PP Ed’s Blog: Bruce’s Prize/ Scottish School Champs/ Argylls Book/ Trad Nominees/ Piob Query

When is piobaireachd preference not piobaireachd preference? Last Saturday’s showpiece Glenfiddich Championship at Blair Castle produced a three-way tie in points between three pipers Roderick MacLeod, William McCallum and Bruce Gandy.  The results were: Ceol Mor – 1 R MacLeod 2 S Liddell 3 I Speirs 4 J Lee 5 B Gandy Ceol Beag – 1 W McCallum 2 B Gandy 3 A MacColl 4 F Johnston  5 I Speirs Points were allocated on a 5,4,3,2,1, basis and…

PP Ed’s Blog: Wm Grant Poll/ Duncan’s Wedding/ World Solo Drumming/ Letters/ Queensland Recital/ Brittany

Following yesterday’s piece on piping’s biggest sponsor, the William Grant Foundation, we’d like to know what readers think: [polldaddy poll=9567284] Congratulations to Glasgow Police P/Sgt and former P/M, Duncan Nicholson, on his nuptials last weekend. Duncan’s best man was his pipe major Iain MacPherson and a great time was had by all at the wedding in Glasgow. The Livestream from the World Solo Drumming is now available on YouTube with…

The William Grant Foundation and the Sponsorship of Piping

It was reassuring to see Mr Nick Addington, Chief Executive of the William Grant Foundation, the sponsor,  present the prizes at the weekend’s Glenfiddich Championship at Blair Castle. I am sure he would have been impressed by the organisation and the general enthusiasm for the old competition now in its 42nd year, and he will have seen at first hand where the money he disburses on behalf of the Foundation goes…

History of the Scottish Piping Society of London/ Letters: City of Whitehorse/ Ceol Beag Tunes

The annual competition run by the Scottish Piping Society of London takes place a week on Saturday in the Kensington Conference Centre. Since the early 1930s it has been one of the highlights of the solo calendar. Today we begin a look back at the history of this illustrious Society and its early beginnings tracing the origins of its famous competitions for the Bratach Gorm and the Gillies Cup. The…

Tommy Millar MBE

It is with sadness that we report on the passing of Tommy Millar a true stalwart of the pipe band movement in Northern Ireland throughout his life. Tommy (84) had not been in the best of health for a number of years. His funeral service was held today in his home town of Ballymena. He was known throughout the Province and was often quoted as saying that the pipe band…