Behind the Scenes at the Deserted Premises of RT Shepherd & Co.

The famous bagpipe and reed making company of RT Shepherd & Sons went into compulsory liquidation two months ago. Compulsory liquidation means the company could not meet its financial obligations. A Glasgow insolvency company, Dains, was appointed to dispose of the firm and its assets. It is rumoured that it has been sold as a going concern, but we stress this is only a rumour. The announcement of the liquidation…

Highlands & Islands Festival 2025 Results

Another successful competition was held in the Oban High School today, Saturday, May 3, with healthy entries in all competitions. Senior Champion Piper Angus J MacColl, Benderloch, is pictured above. P/A Ceol Mor for Cooper Salver (1st) and Dugald MacColl Memorial Trophy (2nd).1 Sandy Cameron, Old Men of the Shells2 Brodie Watson-Massey, Lord Lovat’s Lament3 Angus J MacColl, MacLeod of Raasay’s Salute4 Cameron May, Lament for the Earl of Antrim…

Editor’s Notebook: Highlands & Islands Festival/ Duncan Johnstone Tune/ College Video/ Piobaireachd Society

All roads lead to Oban today for tomorrow’s Highlands & Islands Festival. There are events for all grades and age groups in both senior and junior. Venue is Oban High School from 9am. There is nothing to beat live music. The weather is set fair. There’s great sea food on the pier. Why not get in the car or jump on a bus and enjoy some West Highland air and…

New Book Available on John Macdonald, Inverness

The Piobaireachd Society and author John Shone have published a new book ‘Life, Times and Music of John Macdonald, Inverness’. It is considered an important work in that it contains previously unseen correspondence and the manuscript book of the man described by Sheriff JP Grant, Rothiemurchus thus: ‘Those who have heard him playing the ancient classical music of the Great Highland pipe will, if they have a spark of music…

Editor’s Notebook: College Film/ James Campbell Medal/ Soldier Piper in Romania/ Saturday Events

Tom Johnstone: Just stumbled across the College’s ‘Follow Me, I’m Right Behind You’ video today. Very entertaining and honest, and very moving about the College and its history and of course subsequent events. A few tears. On a parallel, John Nevans and I are are teaching a Swiss band called ‘Scotch Watch’ who will play in 4b at the Worlds and it is so similar! One guy in the band…