History of the Clan MacRae Society Pipe Band – Conclusion

During 1967 the unrest within the ranks of the band continued and it was clear a number of members had decided to call it a day. However, to maintain continuity, the group waited till after the last competition of the season before amicably departing in as civilised a manner as was possible in the circumstances. The members were pipers James (Jimmy) MacLeod, Eddie McLellan, Finlay MacDonald, Hugh MacInnes, Donald MacLeod…

Editor’s Notebook: Ronnie & Anne’s Wedding/ Nat & Worlds/ Piobaireachd & Bands/ Matt’s Silver/ John McLellan DCM

It’s not often you get three such giants of piping in the same informal photograph. It shows P/M Ronnie Lawrie and his wife Anne on their wedding day in 1955. All pipers will recognise the piper on the left as Arthur Gillies, and on the right, Duncan Johnstone. The bridesmaid was Anne’s friend Mona Byrne. ‘Big’ Ronnie was born in 1927 and died in 2008. He was the gentlest of…

Entries Open for New Junior Piobaireachd Contest/ Callum Beaumont Western Isles Recital

Entries are now open for a new junior piobaireachd competition being run by George Watson’s College in Edinburgh. The inaugural ‘Caritas Banner’ Competition is on Sunday 26 November. Sponsors are Kintail Bagpipes and the Piobaireachd Society. The school, founded in 1741, has as its motto ‘Ex Corde Caritas’ (Love from the Heart). It has a worldwide wide reputation for promoting piping and drumming through its championship winning bands. Ross Harvey,…

History of the Clan MacRae Society Pipe Band – Part 4

The spirit of the MacRae goes back to 1880 and the 3rd Volunteer Bt. Highland Light Infantry (7th HLI), with P/M Farquhar MacRae in charge. Into 1913 it became the City of Glasgow Pipe Band, the idea of sporting Hunting MacRae tartan born from within its ranks, and then on to the final name change and the birth of the Clan MacRae Society Pipe Band. Throughout the band’s illustrious existence…

Northern Ireland Report for August and September

Twenty bands and 30 drum majors from Northern Ireland attended the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow in an overall entry of 190 bands and 44 drum majors from 15 countries. The only World title claimed by an NI Branch band was G3A by Tullylagan, together with the drum corps title. This was a great achievement for a band celebrating its Centenary. Only ten prizes were annexed by NI bands…