European Pipe Band Championships 2025 Results

South Inch, Perth, was the venue for this year’s European Pipe Band Championships, the penultimate major of the season. 140 bands entered, down 17 on last year. Inveraray were crowned Grade 1 champions. There was a new format this year in Grade 1 with bands having to play twice: Medley (two submitted) and one four-part MSR. The march past was conducted differently than hitherto and meant a much shorter wait…

Skye Gathering 2025 Senior Results Complete

The annual, two-day Skye Gathering piping competitions began today (Aug 5) in Portree. Twenty-nine entered for the Dunvegan Medal contest for which pipers have to submit four MacCrimmon tunes. Previous winners are excluded and play for the Col. Jock MacDonald Clasp to the medal. The winner of the 2025 medal was local piper Alistair Brown, Kyleakin (pictured above with the medal, courtesy Cailean Maclean). We are still awaiting the junior…

Northern Ireland News: Antrim/ Ards/ All Irelands/ East Ireland/ UK Championships

The pipe band season is now in full swing and here is a round up of events so far. On Saturday June 28th the Antrim & Newtownabbey Championships took place in Antrim’s beautiful Castle Gardens. Whilst there wasn’t wall to wall sunshine, it was extremely hot. The highlight of the day was always going to be the appearance of the Field Marshal Montgomery (front rank pictured above) under its new…

Inveraray Games Results (updated with comment)

Dank start gave way to dry conditions. Overall champion was Ben Duncan (pictured above). Very healthy entries throughout the grades: 18 in the P/A Piobaireachd, 25 in the B and 25 in the C. Piping Convenor Brian Spalding said there were more than 100 players across all contests. This was a very well run games. Cover for the pipers and judges, and very efficient stewarding. P/A Piob1 Stuart Liddell, Lord Lovat’s…

Northern Ireland News: County Fermanagh/ Mid Ulster/ Moira/ George Ussher MBE

It was unfortunate that after weeks of beautiful weather it should break just when the 2025 pipe band season got underway at the County Fermanagh Championships in Enniskillen. Not all bands or drum majors experienced the inclement weather, but that was really by good fortune.  The adjudication panel were Willie Garrett and Richard Parkes MBE (Piping), Gordon Parkes (Drumming), Mark Wilson (Ensemble), David Brownlee and Alicia Dickson Hamilton. Ravara, on…