As I said in our first look at this competition from nearly half a century ago, the programme contains some candid thoughts and interesting comments, writes the Editor. This first part may bring a lump to the throat of many an old soldier who reads it, and in this year of the Somme centenary we should remember that in 1969 many who fought there would still be around to relive the…
As I mentioned in an earlier comment on the Edinburgh scene, writes the Editor, the British Legion’s solo contest used to be one of the highlights in the capital’s piping calendar. It was open to all serving soldiers, those who had done their National Service, who were attached to Territorial Army units or were members of British Legion pipe bands. My copy of the 1969 programme seems to indicate that it…
It is not often a classic bagpipe such as that offered for sale on Piping Press today becomes available. The instrument is a 1908 Peter Henderson bagpipe in silver and ivory. It has a considerable pedigree. Owner Neil Clark bought the bagpipe from Pipe Major Ian Duncan of the Atholl Highlanders a couple of years ago but since retiring from competing now feels that such a quality instrument should be…
The following article by Northern Ireland-based RSPBA Adjudicator Winston Pollock, was written almost 15 years ago. It is still as relevant today as it was then. In it Winston talks of how ceol mor was introduced into the Northern Ireland Piping & Drumming School, the early tutors being John Wilson and Andrew Wright. The writer’s comments were prescient with many pipers going on to achieve significant success in this music. …
A larger than life character, John MacAskill was born in 1944 and died in 2003. When he won the Gold Medal at Inverness, Seumas MacNeill wrote: ‘When the winner was announced men of discernment looked for ways to escape, men of experience prepared to batten down the hatches and men of neither are still wondering what happened.’ John’s family was from Berneray in the Western Isles and, though his father and…
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