John MacFadyen on the Art of Judging – Part 2

We continue the recording of John MacFadyen talking about judging. We are once again grateful to reader Jack McLachlan for forwarding the recording, made by John Davidson, Parkview, Johannesburg, at his home on 12th August 1973. John MacFadyen was visiting to run a piping school for the Scottish Piping Society of the Witwatersrand and gave this lecture the week before it was due to start. In this part of the…

Ulster News: Blackthorn Pipers/ RSPBANI AGM/ Show Returns/ Paddy Kelly/ Dundalk/ St Mary’s

On the third Wednesday of the months of September and October the Blackthorn Pipers Society welcomed guest pipers Kris Coyle and Ashley McMichael. Both of these Field Marshal Montgomery pipers were in outstanding form and videos of theirs and other players’ performances can be seen on the Blackthorn Society’s Facebook page. The Society meets in the Discover Ulster Scots Building, 1-9 Victoria Street Belfast BT1 3GA and it will continue…

John MacFadyen on the Art of Judging – Part 1

We are grateful to reader Jack McLachlan for forwarding this recording of John MacFadyen discoursing on the adjudication of piping and, briefly, pipe bands. Jack writes: ‘The recording was made by John Davidson, Parkview, Johannesburg, at his home on 12th August 1973. John MacFadyen was visiting to run a piping school for the Scottish Piping Society of the Witwatersrand and gave this lecture the week before it was due to…

Ulster News: All Irelands/ Sunbelt Contest/ NI Bands Upgraded/ Derryclavin Centenary

Following the death of HM Queen Elizabeth II, the Joint Association Council of the RSPBA NI and IPBA announced that it had decided to postpone the All Ireland Solo Championships and J.A.C. Solo Championships which were due to be held on Saturday September 17th. This decision was understandable given the need to recognise this significant time and also to observe the period of National Mourning leading up to the State…

Piobaireachd Society News

The Society has announced that their popular ‘Talk Piobaireachd’ series will resume for the winter season 2022 – 2023. The discussions, open to all members, are online and attract pipers from around the world. ‘Talk Piobaireachd’ runs from November 2022 until April 2023 inclusive. The subject matter is the Set Tunes for the 2023 competitions at Oban and Inverness. The first presentation will be given by Dr Jack Taylor the…