Category: Reviews

Review: An Alternative Desperate Battle of the Birds

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By Duncan Watson A few weeks ago I attended a talk at Aberdeen University’s Storytelling Festival. It was given by Jamie MacDonald Reid with musical accompaniment by a cellist. The title was ‘The Desperate Battle of the Birds’ and that’s what sparked my interest. I was not sure what to expect. I thought we would have the usual story backed up with extracts of the tune: the cock birds stalking each…

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News from Across the Water: SLOT Headline Charity Night/ NI Success at WSD/ David Hanna/ Blackthorn/ FM Drummers

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St Laurence O’ Toole Pipe Band will headline the ‘Kids with Cancer Charity Concert’ on Saturday 22nd March, 2025, in the Royal Hotel, Cookstown. SLOT, under the leadership of P/M Alen Tully and L/D Stephen Creighton, are the current UK Champions and World Champion drum corps. Also on the programme will be a ’70s tribute band with P/M David Caldwell and John Scullion in charge. As this is the first…

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News from Across the Water: All Change at NI Branch/ Jeffrey McCready/ Bands Query/ Belfast Tartan Day

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Change afoot in the RSPBA Northern Ireland Branch. The AGM is at 11am this Saturday, 30th November, in Cookstown Methodist Church Hall. Judging by the number of post holders who have decided to step down, there will be significant changes to the 2025 officer team. Those not standing for re-election include current Branch President Winston Pinkerton, Treasurer Kenny Crothers, RSPBA NI Director Lorraine Ronaldson and Branch Chief Steward Brian Harvey….

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History: The Kilberry Pipers – Part 2

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Below are extracts from the diaries of John Campbell of Kilberry, father of Archibald Campbell. They have been reproduced here by kind permission of John Campbell of Kilberry, the current Piping Convenor for the Argyllshire Gathering. They show the extraordinary lengths the family went to support and promote piping. It was at John Campbell’s instigation that the piobaireachd Society was formed and his son and grandson, Archibald and James, went…

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History: The Kilberry Pipers and their Medal

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I came across this piping medal which I thought might be of interest, writes John Campbell, Kilberry. It was struck in 1899 and competed for by the estate pipers. It has the names of five recorded winners on the reverse. The pipers were all members of the Kilberry Estate pipe band tutored by my grandfather, Archibald Campbell, compiler and editor of the famous ‘Kilberry Book of Ceol Mor’. The competition…

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