Tomintoul Games Results

It was a good day for playing at yesterday’s games – warm with light cloud cover. Twelve adults played, with eight in the Junior Piobaireachd, reports Dr Jack Taylor.  There was a touching tribute paid to Patricia Grant who died last year. She had been Games Secretary at Tomintoul for many years and also organised the Grampian Piping League based on the results of the Grampian games. Overall prizes: 1….

Editor’s Notebook: Worlds Grade 1/ Worlds Tickets/ RSPBA Jubilee/ Duncan’s Forgotten Piobaireachd/ Brisbane Beers

So it is a fact that this year’s World G1 title will be decided over four competitions involving a total of 16 judges. No one will be able to gainsay the winner after that. However I do not feel it necessary to go to such lengths. Eight judges stout and true can do the job perfectly well as they have shown in the past. Sixteen should not become the norm….

New John MacLellan, Dunoon, Playlist, Northern Meeting Tickets/ Glenfiddich Tickets/ Balmoral Concert

The promoters of the John MacLellan, Dunoon, tribute website: We are once again approaching two important dates in Jock’s life, his passing on July 31, 1949, and his birth on August 8, 1875 To commemorate these dates a special playlist has been created on Spotify. Its title, ‘Bonnie Dunoon, My Home Town’, comes from two of Jock’s popular tunes. It features various artists, pipe bands and groups perfoming Jock’s tunes…

Alan Walters/ Captain Ian Cameron

It is with sincere regret that we learn of the passing of Alan Walters, British Columbia, renowned piper, teacher and adjudicator, writes the Editor. Alan died at his home in Surrey, BC. Alan was a brilliant piper with fingers as good as any I have ever heard – and that includes the best pipers over the past 60 years. He was highly musical, naturally gifted. He travelled to Scotland in…

Harpenden Highland Gathering, Dearth of Competitions in England and Black Donald’s March

On Sunday 10th July, I was once again pleased to judge the solo piping competitions at the Harpenden Highland Gathering in Hertfordshire, southern England. It may seem unusual that a London commuter town hosts a Highland games, but the history is an interesting story in itself. During World War 2 there was a large concentration of aircraft factories in the Harpenden, St Albans, Luton and Stevenage areas, with a high…