History: The Kilberry Pipers – Part 2

Below are extracts from the diaries of John Campbell of Kilberry, father of Archibald Campbell. They have been reproduced here by kind permission of John Campbell of Kilberry, the current Piping Convenor for the Argyllshire Gathering. They show the extraordinary lengths the family went to support and promote piping. It was at John Campbell’s instigation that the piobaireachd Society was formed and his son and grandson, Archibald and James, went…

History: The Kilberry Pipers and their Medal

I came across this piping medal which I thought might be of interest, writes John Campbell, Kilberry. It was struck in 1899 and competed for by the estate pipers. It has the names of five recorded winners on the reverse. The pipers were all members of the Kilberry Estate pipe band tutored by my grandfather, Archibald Campbell, compiler and editor of the famous ‘Kilberry Book of Ceol Mor’. The competition…

Outcomes from the Latest RSPBA Board of Directors Meeting

Take aways from the recent RSPBA Board of Directors meeting….. The association has formed a group to examine ways of reducing the time it takes for the March Past and prize announcements at contests, particularly the Majors. BoD have agreed that at the World Championship all qualifying announcements will held at the Needle on Glasgow Green.  Former Chairman Kevin Reilly will continue his involvement within the 850th celebrations for Glasgow…

Readers Respond to Peter MacLeod Reel Query/ Scots Guards KO Date Change/ Talk Piobaireachd

Dougie Pincock: ‘That Peter MacLeod reel [above] is known nowadays as The Highlanders’ Institute. It appears under that name in the ‘Bicentennial Collection’ of the music of both Peter MacLeods Snr. and Jnr. published in the USA by Donald Varella. ‘I learned the tune from Pipe Major Iain MacDonald of Neilston, and played it in the Glasgow folk group Kentigern in the late ’70s/early ’80s. Iain might well have had…

Editor’s Notebook: 2025 Events Schedule/ Drum Tutor/ Mick Haggerty/ Peter MacLeod Tune

Undoubtedly the larger gaps between next year’s Worlds, Oban and Inverness will pose challenges for overseas pipers, not least of which will be the cost of attending all three. But the search for fame and fortune always involves sacrifice. If I want to succeed at sumo wrestling, to Japan I must go. When family budgets won’t stretch, or you don’t have the air miles, then priorities and preferences come into…