Sale of RT Shepherd & Co Confirmed by Insolvency Company

Within hours of Piping Press reporting rumours of a sale of RT Shepherd & Co., the company handling the insolvency has confirmed that the firm will be taken over by Broadleys Bagpipes & Reeds. Fife-based Broadleys have a growing reputation within the pipe band world with many top bands already playing their instruments and reeds. Proprietor Ross Watson is a former employee of Shepherds. The Interim Liquidator Steven Wright was…

Highlands & Islands Festival Report

I don’t think we ladle on enough praise to the volunteers who keep the wheels of piping progress so well oiled with their cheery energy and dedication. A case in point was last Saturday’s Highlands & Islands Festival in Oban. For close on nine hours Convenor Iain Hurst and his team were run off their feet trying to corral youngsters to their allotted classrooms and at the same time keeping…

Highlands & Islands Festival 2025 Results

Another successful competition was held in the Oban High School today, Saturday, May 3, with healthy entries in all competitions. Senior Champion Piper Angus J MacColl, Benderloch, is pictured above. P/A Ceol Mor for Cooper Salver (1st) and Dugald MacColl Memorial Trophy (2nd).1 Sandy Cameron, Old Men of the Shells2 Brodie Watson-Massey, Lord Lovat’s Lament3 Angus J MacColl, MacLeod of Raasay’s Salute4 Cameron May, Lament for the Earl of Antrim…

Editor’s Notebook: Highlands & Islands Festival/ Duncan Johnstone Tune/ College Video/ Piobaireachd Society

All roads lead to Oban today for tomorrow’s Highlands & Islands Festival. There are events for all grades and age groups in both senior and junior. Venue is Oban High School from 9am. There is nothing to beat live music. The weather is set fair. There’s great sea food on the pier. Why not get in the car or jump on a bus and enjoy some West Highland air and…

New Book Available on John Macdonald, Inverness

The Piobaireachd Society and author John Shone have published a new book ‘Life, Times and Music of John Macdonald, Inverness’. It is considered an important work in that it contains previously unseen correspondence and the manuscript book of the man described by Sheriff JP Grant, Rothiemurchus thus: ‘Those who have heard him playing the ancient classical music of the Great Highland pipe will, if they have a spark of music…