I think I know after nearly three hours of listening to them at close quarters what makes St Laurence O’Toole the band they are, writes the Editor. There is a spine of excellence running from the pipe major through their heartbeat, bass drummer John Dunne, to the admirable Creighton, D/Sgt. Stephen of that ilk. Pipe Major Alen Tully has a quiet command about him and Stephen homes in on every…

John Kelly reports from the Lorient Festival Interceltique in Brittany….. Eleven pipers from Brittany, Scotland, Ireland, USA, Australia and New Zealand competed for the 38th MacCrimmon Trophy held at the Palais Des Congrés at the Festival Interceltique de Lorient on Sunday 5th August. The winner was Stuart Liddell from Scotland who received the winning trophy from Festival Director, Lisardo Lombardia (above). The eleven contestants were: Brittany: Quentin Meunier, Gwenael Le…

A reader who is also a member of a Grade 1 band competing at the Worlds has written to Piping Press: ‘I’m contacting you regarding tickets for the Worlds. Grade 1 players from bands who fail to qualify will be expected to pay to enter on the Saturday.  ‘These tickets will cost £13 in advance and £16 on the gate. I believe there is a caveat in that anyone in…

Margaret Dunn reports….Grade 2 Overall Winner Jennifer Westphal is pictured above with Gordon Bruce (judge). Tomorrow is the Grade 1, which starts at 9.30am with Piobaireachd. Venue – St Aloysius Convent Chapel, 62 Hill Street, Glasgow. Piobaireachd 1st Evan Wrage 2nd Jennifer Westphal 3rd David MacKenzie 2/4 March 1st Jennifer Westphal 2nd Stewart Allan 3rd Tyrone Heade Strathspey and Reel 1st Jennifer Westphal 2nd Evan Wrage 3rd Stewart Allan Jig 1st…

Piping Press continues its unparalleled build up to Friday and Saturday’s World Pipe Band Championships with a comprehensive history of the competition. Read the start of it below. These articles and all our news are brought to you free of charge thanks to the support given to the Piping Press Shop and our advertisers. Please help us keep it that way: no spin, no subscription. We learn today that tickets…