Category: History

James Campbell Memories on Post War Piping Competitions

Posted on      by      1 Comment

We are grateful to reader Jack McLachlan for forwarding this BBC recording of the John MacFadyen Memorial Trust’s lecture given by James Campbell, Kilberry, in 1985. The venue was the Chapel Royal in Stirling Castle. This is the second part of a three-part lecture entitled ’50 Years of Judging’ and features the live playing of Iain MacFadyen (Old Men of the Shells) and Captain John MacLellan (Black Donald’s March). By…

More James Campbell Memories on Post War Piping Competitions

Editor’s Notebook: Piob Soc Summer School/ The Worlds/ Eagle Pipers/ National Mod/ Kilbarchan PB

Posted on      by      1 Comment

It was extraordinary to stand on the ground which cradled our modern piping tradition. This we did last week when the Piobaireachd Society’s Summer School participants struggled over fences and dykes and cow pats to reach the croft of John MacKay, Raasay. Here were the very stones that nurtured his son Angus, and the hills and fields that heard the boy’s first notes on the chanter. How incredible that only…

More Editor’s Notebook: Piob Soc Summer School/ The Worlds/ Eagle Pipers/ National Mod/ Kilbarchan PB

Famous Pipers: Fifty Years Since the Passing of Robert U. Brown, Balmoral – Part 3

Posted on      by      Leave a comment

We continue with our tributes and comments on what proved to be RU Brown, Balmoral’s, final teaching and recital tour abroad to Australia. This is taken from the South Australian Pipe Band Association’s Newsletter…. It is with sadness that I [Ern Dowler, Vice-Principal Piping, South Australia] write these few words to the unforgettable memory of Pipe Major RU Brown and of experiences shared with him, above all his wonderful knowledge…

More Famous Pipers: Fifty Years Since the Passing of Robert U. Brown, Balmoral – Part 3

Cowal, the Worlds, the Band Bus – Memoirs of a Piper’s Moll

Posted on      by      1 Comment

By A Long Suffering Pipe Band Widow As they say in the modern vernacular, ‘from the get go’, I have had a love/hate relationship with the world of piping. Looking back, I can remember fun times, interspersed with frustration and downright dislike of the whole fraternity. But as we get older we tend to remember more of the good things than the bad. Firstly, I feel I must give a…

More Cowal, the Worlds, the Band Bus – Memoirs of a Piper’s Moll

News From the Northern Ireland Pipe Band Scene

Posted on      by      2 Comments

A couple of months ago I was at the launch of a new book of piping tunes, the majority of which were composed by County Armagh piper Jim Livingston.  I have rarely come across many tune book launches locally over the years except for the Sean Maloney publication several years ago, although there have been many celebrated local composers whose work has been included in other collections published in Scotland….

More News From the Northern Ireland Pipe Band Scene