We know very little of the Rankin family from the island of Mull and mentioned in Angus MacKay’s book as hereditary pipers to the MacLean of Coll ‘from time immemorial’. The most notable was Conn Dauly and he is believed to have been instructed on Skye either by the MacCrimmons or the MacArthurs. MacKay’s book relates the tale of a Rankin playing for Dr Johnston on his tour of the…

Kevin Maclean of the Simon University Pipe Band: ‘I just wanted to let you know about Part 2 of our mini-documentary about the band’s 1995 World Championship win. There’s a bit of a write-up as well as all of the videos here.‘ The band is pictured above with their trophies in 1995. The story begins: To commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Simon Fraser University Pipe Band’s first victory at…

This marvellous short film was produced by the BBC in the early 1980s, and seeks to explain piobaireachd to the wider public. Not only does it do so from a historical perspective, but also from a performer’s, and the examination of the solo scene at the time is masterful. The film is 50 minutes long and there are interviews with many famous characters, and glimpses of others who are now…

No sooner had we made our request for information on the 1970 ‘First Grade 1 Medley Worlds’ held at Hazelhead Park, Aberdeen, than reader Trevor Clydesdale came up with the goods. Trevor kindly forwarded cuttings from the local Press & Journal newspaper, relevant excerpts from their report below…. THE BEST pipe band in the World – that’s Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band. Under Pipe Major T. McAllister. Jun., they pipped…

Listening to BBC Alba’s ‘Crunluath’ programme on Saturday you realised what you had been missing by way of live music. Host Catriona MacNeill played excerpts from the 2019 Northern Meeting, and like her predecessor Cailean Maclean, let the music do the talking. Two full piobaireachd, three six-tune MSRs and a hornpipe & jig made for an hour or so of absorbing piping with terrific performances from Jack Lee (pictured), Bruce…