Dress at Oban and Inverness and the Standard of Play in B Grade Events

A last look at the piping at the 2017 Northern Meeting today. Before that a word about Oban and its dress code. Pipers at the Argyllshire Gathering are permitted to play without jackets. The rooms get hot at times and the laudable aim of the organisers is to make the competitors as comfortable as possible in the pressure cooker atmosphere of the small theatre at the Corran Halls and in…

Shotts Juniors/ Cancale/ Pitlochry/ Kiltwalk

Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band’s Junior Piping and Drumming Championship will be held on 18 November 2017 at Calderhead High School in Shotts. Entries are now open and close on 30 October, writes organiser Alison Gilmour. This is the fourth year the band has organised the competition in partnership with North Lanarkshire Council; an event that has grown year on year becoming an established winter solo competition for youngsters. The band…

Review of Bill Livingstone’s Book ‘Preposterous: Tales to Follow’

This book shows glimpses of delicious interactions, thought processes and history, writes our special correspondent MacStig. It should become a standard read for anyone interested in the piping art, pipe bands and humanity. It is all there, fame, failure, family, humour, heartache, and hard work. The long anticipated reminiscences of renowned piper, lawyer, husband and now author, Bill Livingstone soar immediately from the opening paragraphs of his book ‘Preposterous: Tales…

Pitlochry Games Results

A sunny day in central Perthshire for one of the last Highland games of the year. Unfortunately the entry was, like many games this year, on the poor side, writes the Editor. Fellow judge Archie Maclean and I have asked the games committee to consider the re-introduction of a piobaireachd event (they had one many years ago). Such a competition may improve the entry at this games and would certainly…

Some Personal Reflections on the 2017 Ceol Mor Competitions at Oban and Inverness

Chris Terry has studied ceol mor throughout his life. In his competing years he won many top prizes in Scotland including several placings in the Gold Medal and this despite the necessity of having to travel thousands of miles each year at great expense to do so. He has been solo piping champion of South Africa on innumerable occasions. We are very grateful to Chris for taking the time to…