Category: Reviews

New Announcements from the Piobaireachd Society

Posted on      by      Leave a comment

Texan Piper Mike Cusack has accepted an invitation to join the Piobaireachd Society’s prestigious Music Committee. Mike, pictured above, is a double Gold Medallist and winner of all the major piobaireachd prizes some many times over. He recently retired as Head Master of St Thomas’s Episcopal School in Houston and still plays with the school alumni pipe band. He is the second North American to join the committee. Jack Lee,…

More New Announcements from the Piobaireachd Society

Con Ó Conaill – A Tireless Servant to Pipe Bands in Ireland and Worldwide

Posted on      by      Leave a comment

The AGM of the Irish Pipe Band Association witnessed a watershed moment when the association’s long-serving and much respected president Con Ó Conaill stepped down after 47 years in the service of the pipe band community.  Con was born and reared in Ballymurphy, Innishannon, Co Cork. As a youth, Con showed himself to be academically talented winning a scholarship to secondary school. By Brian McMahon After school he worked in…

More Con Ó Conaill – A Tireless Servant to Pipe Bands in Ireland and Worldwide

Editor’s Notebook: RSPBA Branch Reorganisation/ Prize Pipes/ Cailean’s Card/ NZ School/ Edinburgh Police Solos 1971

Posted on      by      1 Comment

Whilst we are focussed on the matter of the ‘missing majors’ I think it would also be sensible if the RSPBA formally rationalised their branches. It is a good while now since the demise of the Fife and Central Scotland branches with their bands being absorbed into either Lothian & Borders or Dundee, Perth & Angus. But the names no longer make sense. All the former Central Scotland Branch bands…

More Editor’s Notebook: RSPBA Branch Reorganisation/ Prize Pipes/ Cailean’s Card/ NZ School/ Edinburgh Police Solos 1971

The Missing Majors: Council Cash Cuts, RSPBA Statement, National Press Involved

Posted on      by      8 Comments

All those piling in on the RSPBA regarding the difficulties over the ‘missing majors’ should have a close read at this statement from the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, the body that speaks for our local councils: ‘The Scottish Government has delivered a major blow to communities and has put councils at financial risk with a cash cut to local government. It will mean cuts in every community in Scotland…

More The Missing Majors: Council Cash Cuts, RSPBA Statement, National Press Involved

Editor’s Notebook: Robert’s Top Job/ Mull of Kintyre/ Tools for Sale/ Pipers’ Persuasion/ Northern Meeting 1996

Posted on      by      1 Comment

I hear that Robert Mathieson (pictured) has taken on the role of Convenor of the RSPBA’s Adjudicator’s Panel Management Board. Best man for the job, and the Board of Directors should not be slow in approaching him for ideas about how to solve the ‘missing majors’ crisis. Indeed there are several individuals on the APMB whose experience and knowledge should be drafted in to help. It’s got to be all…

More Editor’s Notebook: Robert’s Top Job/ Mull of Kintyre/ Tools for Sale/ Pipers’ Persuasion/ Northern Meeting 1996