Scotland County Highland Games A Huge Success As Live Competition Returns In the American South

Held in a region which was densely populated by Highland Scots beginning in the 18th century, the Scotland County Highland Games, in Laurinburg, North Carolina, USA, returned in great fashion after a two year hiatus.  A record crowd of almost 7,000 attendees witnessed a full day of events. It is a small Highland Games but this year quite significant as, if all our research proves to be accurate, which I…

Northern Winter School/ Balmoral Judges/ Piobaireachd Society Lessons

The Northern Winter School has confirmed that it will take place between November 5 -12 once more at Lohheide in Lower Saxony, Germany. World Champion drummer Stephen Creighton, leading tip of Grade 1 St Laurence O’Toole Pipe Band, Dublin, has been added to the teaching faculty. Stephen has a formidable list of successes to his credit. Solo: 1989 World Junior Champion, 19 World Solo Finals, 5 Senior All Ireland titles…

Editor’s Notebook: Gordon Duncan Trust/ Robin Morton/ Barlinnie Highlander/ Piper’s Eczema/ COP26 Appeal

Chatting to Ian Duncan at the weekend he tells me in his understated way that the memorial trust for his brother Gordon has now donated more than £110,000 to help young pipers and other musicians with their lessons. Isn’t that worthy of the highest praise? A fitting tribute to Gordon too. He would have been both amazed and delighted. Though he died 16 years ago, Gordon’s spirit lives on –…

Argyllshire Gathering Score Major Success with New Intermediate Piping Championship

The Lochnell Estate lies low on a wooded spit of land jutting out into the Firth of Lorne. Sheltered on its eastern lee sits a castle, home of the Cochrane clan for 100 years and the Campbells for centuries before. For most of last Saturday its ancient walls resounded to the call of the bagpipe. There may have been some unkind things said about the sea-going Cochranes back in Admiral…

Captain John MacLellan Memorial Results

The 8th annual Captain John A MacLellan MBE memorial Piping Championships were held at the Army School of Bagpipe Music and Highland Drumming at Inchdrewer House in Edinburgh today. The event, one of the premier solo piping contests in the world, received a record entry once again with B & C grade contests full and the A & P grade contests also attracting a very strong entry. By Senior Pipe…