Category: Letters

History of the World Pipe Band Championships – Part 1

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We are grateful to correspondent Alistair Aitken for this updated history of the World Pipe Band Championship……. The World Pipe Band Championships (WPBC) is the main event in the annual calendar of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA).  The Championships have a long history stretching back to 1906, but were not organised by the RSPBA (then SPBA) until 1947.  Initially the Championships were part of the Cowal Highland Gathering…

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Festival of Juvenile Solo Piping

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Gerard McClumpha, Event Co-Ordinator: Results from our competition held yesterday at Auchenharvie Academy, Stevenston, Ayrshire. It was our usual full packed, competitive event – only just glad to be back up-and-running again, after missing the previous two years. Junior Champion was Owen McCreadie and Senior Champion Gregor Grierson (pictured). 14 yrs & Under 1 Archie Johnston, Oban High 2 Owen McCreadie, Boghall & Bathgate 3 James Silcock, Falkirk Schools4 Caelyn…

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Editor’s Notebook: John Ban MacKenzie Gravestone/ Rule Change after 214BB Success/ Lochryan Pipe Band Tutor Search

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Correspondent Duncan Watson has been in touch: ‘It might be of interest to add this to the bit re John Ban. The headstone is in the burial ground at Kinnetas which is up the hill from the village of Strathpeffer. ‘I have taken one or two people to the grave for some kind of inspirational visit. I have taken photographs of the headstone and of the one next to it which…

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Story on John Ban MacKenzie the Athlete and Reaction to Calum Fraser’s Article on Piobaireachd Performance

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Reader Dugald Macleod: This is a story my father Murdoch Macleod (1893 – 1964) had which involved John Ban MacKenzie: One August afternoon in 1822, the whole district of Kilmuir, Skye, was en fête. The occasion was the final reclaiming of thousands of acres of rich agricultural land by the draining to the sea of the expansive sheet of water known as St. Columba’s Loch. Notables from far and near…

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P/M Jim McWilliams 1938 – 2022

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It is our sad dutry this morning to report the deaths of two outstanding piping and pipe band figures, Allan Chatto, Australia, and Jim McWilliams, Canada. We also have details of the funeral of Hector Russell who passed away last weekend. It will be held in Cardross Crematorium on October 5 at 2.15pm. Map here. Readers are directed to our comments section where a number of personal messages have been…

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