Category: News

Oban and Inverness Entry Rules for 2024 Announced

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The Argyllshire Gathering and Northern Meeting have issued a joint statement clarifying and updating procedures for entering their competitions in 2024. A new rule states that senior pipers must enter by January 31 or they will be ineligible. The statement reads: The number of competitors in the Gold and Silver Medal competitions has been restricted to 25 for a number of years. Competitors are selected based on their CPA Grade…

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St. Mary’s Anti-Communist Pipe Band and a Sojourn to Spain in Support of General Franco

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On Monday we carried a request from a reader in Spain for information regarding the visit of an Irish band to Spain in 1937. We are grateful to Dublin-based piper Ronan Maguire for alerting us to the following information about the band and their controversial trip…… According to an article in ‘Dublin Life and Culture Magazine’ the majority of Irishmen who fought in the Spanish Civil War did so on…

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Editor’s Notebook: ‘Missing’ Majors/ Irish in Spain/ Split Stock / Wiltshire Piper/ Edinburgh Police Solos

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Thanks to the many readers who have contributed to the debate on the RSPBA’s ‘missing Majors’. I agree with much of what has been said, in particular that the Association need to be pro-active in encouraging Cowal and the All Ireland promoters to help out. They may already have been in touch, I don’t know. With only the Worlds and the Scottish secure for next summer, we should not be…

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RSPBA Chairman Speaks on ‘Major Deficit’ Facing Bands for the 2024 Season

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Kevin Reilly, Chairman of the RSPBA (above), has confirmed that ‘nothing is off the table’ in the Association’s quest to find venues for three major championships next summer. ‘If for example Cowal or the All Irelands come calling then we will consider them,’ he said. Mr Reilly was speaking after his letter to member bands this week. It outlined the difficulties the Association is facing in securing arrangements for three…

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RSPBA Writes to All Bands Regarding 2024 Major Championships and the Editor Responds

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A letter to all bands issued yesterday by Mr Kevin Reilly, Chairman of the RSPBA, confirms that so far only two major championships have been secured for the 2024 pipe band competition season. The letter follows a Board of Directors meeting last weekend. The letter reads: To the members of the RSPBA….I said I would get a message to you as soon as it became clearer to the Board of…

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