College Band/ Inveraray Dinner/ Balvenie Medal

Scott Bennett replies to last week’s article on the College of Piping band. He writes: Yes that was Evan MacKay behind the pipe major in photo of the CoP band in Brittany in 1953. And if you look very carefully you can see me – the small boy behind the Pipe Sergeant. The P/Sgt was none other than the renowned accordionist of Mishnish Hotel, Tobermory, fame, Bobby MacLeod. Bobby composed…

Editor’s Notebook: Oban & Inverness/ Fifth Major/ Uist & Barra/ Ross McCrindle/ RUC Pipe Band

Entries for Oban and Inverness close at midnight tonight. If you haven’t got your name down you need to move quickly. No late entries will be accepted and this includes all senior events. Of course an entry is no guarantee that you will be allowed to play. This will be decided at a meeting of promoters, with input from the Competing Pipers’ Association, on February 16. Pipers will be notified…

RSPBA Responds to Concerns Over Date of 2025 UK Championships

The RSPBA have issued a statement regarding the 2025 UK Pipe Band Championships. It comes two days after Piping Press highlighted the concerns being felt in Northern Ireland over the choice of date, July 12th, writes the Editor. The statement is from Chief Executive Colin Mulhern and reads: ‘Dear Members, Competitors, and Supporters, We wish to address the concerns raised regarding the scheduling of the [UK] Pipe Band Championship on…

Sheriff Grant’s Copy of Thomason’s ‘Ceol Mor’

I was very interested to read the articles on General Thomason’s ‘Ceol Mor’. When I came to Aberdeen at the raw age of 21, I had no knowledge of it. The only piobaireachd books I had heard of were the Kilberry Book and William Ross’s, an old copy of which we had in the family home. I now have a copy of ‘Ceol Mor’ which once belonged to Sheriff Grant…

News from Across the Water: Terry Tully Audience/ King’s Honours/ Drum Majors to Canada/ 75th Anniversaries/ Tribute Band/ Leinster Solos

Irvine Memorial are delighted to be able to bring the renowned piper and former Pipe Major of St Laurence O’Toole, Terry Tully, to the Valley Hotel, Fivemiletown, Co. Tyrone. on 7th February for another ‘Audience With’ event. In addition, there will be performances by Stephen Creighton, leading drummer of the current World Champion drum corps, and P/Sgt. and Northern Ireland man, Brendan Murphy. The evening will take the form of previous…