Category: Pipe Bands

Observations on the 2026 Pipe Band Championships

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The Scottish Pipe Band Championships at Dumbarton last Saturday completed the first four majors of 2026. The results have been quite variable this year so it is difficult to predict who might prove to be this year’s World Championships winner – there are a variety of factors which might affect the outcome.   Firstly, however, it was pleasing to see the return of the five majors this year, there having…

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Editor’s Notebook: Worlds Preview/ G2 Qualifying/ Games News/ Glasgow Police LP

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Congratulations to Inveraray after their big win at the Scottish last Saturday. It was a much-needed triumph for the band with only three weeks to the Worlds. I’m told that they had a few of their leading players back in the ranks after their rather ring-rusty performance at the Euros at Perth. It’s clearly all to play for among the top outfits, stating the obvious I know, but with the…

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Scottish Pipe Band Championships – Inveraray Triumph

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Inveraray were declared Scottish Pipe Band Champions at a sunny Levengrove Park, Dumbarton, today, giving P/M Stuart Liddell his first major of the season. Grade 1 bands had to play both Medley and MSR. Nine played. The other G1 places went to: 2 FMM3 Boghall4 SLOT5 Fife Police6 Shotts with the drumming going to SLOT. Grade 2 1 Annan2 Uddingston3 Manorcunningham4 Buchan5 Bucksburn6 St Joseph’sDrumming: Annan Grade 3a1 Burntisland2 Livingston3…

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Before Scotland? Ladies Pipe Bands in Victoria, Australia – Part 2

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TIn January 1918, the South and Port Melbourne Thistle Society announced that women would be enrolled in its pipe band. This society’s male band was no weak or novelty outfit. It was a champion band. But the war had depleted its ranks. The Weekly Times reported: ‘It is announced that 20 young women have joined the pipe band of the South and Port Melbourne Thistle Society.’ By Stephen Matthews, Chairman…

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Readers Continue to Show Concerns over Worlds Grade 2 Heats and Numbers in Grade 1

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Ian Forbes: If the RSPBA had promoted the top two or three Grade Two bands from last year’s Worlds, (e.g. Glasgow Skye, North Stratton, Dunedin – I forget the exact order), bands which many thought were already playing to a Grade 1 standard, this would have been the outcome: a) there would be no need for Grade 2 qualifiers this year, and b) Grade 1 numbers would have swelled to…

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