Category: History

Editor’s Notebook: Harry McAleer/ Piobaireachd Society News/ the CoP, Donald and Seumas

Posted on      by      2 Comments

Wasn’t that a good memeory of the late Harry McAleer to share yesterday? I know from your response that it was much appreciated. One photograph we forgot to include is the one above. It shows Harry (r) with his friend Fred Russell piping at Harry Stevenson’s wedding in 1971. (Harry is the respected RSPBA adjudicator and PP contributor.) In yesterday’s article Fred talked of growing up with Harry in their…

More Editor’s Notebook: Harry McAleer/ Piobaireachd Society News/ the CoP, Donald and Seumas

Pipe Band History: Remembering P/M Harry McAleer, Strathclyde Police

Posted on      by      4 Comments

A generation of pipe bandsmen and women has grown up since the passing of a man who was, at the time of his death, one of the best-loved personalities in the pipe band world. This is from Piper Press magazine January 1999…. The piping and pipe band world was stunned by the sudden death of Harry McAleer, former pipe major of Strathclyde Police Pipe Band, at his home in Glasgow…

More Pipe Band History: Remembering P/M Harry McAleer, Strathclyde Police

In Search of Piping on the Beautiful Small Isles of the Inner Hebrides

Posted on      by      4 Comments

This past week saw me take a visit to the Inner Hebridean islands of Eigg and Muck with my bagpipe for company. Eigg is small but there is plenty of walking and quite a few historical places of interest to visit. It’s mainly a farming community with a few other enterprises which keep everyone employed. Once part of Clan Ranald lands, the island was the subject of a community buyout…

More In Search of Piping on the Beautiful Small Isles of the Inner Hebrides

New Victorian Era Trophy for Northern Meeting

Posted on      by      1 Comment

News from a very generous Piping Press reader……. My name is Robert Baker, I live in Maclean, New South Wales, Australia. In 2018 I acquired, from Colin Ross, Ontario, Canada, two antique snuff mulls, belonging to his ancestors. I have included pictures. I am a piper, as were my sister, father, great-grand father and great uncle (Murdo Mackenzie, Gold Medallist 1895). Much as I enjoy my mulls, I also felt…

More New Victorian Era Trophy for Northern Meeting

Editor’s Notebook: Pipes Difficulty/ Muirheads Articles/ Paddy Moloney/ Jim Murdock/ John MacLellan Recital

Posted on      by      1 Comment

In a recent poll covered in the national press the pipes came on top as the hardest instrument of all to play. The order given was 1 Bagpipes 2 Piccolo 3 French horn 4 Violin 5 Oboe 6 Flute 7 Cello 8 Accordion 9 Organ and 10 Drums. I’m not sure who conducted this survey or what the criteria were, but it seems spurious to me – no mention of…

More Editor’s Notebook: Pipes Difficulty/ Muirheads Articles/ Paddy Moloney/ Jim Murdock/ John MacLellan Recital