Category: Features

Editor’s Notebook: Cowal Gathering/ Peter MacFarquhar/ Masters of Piobaireachd/ Reminders/ Kinglassie PB

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There are strong rumours, more than that actually, that next year’s Cowal Grade 1 pipe band competition is to be given a significant cash boost: a four figure first prize, perhaps circa. £2,000. Good money for the places too, with a total fund of £5,000. That would put Cowal back on the pipe band map wouldn’t it? Last year there was no G1 contest. I’m still hoping that some sort…

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Unidentified Pipers from Skye and Information on Peter MacFarquhar, Piper and Composer

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Cailean Maclean, former Piping Convenor at Skye Games: ‘A gentleman from South Uist sent me the attached photos. According to the captions they were from Skye. I have no idea who they are and would be grateful for any information about them.’ All of the photographs are studio staged, two outdoors and one in, and clearly two of the pipers were very successful competitors. The other, bottom left, has the stance and…

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Scottish Pipe Band Launch Funding Plea after Extensive Flood Damage Ruins Practice Hall

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Craig Black, Pipe Major of the City of Brechin Pipe Band (above), has been in touch following the recent flooding disaster in the Angus area of Scotland.  He writes: ‘Our band is the oldest civilian pipe band having been formed in 1878. We are a self-funded band which provides free tuition for all ages and practice once a week at our hall. ‘The flooding in Brechin caused by Storm Babet…

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History: Pipe Bands in the East of Scotland Part 3

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The response to these articles has been particularly encouraging and I am grateful to reader Ian Sword for forwarding this very interesting photograph [above]. Iain writes: ‘I enclose a photograph of Kinglassie and District Colliery Pipe Band winning the Grade 2 Scottish Pipe Band Championship at Blairgowrie in 1948, under the leadership of Pipe Major Sandy Burnside. ‘It was taken when I competed with the band on my 12th birthday…

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Review: Lochnell Intermediate Piping Championship 2023

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My words last week about our tradition being secure with the younger generation of pipers was here manifest. The ceòl mòr began with a fine rendition of the Daughter’s Lament from Luke Kennedy. Composed, controlled, he glided through this difficult piece making light work of the top hand technicals. It was as an assured a delivery as one could have hoped for. Dissonance of drone intruded towards the end, but…

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