My First Trip to Canada for the Scottish Tattoo at the CNE Toronto

The Scottish Tattoo at the Canadian National Exhibition (CNE) was held in the early 1970s in Toronto. It featured the leading Grade 1 bands from Scotland and Northern Ireland and a few from Grade 2, plus all the top local bands and others. Here Eddie Gorman, then a piper with Muirhead & Sons, reminisces… a Glasgow boy on his first trip to North America. The Toronto he describes may seem…

Northern Ireland: Major Sinclair/ Irvine/ Banbridge/ Tullintrain/ Jack Seaton

Major Sinclair Memorial have announced that Glenn Cupples (pictured above) will lead the band as Pipe Major for the 2027 season.  This follows an announcement from P/M Nigel O’Neill that he is stepping down from the role. In a statement the band expressed their gratitude to Nigel for his commitment and expertise over the last five years which has seen the band go from strength to strength. He ends his…

Northern Ireland: All Irelands/ Piper of the Year/ Piping Societies/ Down Academy

On 24th September the All-Ireland & JAC Solo Piping & Drumming Championships took place at Cookstown High School. What a day it was for Field Marshal Montgomery duo James Frazer and William Glenholmes. They took the senior piping and drumming titles despite stiff opposition. James took the piping title by winning favour with both adjudicators ahead of Alastair Donaghy and John McElmurry. John was the winner of the Piobaireachd A…

P/M Douglas Murray on the Challenges Ahead at LA Scots

Fife-based Douglas Murray’s appointment as Pipe Major of Grade 2 US pipe band, LA Scots was announced yesterday. Today the former Pipe Major of Fife Police, and a champion solo piper, spoke to Piping Press about the challenges that lie ahead for him. ‘Firstly I have to say it is a great honour to be asked to fill P/M Scott MacDonald’s shoes. He has been an outstanding pipe major of…

Douglas Murray Takes over at LA Scots

Fife-based Douglas Murray has been appointed Pipe Major of US pipe band, LA Scots. The band issued the following statement this afternoon: ‘Pipe Major Scott MacDonald has stepped down with immediate effective from the LA Scots Pipe Band. ‘P/M MacDonald has been central to the organisation from its beginnings in 1992 having been and president, pipe major and player. Under his leadership and stewardship the band had many successful years…