Aberdeen Games Cancelled

Aberdeen Games due to take place today, June 16, at the city’s Hazelhead Park have been cancelled. Heavier than expected overnight rain has left the park waterlogged. Refunds for spectators and entrants will be refunded. The piping events had had a higher than expected entry.

Editor’s Notebook: Forres Thoughts/ Ian C Cameron/ Jim Dow/ Balmoral Concerts/ Gaelic Cash

Not being able to travel to Forres for the British I had a listen to a few of the Grade 1 bands online. Not ideal, but better than nothing. Of those I heard I thought third placed Shotts had the most complete MSR. The winners Boghall had an outstanding march…but then the strathspey. Inveraray, second, likewise. Band drummers these days don’t play strathspeys in the traditional sense, four beats to…

More Information on Donald Ruadh MacCrimmon and Glenelg

The mention of Donald Ruadh MacCrimmon [pro. approx. Roo -ah] in the report on the Piobaireachd Society Summer School mentions the formal attempts by the Highland Society to provide teaching through him. This is fine but only tells part of the story. I have copies of several letters by Donald MacCrimmon which add to story. I really should have got around to publishing something on them I suppose, though I…

Finlay Johnston Recital/ South East Asia Report

Finlay Johnston is in recital in Aberdeen next Friday, June 21. The event is being promoted by the city’s piping society. President Fraser Maitland said: ‘The evening will feature not just one of the world’s top pipers, but fantastic raffle prizes including an ES Session practice chanter.’ The venue is the Gordon Highlanders Museum, Viewfield Rd, Aberdeen AB15 7XH, and the start time is 7pm. Local piper Lewis Stewart, Aberdeen, will…

Piobaireachd Society Summer School on Skye

I had always wondered why the last of the MacCrimmons, Donald Ruadh, found himself on the mainland at Glenelg. Thanks to research by Dr Decker Forrest we now know that those fertile lands, directly opposite Skye on the old drove road to Mam Ratagan and the south, were owned by the MacLeods of Dunvegan. Back then the MacLeods revered their pipers, granting them land rent free on Duirinish, and would…