Tag: Bagpipe Stories

Editor’s Notebook: Training of Pipe Band Judges/ Lewis & Harris News/ RSPS 1978/ Letters

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A comment has been made about Iain McLeod, five times winner of the Worlds with Edinburgh City / Lothian and Borders Police, refusing to judge for the RSPBA because he was asked to ‘quantify his experience’ as our correspondent put it. From what I remember it was more than that. He and other leading men of the time (late ’70s, early ’80s), RG Hardie, John Weatherston, were also asked to…

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NI Piper of the Year/ Shotts Concert/ Balmoral Classic

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The Northern Ireland Piper of the Year competition will take place in the Adair Arms Hotel, Ballymena, this Saturday, 28th September, writes Ken Stewart. This event has been in existence since 1979 and is an invitation only competition. Pipers who have featured in prizelists at various events throughout Ireland during the current year are invited to take part. The competition comprises both Piobaireachd and March, Strathspey & Reel. Each competitor…

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News from Across the Water: James Warnock 1919-2024/ UK Drumming/ Down Solos/ Long Service

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The death took place recently of James Warnock, one of the great pioneers of the Northern Ireland pipe band scene. His area of expertise, like that of his father Joe and brother Andrew, was the manufacture of chanter and drone reeds and pipe chanters. James and his family made such an impact on both the local and world pipe band scene.  For an insight into Jim’s life in pipe bands…

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Lochnell Championship Details Announced

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The top solo competition for young professional pipers aged under 22 will be held at Lochnell Castle, Argyll, on October 19 from 10am. The line-up of invited pipers, with their qualifying success in brackets, is as follows: Ruairidh Brown (MSR winner 2023), Cameron May (B Grade Champion 2024 Argyllshire Gathering), Brodie Watson-Massey (Inverness Silver Medal), Ross Conner (Lochaber Gathering Piob 3rd prize, plus multiple prizes at games), Luke Kennedy, (5th…

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More Information on Michael Colliery Pipe Band

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We are grateful to piper Martin Kessler, Bonn, Germany, for forwarding two newspaper cutting about a Fife BB pipe band and the Michael Colliery Pipe Band. This was in response to the query by reader Gary Clacher a week or so ago. Gary wrote: ‘My dad, Adam Clacher, won the World Solo Drumming Championship in 1959 when he was with the Grade 2 Michael Colliery band. Not sure if this…

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