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An important, good quality video of a recital given by the late Donald MacPherson has been saved from the waste bin thanks to the inquisitiveness and diligence of an Irish piper.  The recital was given by Donald in the Crookhaven Hotel in County Cork in 1990. Introduced by local stalwart Noel O’Mahony, Donald gives a brilliant demonstration of ceol beag and ceol mor. His mastery of the instrument and its…

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