Results from Dundee, Banchory and Gourock

The first weekend of pipe band competition in the 2017 season saw wins for Field Marshal Montgomery in Grade 1 at Bangor in Northern Ireland, MacKenzie Caledonian in the city centre contest at Dundee, Buchan Peterson in Grade 1 at Banchory, Inveraray  at Gourock in the west of Scotland and Fife Police (Grade 1) and Grampian Police (Grade 2) at Dunbar. Though the weather was not as good in Scotland…

First Northern Irish Pipe Band Championship of the Season at Bangor

The Ards and North Down Pipe Band Championships, the first pipe band championship of the 2017 Northern Irish season, was held at Castle Grounds, Bangor on Saturday 13th May, reports John Kelly. The chieftain of the gathering was Alderman Deborah Girvan (Mayor of Ards and North Down) who took the salute and presented the prizes.  The Grade 1 winners were Field Marshal Montgomery (pictured above on their way to the…

Leading Drummer Heads for Oman/ Third Placed Piobaireachd Composition by John Bottomley

As the current members of Wallacestone & District Pipe Band celebrate its 130th anniversary, they will also be keeping one eye open for a potential new leading drummer. The current holder of the post, Stewart Gardiner, pictured above second left, is leaving to take up a teaching job in Oman. Stewart took on the position of Wallacestone L/D when Pipe Major Neil Henderson joined the band from Vale of Atholl in…

PP Ed’s Blog: Stuart Liddell/ Dave’s Tune/ Wallace Bagpipes/ Band Season Starts

Fortunate to catch Cailean Maclean’s excellent ‘Crunluath’ programme on BBC Radio Alba last weekend. One track featured the astonishing Stuart Liddell playing some Gaelic airs and kitchen piping. The finger work he is capable of defies belief and all on a richly toned bagpipe with perfect chanter intervals. The problem with this sort of brilliance is that youngsters start trying to imitate what Stuart does before they’ve perfect the basics of…

P/M Robert Mathieson and the History of Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band

The highlight of World’s Week this year will be the concert ‘Rise’ to be given by the 2015 World Champions, Shotts & Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band (above). To set the scene, and help everyone appreciate the history of this iconic band, we are running an interview from eight years ago when they celebrated their centenary. Editor Robert Wallace is in conversation with the then Shotts P/M Robert Mathieson, now a…