I have it on good authority that that oldest of bagpipe dodges, the two-drone dodge, is being regularly employed by doubtful dodgers in online contests! This dodgy practice is easily done. Shut off one drone; start your video submission; hoist the pipes, 30 second pretendy three drone tune and off you go, drones seemingly in tune, judges none the wiser. But I say this to competitors: don’t be a dodger….

The 1980s were a time of struggle and uncertainty for Ballycoan. The band continued to compete in Grade 2 into the early 1980s but there is not much evidence of it making the prize lists and as the decade progressed absences from competitions were more numerous. Brian Rea continued to work tirelessly to keep the band going. Despite his efforts, by 1985 it had moved down to Grade 3, although…

For twenty years, the Dr. Dan Reid Memorial Challenge Recital (DRM) brought piping, and the best music of the great Highland bagpipe, to Northern California. The brainchild of Dr Dan Reid, P/M Ozzie Reid, and Mr. John Dickson, it started as vision to create a forum in which the instrument and recitalists were optimally presented.  Sadly, Dr. Reid never saw the fruition of his dream as he and his wife…

Ballycoan were the first band from Northern Ireland to travel to Scotland to pit their skills against the best. When the first SPBA World Championships were held in Edinburgh in September 1947, Ballycoan was the only band from outside Scotland that competed. They returned to the Worlds in 1948 and then in 1949 when they won the drumming in Grade 3. This indicates that the band were members of both…

The first major Highland Gathering of the summer is due to be held at Blair Atholl on Sunday May 30th. A decision whether it goes ahead ‘live’ will made after the Scottish Government briefing tomorrow, Tuesday 16 March. If it cannot go ahead in person then Piping Convenor Dr Jack Taylor has confirmed that it will do so online with the usual competitions: A/P/Non-CPA Piobaireachd, CPA B and C Piobaireachd,…