We conclude this story on the revival of the piping tradtion on South Uist. This is from the archive of the late Donald Morrison. Readers might like to refresh the memory by reading the first part of this anonymous article here. Given that this excerpt mentions the ‘late’ John MacDonald, Inverness, it must date from the late 1950s or 60s. P/M MacDonald is pictured above in a rare photograph taken…
Thanks to Yves Tison for this picture of P/M John Weatherston. Yves writes: ‘Further to your excellent Piping Press article on Red Hackle pipe band, I have found in my photos an old pic of Pipe Major John Weatherston at the Festival de Cornemuse in Brest, Brittany, in August 1969.’ Good picture Yves. Jock was in the habit of wrapping a sweat-catching handkerchief round his neck. The joys of piping…
Over here in Northern Ireland the traditional parading season will wind down over the next month. On Saturday the 28th August the parades of the Royal Black Institution took place on a local basis. These parades have traditionally featured a significant proportion of our pipe bands, many of which will take their autumn break before resuming winter practices, and in most cases the tuition of learner classes supported by grants…
The Piobaireachd Society’s annual recital ‘Classical Pipe Music – Scotland’s Hidden Treasure’ takes place tonight, August 29, in the National Piping Centre’s Otago Street building in Glasgow. Time is 7 for 7.30pm. Society President Robert Wallace: ‘This is a wonderful opportunity to hear four expert pipers tackle music of real quality. ‘Half of the programme is made up of modern tunes and the other of classic tunes in the repertoire.’…
Three days of ‘live’ piping. Yes, you read that correctly. You don’t know what you have until it is gone and this week’s gatherings reminded us all of what we have been missing. There was a genuine sense of relief, freedom, exuberance among the pipers at Oban and Fort William. And we listeners were able to enjoy our favourite music without transmission technology and its homogenising barrier. By Robert Wallace…
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