PP Editor’s Blog: Busy Brighde/ May’s Funeral/ Forres Pix/ ANZAC Day

Last week was a busy and successful time for 17-year-old Skye piper Brighde Chaimbeul. Not only did she pick up first place in the Highlands & Islands C Grade MSR but she also won the BBC Radio 2 Young Folk Award for 2016 – at a glittering ceremony in London’s Royal Albert Hall no less. Brighde won through to the finals from hundreds of young folk musicians from throughout Britain. She…

PP Editor’s Blog: Highlands & Islands/ Skye Gathering/ Oz Livestream/ SPA KO

Spare a thought for piper Darach Urquhart who suffered the opposing emotions of elation and disappointment at the Highlands & Islands Festival on Saturday. Firstly the piping steward read out his name as the winner of the March, Strathspey & Reel contest only for him to realise much later – and after he had been photographed with the winners’ trophy – that in fact there had been a mistake and the prize…

Settlement on Long-Running Bagpipe Seasoning Dispute

Bagpipe manufacturers RG Hardie & Co and businessman Mr David Ogilvie have reached an agreement concerning the famous ‘Airtight’ bag seasoning. An agreed statement as per the settlement agreement, the terms of which are confidential, is as follows: ‘R. G. Hardie & Co Ltd wish it to be known that they accept that Mr Ogilvie purchased the company of Robertsons Original seasoning in good faith and was not fully advised of the longstanding…

Highlands and Islands Festival: All Senior Piping Results (Final Update)

For this year’s senior piping there were five prizes in each class. There was also an extensive programme of junior piping. All events  held at Oban High School. Double Silver Medallist Gordon Bruce was the P&A Grade champion, with good showings from Allan Russell, Darach Urquhart (pictured with Gordon) and Gordon McCready in the As and Euan Dewar, Andy Wilson and Ross Cowan in the Bs. There was a mix up over the winner…

Australia: RU Brown Gold Medal Competition Full Results

The annual competitions run by the RUB Piobaireachd Society of South Australia is held over two days. The result in the Clasp competition for former winners of the RU Brown Gold Medal was: 1st: Fiona Manson – Mary’s Praise 2nd: Ross Campbell – MacNeil of Barra’s March 3rd: Jason Craig – The Big Spree Judges: Malcolm McRae and Sam Young. Gold Medal Piobaireachd 1st Peter Hewlett 2nd Katherine Belcher 3rd…