PP Ed’s Blog: Lochaber 1905/ AK Quaich/ PS Concert/ Fire & Rescue Band/SWSPDA Solos/ John Cruickshank VC/ Aberfeldy Games/ JB Medals

I’m grateful to New York based piper and collector Yahya Hussein for the above picture. It is from his collection of old Highland games prints. It shows (r to l) Willie Ross, GS McLennan, unknown with white spats, John MacKay and Alexander Matheson – all Gold Medallists – leading the parade at Lochaber Gathering in 1905. There are other prints Yahya has forwarded and I’ll run them in due course….

Posted in News   

Schools Pipe Band to Lead Tartan Day Parade in NYC

North Lanarkshire Council report the following today…. North Lanarkshire’s schools’ pipe bands have been invited to lead this year’s Tartan Day celebrations in New York City. Both the Novice and Juvenile bands will head to America next April to take part in the annual celebration of Scottish heritage. This season our Novice Juvenile B Schools’ Pipe Band on winning the ‘Champions of Champions’ title for the best performances across all five major piping…

Posted in News   

Uist & Barra Professional – An Opportunity to Hear Top Class PIping

The rescheduled professional piping competition run by the Glasgow Uist & Barra Association will be held in the National Piping Centre, Otago Street, this Saturday, September 29. Ordinarily the Uist & Barra is the first senior professional contest of the year but inclement weather last March led to its postponement. The competition affords the enthusiast the opportunity of hearing some of the best currently competing pipers. Included in the line…

Posted in News   

Lomond & Clyde Pipe Band Announce Changes

The Grade 1 Lomond and Clyde Pipe Band have sent this… The band is delighted to announce that Don Bradford and Gary Corkin have joined the organisation. Don takes up the role of Pipe Major and brings vast experience to the band. Gary Corkin [formerly RUC] will lead the drum section merging both Gary’s and Allan’s corps utilising the skills sets of both to best advantage. Allan Craig has stepped down as…

Posted in News   

The Analyst: Bands are Jazzing Up Classic Reels for Effect

Our occasional commentator The Analyst is at it again….. Apart from being well-known competition reels, what do the The Sheepwife, Charlie’s Welcome and The Traditional Reel have in common? Struggling? Same also applies to John Morrison of Assynt House, The Rejected Suitor and Alick C McGregor. Give up? If you listened carefully you would have heard them all across the two days of medleys from Grade One bands at the Worlds. Curious. You…

Posted in News