He’s back! Fresh from his winter hibernation polishing the old Triumph two wheeler and sharpening his pen. We know readers have missed him as much as we have……….. With Sir Billy Connolly leading a long line of pipe bands, headed by the North Lanarkshire Schools massed pipes and drums, in central Manhattan, spring has sprung. Although I still wouldn’t cast a cloot until the May broom bloom is oot –…

The first major of the season will be held at St James Playing Fields in Paisley on May 18. Here is the draw and the approximate playing times in Grade 1: Grade 1 – Final14:30 Field Marshal 14:40 SLoT 14:50 Scottish Power 15:00 Fife Police15:10 PSNI15:20 Lomond and Clyde 15:30 Johnstone 15:40 Boghall 15:50 Shotts 16:00 Inveraray 16:10 Glasgow Police 16:20 Glasgow Skye Adjudicators: Maurice Rhodes Robert Worrall Paul Brown Cameron…

The Scottish Pipers’ Association celebrates its 100th Anniversary next year. Our showpiece event in the annual piping calendar is the professional contest to be held this Saturday in Glasgow. In my programme note I write: ‘Welcome to the Annual Professional Contest of the Scottish Pipers’ Association. ‘The SPA was founded in 1920 by the leading pipers of that era and continues to this day encouraging all pipers, young and old…

House of Scotland Tartan Day Solo Piping Competitions in Balboa Park, San Diego, April 7, 2019 Prize Pipe Piobaireachd Competition.Combined Amateur Event for Grades 2, 3, and 4. Competitors were asked to submit one tune of their own choosing. Result: 1st: Arnold Edwards2nd: Alan Wood3rd: Megan Kenney4th: Stephanie Trudeau5th: Kurt Hoeger6th: Frisco Adams Judge: Neil Clark  1st place won a vintage set of Robertson Bagpipes donated by the Shasta Piping Society, and J. Dunbar Bagpipes…

Cullybackey College on April 6th was the setting for the 32nd Cullybackey Pipe Band Solo Piping and Drumming Championships which had an entry of eighty three across the twenty one sections. This event has traditionally provided competitors with an opportunity to warm up ahead of the Ulster Solos, which take place on the April 20th, however many of the senior players particularly the drummers didn’t enter as they usually would. This…