Highlands & Islands Entrants and Draw (Updated)

The annual Highlands & Islands Festival competitions takes place this Saturday, May 4 in Oban. There are professional classes for P/A, B and C grade as well as a full raft of competitions for juniors (chanter, under 15 and 15-18). After their wins at the SPA Professional last month, both Gordon McCready and Cameron MacDougall will be looking to continue their good start to the year. The contests will be held in…

Lord Martin of Springburn 1945 -2018

It was with a heavy heart that I learned yesterday of the passing of Michael Martin, Lord Martin of Springburn, to give him his proper title. He was 72. Michael was a real man of the people who rose from the ranks of trade unionism to the exalted position of Speaker of the House of Commons. He was also a piper and having started with P/M Norrie Gillies (Alasdair’s father)…

Results of the Virginia International Tattoo American Pipe Band Championship 2018

Director Andrew Carlisle reports……Please find attached the 2018 results – closing massed bands script for MC (just finished the closing massed bands)….. Judges were: Richard Hawke, Christchurch, New Zealand. Richard Parkes MBE, County Down, Northern Ireland, Gordon Parkes, County Down, Northern Ireland, Alex MacIntyre, Alberta, Canada, Ken Eller, Ontario, Canada, Jim Sim, Chicago, Illinois, USA, Andrew Carlisle, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA, Pipe Major Ross McCrindle, Edinburgh, Scotland Also competing but not in the prizes: New Ross and District, County Wexford,…

Concert News: SLoT Tickets Selling Fast/ More Details on Piob. Soc. Recital

More than 60% of all seats for the St Laurence O’Toole World’s Week concert have been sold already. The concert entitled ‘Resume’ will be staged at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on August 15. The promoters, Glasgow Skye Association Pipe Band, are delighted with the uptake so far and urge all those intending to go to what is the biggest pipe band night of the week to get their briefs as…

Piobaireachd Society Promote ‘Hidden Treasure’ Concert in Edinburgh

The Piobaireachd Society is to promote a concert of ceol mor as part of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this coming August. The concert is entitled ‘Classical Pipe Music – Scotland’s Hidden Treasure’. The date is Sunday, August 12, at 7pm. The venue is the newly refurbished, 200-seat St Cecilia’s Hall, Edinburgh. The concert is expected to finish around 9.30pm and there will be a small reception afterwards. The pipers invited…