Craigavon & District Pipe Band Championships

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Yesterday the Craigavon & District Pipe Band Championships took place in Lurgan on what can only be described as a sweltering hot day, writes Gilbert Cromie. The Lord Mayor of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council, Alderman Gareth Wilson, was the Chieftain of the Day and in his remarks he congratulated everyone involved in putting on a great day’s entertainment and singled out RSPBA NI Branch Trophy Officer Roy…

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History: P/M William Fergusson, Dornie Ferry and Loch Duich – Part 2

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Solo adjudicator John Don MacKenzie concludes his interesting feature on the great composer Willie Fergusson and some of his tunes……. There were a number of pipers from Dornie who joined the Scots Guards under P/M Willie Ross – one being my granny’s brother Christopher MacRae, Lag. Another was Kenny MacKay, who after the war became keeper at Pait Lodge in the remote Loch Monar area north of Strathfarrar. He had…

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History: P/M William Fergusson, Dornie Ferry and Loch Duich – Part 1

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We are grateful to piping adjudicator John Don MacKenzie for this feature on one of the great pipers and composers of yesteryear, P/M William Fergusson. The above picture is of Loch Duich and Glen Shiel and is dated 1907. Willie Fergusson (1885 – 1949) was born in Arbroath. As a youth, and now living in Glasgow, he became a pupil of Farquhar MacRae. He firstly was in a Boys’ Brigade band but…

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Scottish Schools Pipes and Drums Trust Summer School

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Lee Moore writes: SSPDT are holding a five-day piping and drumming workshop from Mon 24 – Fri 28 July 10 am – 3pm each day. The summer school is open to all young pipers/chanter players, snare drummers and bass and tenor drummers in East Lothian, writes Lee Moore.  The venue is Port Seton Community Centre. Please note the change of venue which offers us great facilities to run our school. The…

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Piobaireachd by the Sea/ New England Pipe & Drum Academy Workshop

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The organisers of the ‘Pibroch by the Sea’ event have announced a masterclass by Jimmy McIntosh and Herve Le Floc’h. Other details: This will be the 13th year of the popular event held at the Breton seaside. Dates are September 16 and 17. The Saturday Masterclass begins at 9.30 and costs €30. Venue is the Ecole de mer Hériot – Port-Mer (direction camping municipal). Lunch included in fee. Cheques to Christian VILLEJIQUEL…

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