History: Solo Piping in 1985 and the Day the Gold Medal was Paused for Communion

The following is taken from the Oban Times piping column written by Alfred Morrison in late August 1985. He begins in characteristically trenchant fashion with a comment on the Silver Chanter: On Wednesday evening this piping recital was held in Dunvegan Castle. This event in piping used to be a competition for pipers who had already won the Gold Medal at Oban or Inverness, but this year it was demoted…

AKQ and Ardmore Cup Results (Updated with Pictures)

The winner of the 2023 Archie Kenneth Quaich for amateur piobaireachd was Matthew Kirkwood playing the Battle of Auldearn No. 1, writes Peter McCalister. The competition was held today (Sat Feb 25) in the rooms of the Royal Scottish Pipers’ Society in Edinburgh. The prize winning pipers and Mr Derek Fraser (left), Secretary of the Piobaireachd Society, are pictured above. Result: 1 Matthew Kirkwood 2 Ben Hall 3 Leslie Barrett…

Editor’s Notebook: British Champs/ Skye 1985/ Jamie’s Tune/ Scott’s Tune/ Queensland Contest/

Time’s getting on. It’s only 15 weeks or so till the scheduled British Championships (May 20) and there is still no confirmation of a venue. I can tell you that as I write the RSPBA are working very hard to get things sorted. They are committed to a championship in some shape or form. As I’ve said before, we cannot afford to lose this major over something as unimportant to…

Winter Storm Results

This competition was held in Kansas City on January 13. It attracted a very large entry in all categories. Andrew Carlisle, Northern Ireland and Pittsburgh, was the aggregate winner in the professional class. In addition to other prizes, Andrew (pictured) was awarded $1,500 for travel to Scotland to compete, or to travel back to Winter Storm 2024. Gold Medal Piobaireachd 1 Andrew Carlisle2 Nick Hudson3 Andrew Lewis4 Alastair Lee5 Derek Midgley6…

CLASP Results, January 2022

The competition took place in the National Piping Centre, Otago Street, on Saturday 14th January, writes Margaret Houlihan Dunn. Pictured above are prize winners and competitors. Pictured below are the grade winners, from l to r: Grant Walker, Eddie Boland, Jamie Gallagher (Photographs courtesy J Slavin) Overall Winners: Grade 1 Eddie Boland; Grade 2 Jamie Gallagher; Grade 3 Grant Walker GRADE 1  Piobaireachd:  1 Eddie Boland 2 Con Houlihan  3 Graham…