Category: Features

Editor’s Notebook: Reid Letters/ Festival Contest/ Tony Lightfoot/ MacLellan Contest/ Piping Live March

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Comparisons are odious as they say, but it is a habit in which we pipers just can’t help indulging. For example, Robert Reid jnr., we read this week, believed Malcolm Macpherson a better player than the Bobs of Balmoral. I don’t suppose we’ll ever know. The ‘Binneas’ recordings of Malcolm are very poor and I know of no others of him. There are good recordings of RB Nicol and RU…

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MacDougall of Aberfeldy, the Royal Warrant from Queen Victoria and Dunolly House

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I noticed the brief feature on Piping Press concerning the sale of Dunolly House, Aberfeldy, and its association with the MacDougall pipemakers. Some facts and dates concerning Duncan MacDougall’s places of residence and his being a ‘Royal piper’. These are all from my ‘Bagpipe Makers’ books. By 1873 Duncan MacDougall was piper to Breadalbane at Taymouth Castle but he continued his pipe making business in Aberfeldy. By Jeannie Campbell Duncan’s…

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My Father, P/M Robert Reid – Part 3

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We continue with our correspondence from Robert Reid jnr. to Jimmy McIntosh. This abridged letter is dated July 1994. There are comments about RG Hardie, the firm of RG Lawrie, the Piobaireachd Society, John MacDougall Gillies, William Connell, John MacDonald, Inverness, and RU Brown and RB Nicol who, he reveals, went to his father for lessons…. Bob Hardie to my knowledge never was employed by Lawries. Hardie was an apprentice…

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Ireland North and South: Terry Takes VP Job/ Warnock Documentary/ Tullylagan Book/ Kenny Crothers/ Innovation in Cork

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At a recent Irish Pipe Band Association National Executive Committee meeting it was decided to appoint a Vice-President to assist President Con O’Conaill. The NEC are very aware that an officer might not be able to fulfil his/her public duties at any given time.  The name of Pipe Major Terry Tully was proposed by Brian MacMahon and seconded by Johnny Sheehan and Terry was unanimously elected by the NEC to…

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All Ireland Pipe Band Results

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This competition, run by the Irish Pipe Band Association and the RSPBA Northern Ireland Branch, was held yesterday in variable conditions in Balymena. G1 : 1 Field Marshall 2 St Laurence O’Toole 3 Closkelt; Best bass: FMMG2: 1 Ravara 2 Manorcunningham 3 St Joseph’s 4 St Mary’s; Best bass: RavaraG3a: 1 Tullylaggan 2 Clogher 3 Kildoag 4 Maj. Sinclair; Best bass: ClogherG3b: 1 Cullybackey; Best bass: CullybackeyG4a: 1 Syerla 2…

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