I read recently on Piping Press: ‘But it was not until 1854 that pipers were recognised officially by what was the UK’s War Office’. Although from an interesting article, this statement does not hold true. It is belief still commonly held however, but easy to disprove. The evidence that pipers had formally been a part of Scottish regiments is easy to find and starts with the Acts of the Scottish…

The third batch of pictures today from Ronan Maguire of St Laurence O’Toole Pipe Band, Dublin. There has been a considerable response to the earlier articles publicising Ronan’s work. Yves Tyson in Brittany has pointed out: ‘About Glen’s pictures, it is of Sandy Glen (son of David) and grandson of Alexander Glen. The young lad checking the pipes is not David (Sandy’s brother) but a young apprentice (unknown).’ Thank you…

A Perthshire school is providing online piping, poetry and prose for those interested in celebrating Robert Burns. Strathallan School, based in Forgandenny, took the decision to host its annual Burns Supper online this year but thousands of viewers from across the globe have already tuned in to celebrate the Bard. Hosted on YouTube, the 30-minute video was initially created to help Strathallan families celebrate Burns Night but the video has…

Entries for the major solo piping competitions at the Argyllshire Gathering and Northern Meeting close on January 31, we have been asked to point out. The dates for each of the contests are, respectively, August 25/26 and Sept 2/3. Despite fears over pandemic cancellation, almost 80 pipers have signed up already. However this figure would normally be well over 100. Organisers are keen to stress that if pipers intend playing…

Thirteen years ago we were going through another major crisis – the financial crash. Fortunes were lost; governments in a panic; western capitalism on the brink. At the time I penned a piece which suggested how we pipers could cope. I’ve updated it for our current ordeal…. The nights are darkly dim. Black forces rattle on the window pane. The insidious virus threatens to wrest the porridge spoon of prosperity…