Category: Comment

Inverness Games Results/ Bowhill Entry

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Around 7000 people attended last Saturday’s Inverness Highland Games, held in the spacious Bught Park, writes Les Hutt. There were nine competitors in the adult piping. The overall winner in the senior events was Angus MacPhee (pictured).  Inverness Games is the first event in the Glass Chanter contest for senior piping at the Highland Games in the north. Angus is the current holder. Inverness Games results were as follows: Piobaireachd…

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Review: UK Pipe Band Championships

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In many respects the Royal Highland Show grounds at Ingliston are ideal for a pipe band championship. Plenty of space for tuning, parking. However the site is very exposed. Wind and rain and there would be a distinct lack of shelter. Fortunately last Saturdays UK Championships were held in perfect conditions: bright sunshine with a cooling breeze. Engine noise from the nearby Edinburgh Airport was a minimal distraction. By Robert…

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Editor’s Notebook: Champion of Champions/ Glass Chanter/ Ross Miller/ Inveraray Draw/ Book Search

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My view is that the RSPBA should have cancelled the Grade 1 contest at the Ingliston UKs tomorrow. It really is no contest at all when there are only three bands taking part. Nor does it do these bands any favours guaranteeing them Champion of Champions points for turning up. Should they place well in the final CoC tables they will always be condemned for their ‘UK appearance points’. No,…

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Review: ‘The Bagpipes: A Cultural History’ by Richard McLauchlan

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I am about to tell you about a book that includes among its photographs and images a picture of me drinking whisky directly from a bottle. And on that point, it can be said there has never been a book that features bagpipes quite like Richard McLauchlan’s ‘Bagpipes: A Cultural History‘. It has a broad reach: from the instrument’s pre-history over two millennia ago and Emperor Nero, to the Chilli Pipers…

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We Need to Rethink Champion of Champions Points for 2025

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As the 2025 pipe band season gets into full swing, bands will have their sights set on two major goals. The pinnacle is clearly winning, or being placed, in the World Championships, followed closely by winning the Champion of Champions award.  This latter achievement is arguably a more meaningful measure of a pipe band’s success as it represents consistency across all the Championship competitions, confirming excellent performances in both MSR…

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