Tomintoul Highland Games Results

The traditional Highland Games took place at Tomintoul, Aberdeenshire, last Saturday, July 18, writes Duncan Watson. The village is believed to be the highest settlement in the country.  In common with the USA, this year marks its 250 years of existence. There were extra events to celebrate this.  Considering the population of the village and surrounding area, there was a huge crowd of spectators and, having chatted to a few, it was…

Editor’s Notebook: Band Medleys/ Games Updates/ Lochaber Entry/ Mod 1982 Picture

Another of our brave, anonymous correspondents has chipped in apropos my comments on band medleys saying that I am longing for the glory days of Muirhead & Sons. You should understand my faceless friend that there were no ‘glory days’ for Muirheads under the medley regime from 1970 onwards. They all belonged to Shotts, Dysart, Edinburgh Police, and then Strathclyde Police. The imposition of the medley was a huge sea…

Editor’s Notebook: Glass Chanter/ Band Medleys/ Judging Proposal/ SPA Dates/ Schools Jobs

Can anyone stop Angus MacPhee winning his third Glass Chanter in a row? Angus is pictured above after his 2025 win. The Chanter and £200 is awarded to the piper with most points from wins on the northern Highland Games circuit. The journey to the prestigious award begins a week tomorrow (July 11) at Inverness Highland Games. There then follows a succession of qualifying events at Durness (July 24), Halkirk…

RSPBA Chief Executive Confirms Five Majors for 2027

RSPBA Chief Executive Officer Colin Mulhern has confirmed that all five major pipe band championships are in place for 2027. This includes the Worlds at Glasgow Green. And Mr Mulhern forcefully scotched all rumours circulating of a fallout between the Association and Worlds promoters Glasgow Life. Mr Mulhern took time out from his busy day at the European Pipe Band Championships in Perth to talk to Piping Press about this…

Review: European Pipe Band Championship, Grade 1

Can we talk bass drums? Why are they being thumped so hard? On Saturday at the Euros you would have thought some of these stick people were preparing for the 12th of July! I listened to all of Grade One and there was only one mallet man who produced the soft-stroke musicality, the sort of purr that blended with the bass drones. That was the chap from St Laurence O’Toole….