Settlement on Long-Running Bagpipe Seasoning Dispute

Bagpipe manufacturers RG Hardie & Co and businessman Mr David Ogilvie have reached an agreement concerning the famous ‘Airtight’ bag seasoning. An agreed statement as per the settlement agreement, the terms of which are confidential, is as follows: ‘R. G. Hardie & Co Ltd wish it to be known that they accept that Mr Ogilvie purchased the company of Robertsons Original seasoning in good faith and was not fully advised of the longstanding…

Australian Pipe Band Championships Livestream

The 2016 Australian Pipe Band Championships at Knox Grammar School Sydney on 1 and 2 October will be live-streamed to the world. Pipe Bands Australia president Chris Earl said the national management committee had engaged Tim Kelly of pipebanned.com to stream the biennial signature event over the internet in 2016 with an option to extend the agreement for the 2018 and 2020 championships. Mr Earl said live streaming of the championships was…

PP Editor’s Blog: Highland & Islands/ May’s Funeral/ BB Championship/ MacArthur Book Deal

All roads lead to Oban this weekend for the annual Highland & Islands Festival. A good entry in all piping events. Check out the order of play for the seniors here. Check here tomorrow evening for results. Still on solo piping, the entry form for Ardrossan on June 9 can be downloaded here. Check out the updated 2016 Guide to the Games here. May McLellan‘s funeral will be held next…

Choice Tune: Dugald MacColl’s Farewell to France by John MacColl

We are indebted to Calum MacLean, Tobermory, Mull, for this unique, handwritten copy of the famous 2/4 march Dugald MacColl’s Farewell to France – handwritten by the composer himself, the great John MacColl. It was given to Calum’s grandfather by John MacColl and is rightly displayed with pleasure on the wall of Calum’s piping room. The tune was written to commemorate the safe delivery from WW1 of John MacColl’s son…

Mrs May McLellan

It is with sadness that we report the passing of Mrs May McLellan, Bearsden, Glasgow, wife of P/M Ian McLellan BEM. May, 82, died after a short illness. Throughout her life she was a dedicated supporter of her husband’s piping career and was extremely proud of the unprecedented success he brought to Strathclyde Police Pipe Band. A piper in the band, Jim Wark, composed a strathspey for May, a tune…