Category: Pipe Bands

Live in Ireland at Blackthorn Pipers/ Entry Forms Posted

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Ryan Cupples-Menendez, a member of Grade 1 PSNI Pipe Band, was the Blackthorn Piper at the Blackthorn Pipers Society Meeting at the Discover Ulster-Scots Centre, Belfast on Wednesday, writes John Kelly (left). Also taking part were Ryan’s father Glenn Cupples (PSNI Pipe Band), Ashley McMichael (Field Marshal), Mark Hasson (P/M of Colmcille), Samantha Coburn (Thiepval Memorial), Nathan Coburn (Portavogie) and of course the Society’s Secretary, Grahame Harris (Major Sinclair Mem.) who introduced the…

More Live in Ireland at Blackthorn Pipers/ Entry Forms Posted

History: P/M Donald MacLeod As I Knew Him

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Next month sees the annual Donald Macleod Memorial competition in Stornoway, Isle of Lewis. Few people knew the late pipe major as intimately as the author of this article for whom Donald wrote the popular 2/4 march ‘P/M Jim McWilliams’…….  Today everyone can look up the achievements of Pipe Major Donald MacLeod MBE on Wikipedia. However, you can’t get to know or appreciate what a fine man he was from lists of facts….

More History: P/M Donald MacLeod As I Knew Him

PP Ed’s Blog: Florida/ 277 Pic/ Picture Poser/ Ardrossan Games/ RSPBA Summer School

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Heading home now after five solid days of teaching in Florida. Think we progressed the cause of piping and drumming another few notches. Good crowd at the closing concert and everyone looking forward to next year when we plan to incorporate a band and solo contest into the Academy’s roster. In order to maintain a high teacher/ student ratio we capped the numbers at just over 40 this year but…

More PP Ed’s Blog: Florida/ 277 Pic/ Picture Poser/ Ardrossan Games/ RSPBA Summer School

PP Ed’s Blog: Juvenile Bands/ 277 Pic/ John MacLellan/ Archie Kenneth/ Florida

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I’m told that there a few juvenile and novice juvenile pipe bands who are considering not playing in these grades. They cannot compete against the highly organised and well-financed teaching programmes at some of the private school bands and therefore, rather than opt for a hiding every weekend, may decide to take their chances in the adult grades such as 4a and 4b. If this is the case then we…

More PP Ed’s Blog: Juvenile Bands/ 277 Pic/ John MacLellan/ Archie Kenneth/ Florida

PP Ed’s Blog: 277 TA Band/ Tunes for Majors ’17/ Letters/ Deger Pipes/ South Florida

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Former RSPBA librarian Iain Duncan has written on the same subject: ‘Interested to read the plea regarding the 277 A&SH.  About the same time that I bought the Muirheads EP I sent to you a couple of weeks ago I also bought another EP which was recorded by the 277 sometime after their Belfast win.  Unfortunately I loaned this out many years ago for it never to return.   Although we’re talking over 50…

More PP Ed’s Blog: 277 TA Band/ Tunes for Majors ’17/ Letters/ Deger Pipes/ South Florida