Category: History

Editor’s Notebook: Leslie’s Pipes/ Schools Jobs/ EUSPBA Vote/ John’s Book/ Piping Pop Groups

Posted on      by      Leave a comment

Next Friday (December 6) a set of pipes that belonged to the late Dr Leslie Craig will go under the auctioneer’s hammer in Glasgow. Great Western Auctions have put a price of between £1,200 and £1,600 on the Robert Gillanders instrument. The description reads: ‘A full set of ebonised white metal and ivory mounted Scottish Highland bagpipes. The mounts hand engraved with a thistle foliate pattern; together with an RG…

More Editor’s Notebook: Leslie’s Pipes/ Schools Jobs/ EUSPBA Vote/ John’s Book/ Piping Pop Groups

News from Across the Water: SLOT Headline Charity Night/ NI Success at WSD/ David Hanna/ Blackthorn/ FM Drummers

Posted on      by      1 Comment

St Laurence O’ Toole Pipe Band will headline the ‘Kids with Cancer Charity Concert’ on Saturday 22nd March, 2025, in the Royal Hotel, Cookstown. SLOT, under the leadership of P/M Alen Tully and L/D Stephen Creighton, are the current UK Champions and World Champion drum corps. Also on the programme will be a ’70s tribute band with P/M David Caldwell and John Scullion in charge. As this is the first…

More News from Across the Water: SLOT Headline Charity Night/ NI Success at WSD/ David Hanna/ Blackthorn/ FM Drummers

News from Across the Water: All Change at NI Branch/ Jeffrey McCready/ Bands Query/ Belfast Tartan Day

Posted on      by      Leave a comment

Change afoot in the RSPBA Northern Ireland Branch. The AGM is at 11am this Saturday, 30th November, in Cookstown Methodist Church Hall. Judging by the number of post holders who have decided to step down, there will be significant changes to the 2025 officer team. Those not standing for re-election include current Branch President Winston Pinkerton, Treasurer Kenny Crothers, RSPBA NI Director Lorraine Ronaldson and Branch Chief Steward Brian Harvey….

More News from Across the Water: All Change at NI Branch/ Jeffrey McCready/ Bands Query/ Belfast Tartan Day

Editor’s Notebook: Northern Winter School/ Caritas Banner/ Letters/ Sound of the Somme

Posted on      by      Leave a comment

Snow falls on cedars here on the North German plain as the 2024 Winter School draws to a close. It was a rewarding week of long days teaching and long evenings round the hostel campfire. Pictured above is one of the 60+ piping students, 16-year-Niklas Helmke. He was placed second in the Under 18 Piobaireachd at Inverness this year and will be back again in 2025. This lad tunes accurately,…

More Editor’s Notebook: Northern Winter School/ Caritas Banner/ Letters/ Sound of the Somme

History: The Kilberry Pipers – Part 2

Posted on      by      Leave a comment

Below are extracts from the diaries of John Campbell of Kilberry, father of Archibald Campbell. They have been reproduced here by kind permission of John Campbell of Kilberry, the current Piping Convenor for the Argyllshire Gathering. They show the extraordinary lengths the family went to support and promote piping. It was at John Campbell’s instigation that the piobaireachd Society was formed and his son and grandson, Archibald and James, went…

More History: The Kilberry Pipers – Part 2