Inverness Gold Medallists

The second of our lists is for winners of the coveted medal at the Northern Meeting where it was introduced in 1859 for previous winners of the Prize Pipe. Again we would ask that pipers forward the names of as many of the winning tunes as possible for inclusion here.

Please email pipingpress@gmail.com. Prior to the introduction of the Gold Clasp in 1896, an occasional ‘Champion of Champions’ medal was introduced for former winners of the Medal.
As with the Oban list, there appears to have been no bar in the early days to winning the Gold Medal twice, John MacColl, for example featuring twice here, in 1894 and 1898; either that or the records are wrong in which case we await correction:

1859 Donald Cameron, Piper to Seaforth
1860 P/M Alexander Maclennan, Inverness Militia
1861 P/M Donald Mackenzie, 25th Regiment
1862 P/M Alexander Cameron, Greenock Rifle Vols
1863 Piper Ronald Mackenzie, 78th Highlanders
1864 Alexander MacDonald, Piper to Glentruim
1865 Colin Cameron, Piper to Malcolm of Glenmorag
1866 P/M William MacKinnon, 74th Highlanders
1867 John Maclennan, Piper to the Earl of Fife
‘Champion of Champions’ Gold Medal: Donald Cameron, Piper to Seaforth
1868 Andrew Gordon, Piper to the Earl of Seafield
1869 William MacDonald, Piper to The Prince of Wales
1870 Alexander Cameron, Piper to the Marquis of Huntly
1871 Malcolm Macpherson, Piper to Cluny
1872 Donald MacKay, Piper to Ballindalloch
1873 Duncan MacDougall, Piper to Lord Breadalbane
‘Champion of Champions’ Gold Medal: Duncan MacDougall, Piper to Lord Breadalbane
1874 P/M John Smith, late 93rd Highlanders
1875 Ronald Mackenzie, Piper to MacDonald of Dunacht
1876 John Mackenzie, Royal Caledonian Asylum
1877 John MacBean, Piper to Lord Middleton
1878 Lewis Grant, Piper to the Earl of Seafield
1879 William MacLennan, Dundee Police
1880 John Connon, Piper to John Dixon, lnveran
1881 Angus Macrae, Piper to HE Wood of Raasay
1882 Angus Macdonald, South Morar
1883 AD Longair, late A&S Highlanders
Champion of Champions’ Gold Medal
–  John MacBean, Piper to Lord Middleton
1884 John MacColl, Bonawe
1885 John MacDougall Gillies, Aberdeen
1886 P/M Robert Meldrum, 2nd Bn A&S Highlanders
1888 John MacColl, Bonawe
(Centenary Gold Medal of the Northern Meeting)
1890 John MacDonald, Glentromie Lodge, Kingussie, ‘King’s Taxes’
8227632652_e53bf50bac_o1891 Piper Colin Thomson, 3rd Bn Seaforth Highlanders (above)
1892 P/M John Cameron, 2nd Bn QO Cameron Hldrs
1893 ?
1894 P/M Donald Campbell, 3rd Bn Cameronians
1895 Murdo Mackenzie, Piper to AE Butter of Faskally, ‘The Glen is Mine’
1896 Alick Mackenzie, Resolis
1897 William Campbell, Second Piper to HM The Queen
1898 Murdo Mackenzie, Inverness
1899 David C Mather, Lochcarron
1900 William G Meldrum, Piper to The MacKintosh
1901 William MacLean, Creagorry Hotel, Benbecula, ‘Lament for Donald Duaghal MacKay’
1902 James A Center, Edinburgh
1903 Donald MacKay, London ‘Glengarry’s Lament’
1904 Cpl Piper William Ross, 1st Bn Scots Guards
1905 P/M George S McLennan, 1st Bn Gordon Hldrs
1906 George S Allan, 2nd Regt Scottish Horse, ‘Corrienessan’s Salute’
1907 John Peter Macleod, Tain
1908 P/M Thomas Clarke, 1st Bn Black Watch
1909 Pipe Cpl William MacKie, 2nd Bn Seaforths, ‘Lament for the the Harp Tree’
1910 Pipe Sgt William Lawrie, 8th Bn A&S
1911 George Yardley, Cambuslang
1912 Donald Ian Mackenzie, Tain
1913 P/M James M. Lawrie, 2nd Bn A&S

No contests during WW1

1919 P/M William Gray, Glasgow Police, ‘MacGregor’s Gathering’
1920 John Macpherson, Newtonmore
1921 P/M Robert Reid, 7th Bn HLI, ‘MacLeod of Raasay’s Salute’
1922 P/M Donald Chisholm, HLI
1923 Angus Macpherson, lnvershin
1924 Allan M Calder, Edinburgh
1925 John Wilson, Edinburgh
1926 John MacDonald, South Uist
1927 Malcolm R Macpherson, lnvershin
1928 Robert U Brown, Piper to HM The King
1929 David Ross, Piper to Lord Leverhulme
1930 Robert B Nicol, Piper to HM The King, ‘Cill Chriosd’
1931 Donald MacLean, Glasgow
1932 P/M Charles H Smith, 2nd Bn Black Watch
1933 P/M James B Robertson, 2nd Bn Scots Guards
1934 Pipe Cpl Peter Bain, Scots Guards, ‘MacCrimmon’s Sweetheart’
1935 Piper J McGrady, 1st Bn HLI
1936 Philip Melville, Glasgow
1937 Hugh CR MacRae, Achnasheen, ‘Massacre of Glencoe’
1938 Archibald MacNab, Glasgow Police

No contests during WW2

1946 Roderick MacDonald, Glasgow Police, ‘Mary’s Praise’
1947 P/M Donald MacLeod, Seaforth Highlanders, ‘Glengarry’s March’
1948 Donald P MacGillivray, Calrossie, ‘Lament for Donald Duaghal MacKay’
1949 Pipe Cpl. Andrew Pitkeathly, A&S Highlanders, ‘MacCrimmon’s Sweetheart’
1950 John D Burgess, Edinburgh, ‘Castle Menzies’
1951 P/M Ronald McCallum, Piper to the Duke of Argyll, ‘MacFarlane’s Gathering’
1952 P/M Robert MacKay, QO Cameron Highlanders, ‘MacKay’s Banner’
1953 P/M Donald MacLean, Lewis, ‘Black Donald’s March’
1954 Donald MacPherson, Alexandria, ‘Lament for the Children’
1955 William M MacDonald, Inverness, ‘Lament for Patrick Og MacCrimmon’
1956 Capt DR MacLennan, North Berwick, ‘Queen Anne’s Lament’
1957 lain MacFadyen, Glasgow, ‘End of the Great Bridge’

8243218247_c206223dd5_o
P/M Donald MacLeod congratulates Lewis Turrell on becoming the first overseas winner of the Gold Medal

1958 Lewis Turrell, NZ, ‘Rout of the MacPhees’
1959 RSM John A MacLellan, Seaforth Highlanders, ‘In Praise of Morag’
1960 John McDougall, Bucksburn, ‘Lament for Captain MacDougall’
1961 P/M Donald Morrison, Aberdeen City Police, ‘Lament for Alasdair Dearg MacDonnell of Glengarry’
1962 Duncan J MacFadyen, Glasgow, ‘Blind Piper’s Obstinacy’
1963 Kenneth MacDonald, Glasgow, ‘Donald Gruamach’s March’
1964 Hector MacFadyen, Glasgow, ‘King’s Taxes’
1965 William MacDonald, Benbecula, ‘The Vaunting’
1966 John MacFadyen, Glasgow, ‘Black Donald’s March’
1967 Hugh MacCallum, Campbeltown, ‘Lament for Donald Duaghal MacKay’
1968 John Wilson, Campbeltown, ‘Lament for the Castle of Dunyveg’
1969 Pipe Cpl Iain M Morrison, QO Highlanders, ‘Lament for the Viscount of Dundee’
1970 Andrew Wright, Paisley, ‘The Desperate Battle of the Birds’
1971 James McIntosh, Dundee, ‘Tulloch Ard’
1972 Dr John MacAskill, Fort William, ‘Lady Anapool’s Lament’
1973 Jack Taylor, St Andrews, ‘Lament for the Children’
1974 P/M James MacGregor, Glen Almond, ‘Gathering of the MacNabs’
1975 Murray Henderson, NZ, ‘Fair Honey’
1976 Angus J MacLellan, Glasgow, ‘Lady MacDonald’s Lament’
1977 William Livingstone, Ontario, ‘MacKay’s Short Tune’
1978 Dr William Wotherspoon, Aberdeen, ‘Lament for Patrick Og MacCrimmon’
1979 Donald Bain, New Zealand, ‘MacCrimmon’s Sweetheart’
1980 Tom Speirs, Edinburgh, ‘Battle of Bealach nam Brog’
1981 Jack Lee, BC, ‘Black Donald’s March’
1982 Colin MacLellan, Canada, ‘Lament for the Viscount of Dundee’
1983 P/M Gavin Stoddart, Royal Highland Fusiliers, ‘Lament for the Only Son’
1984 Allan MacDonald, Glenuig, ‘Grain in Hides and Corn in Sacks’
1985 James MacGillivray, Canada, ‘MacDougall’s Gathering’
1986 Roderick MacLeod, Cumbernauld, ‘Lament for Finlay’

Mike Cusack, Texas, the 1987 Gold Medallist at the Northern Meeting

1987 Michael Cusack, USA, ‘MacKay’s Banner’
1988 Dr Angus MacDonald, Glenuig, ‘Lachlan MacNeill Campbell of Kintarbert’s Fancy’
1989 William McCallum, Glasgow, ‘Battle of Auldearn No 2’
1990 Greg Wilson, NZ, ‘The Vaunting’
1991 Alfred Morrison. Bishopton, ‘Earl of Seaforth’s Salute’
1992 Angus MacColl, Oban, ‘MacFarlane’s Gathering’
1993 Bruce Woodley, Canada, ‘Lament for Colin Roy MacKenzie’
1994 Pipe Cpl Gordon Walker, RHF, ‘MacKay’s Banner’
1995 Robert Wallace, Glasgow, ‘The Blue Ribbon’
1996 Wilson Brown, Glasgow, ‘Nameless, hiharin dro o dro’
1997 Duncan MacGillivray, Calrossie, ‘Menzies Salute’
1998 Stuart Shedden, Glasgow, ‘MacKay’s Banner’
1999 Major John Cairns, Canada, ‘My King Has Landed in Moidart’
2000 Stuart Liddell, lnveraray, ‘Lament for the Dead’
2001 Niall Matheson, Inverness, ‘Prince’s Salute’
2002 Bruce Gandy, Canada, ‘Rout of Glen Fruin’
2003 Chris Armstrong, Airth, ‘MacIntyres’ Salute’
2004 P/M Alasdair Gillies, USA, ‘Lament for Patrick Og MacCrimmon’
2005 Donald MacPhee, Alexandria, ‘Lament for Captain MacDougall’
2006 Alastair Dunn, Northern Ireland, ‘Isabel MacKay’
2007 lain Speirs, Edinburgh, ‘Lady Margaret MacDonald’s Salute’
2008 Alan Bevan, Canada, ‘MacNab’s Salute’
2009 Glenn Brown, Canada, ‘Beloved Scotland’
2010 Andrew Hayes, Canada, ‘Lament for the  Viscount of Dundee’
2011 Niall Stewart, Kyle of Lochalsh, ‘Tulloch Ard – The MacKenzie’s Gathering’
2012 Euan MacCrimmon, Inverness, ‘Farewell to the Laird of Islay’
2013 Callum Beaumont, Bo’ness, ‘Nameless, hiharin odin, hiharin dro’

Douglas Murray with both 2014 Gold Medals

2014 Douglas Murray, Fife, ‘His Father’s Lament for Donald MacKenzie’
2015 Finlay Johnston, Glasgow, ‘Farewell to the Laird of Islay’
2016 Ian K. MacDonald, Toronto, ‘Mary’s Praise’
2017 Alasdair Henderson, Argyll, ‘King’s Taxes’
2018 Dr Peter McCalister, Northern Ireland, ‘War or Peace’
2019 Connor Sinclair, Crieff, ‘End of the High Bridge’

 No contests during covid pandemic

2022 Nick Hudson, Texas, ‘Laird of Anapool’s Lament’
2023 Dr Innes Smith, Bridge of Allan, ‘Sobieski’s Salute’

5 thoughts on “Inverness Gold Medallists

  1. The “Inverness Courier” of 1930 reports that R. B. Nicol (Piper to King George V) won the Gold Medal at the Northern Meeting Park playing “Cille Chriosd”. My father John Maclean (then Pipe-Sergeant of 1st Bn. Scots Guards) was second, playing the same tune. Nicol was placed first in all three competitions – piobaireachd, march and strathspey & reel – and my father was placed second in all three events.
    The weather was so bad during the light music competitions that judges and competitors abandoned the field, and completed the events under the cover of the grandstand!

  2. I think Stuart Liddell won at Inverness with “Lament for the Dead” and at Oban with “Lament for Patrick Og MacCrimmon”

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