Piping Press

The prestigious Skye Gathering solo piping events begin today in the island’s capital Portree. There are competitions for the Dunvegan Medal for MacCrimmon piobaireachd, 6/8 March, Hornpipe& Jig, Kemble Star 2/4 March and Peter MacFarquhar Star for Strathspey and Reel the last two tomorrow. We will publish results as we get them. The winner of the Medal is entitled to play in the Clasp competitionto be held this evening. For…

On Saturday (Aug 3) the second half of the RSPBANI Branch season got underway at Portrush when thirty-three bands and thirty-nine drum majors took part at this popular North Antrim venue which was looking its best after the spruce up it got for the recent 148th Open Golf Championships. The venue for this contest was once again the car park adjacent to Ramore Head which as with last year seems…

Fred Morrison was the winner of this lucrative prize for a record 10th time. Competitors have to play selections of Breton, Irish and Scots music before separate panels of judges. According to one commentator Fred played an ‘outstanding, well-structured selections on a first class instrument’. Runner up was Stuart Liddell. Fred scored two first for Scottish music, and one each for Irish and Breton. Overall result:1 Fred Morrison, Scotland2 Stuart…

By Alistair Aitken OBE, former RSPBA adjudicator The first SPBA Scottish Pipe Band Championships were held in Blairgowrie on 12 June 1948.  As I have mentioned previously on Piping Press, the venue during the 1960s and 1970s was Princes Street Gardens in Edinburgh but for the past 20 years the venue has been Levengrove Park in Dumbarton, the event organised by West Dunbartonshire Council and West Dunbartonshire Leisure Trust Events…

A lovely dry, warm day on the west coast. Six played in the Juniors and seven in the Seniors. Pictured above are junior winners Andrew Orr and Laura Robertson. Piping sponsor: Mallaig Harbour Authority. Senior Piob: 1 Sandy Cameron2 William Rowe, NZ3 Archie Drennan4 Mark MacKenzie, AustraliaJohn Gillies, Bourblach, Memorial Cup: Sandy Cameron Senior March1 Archie Drennan2 James Feeney, Connecticut, USA3 Sandy Cameron4 William Rowe Senior Strathspey & Reel1 Archie…