Harpenden Highland Gathering, Dearth of Competitions in England and Black Donald’s March

On Sunday 10th July, I was once again pleased to judge the solo piping competitions at the Harpenden Highland Gathering in Hertfordshire, southern England. It may seem unusual that a London commuter town hosts a Highland games, but the history is an interesting story in itself. During World War 2 there was a large concentration of aircraft factories in the Harpenden, St Albans, Luton and Stevenage areas, with a high…

75th All Ireland Pipe Band Championships Report

After a break of two years, the 75th All Ireland Pipe Band Championships finally took place last Saturday July 2nd at Pearse Park, New Ross, County Wexford. There was considerable disappointment two days before the event when the St Laurence O’Toole Pipe Band, who were the All-Ireland title holders, had to withdraw due to a  an outbreak of covid-19 which resulted in a significant number of players testing positive and others displaying symptoms. Weather…

Luss Games Results (Updated with Pictures and Results)

Light rain showers interspersed dry spells at this picturesque games on the banks of Loch Lomond. It was not cold. There was an entry of 12 in the Open categories, three in the Juniors and eight in the CLASP amateur events. Judges for piobaireachd were Wille Morrison and Ronnie MacShannon, and for light music, Ian McLellan and myself, writes the Editor. Bobby Allan was worthy winner of the Open Piobaireachd…

European Pipe Band Championships 2022 Results

Bught Park, Inverness, was the venue for this year’s European Pipe Band Championships, the third major of the season. Ninety – nine bands entered. Inveraray were crowned Grade 1 champions. The full result was:1 Inveraray (pictured)2 Scottish Power3 Field Marshal4 SLOT5 Fife Police6 BoghallDrumming: InverarayJudges: D Brown, R Mathieson, D MacPhee, J Wilson Grade 21 Annan2 Buchan Peterson3 Uddingston4 City of Edinburgh5 Portletham6 Worcester Kiltie (USA) Drumming: Buchan PetersonJudges: T…

Editor’s Notebook: Teaching At the Highest Level is the Only Answer to Decline/ Atlantic Canada Challenge

Michael Grey, the invigorating new President of Ontario’s Piping and Pipe Band Society, lamented on social media the decline of bands and piping in his province. Mike’s bout of mild depression was occasioned by his perusal of an old programme from 1972 of the Canadian National Exhibition Intercontinental Gathering held in Toronto. Ontario then was second only to Scotland in the piping empire. Dozens of bands in every grade. Top…