Caritas Banner/ Mallaig Tune/ CLASP Results

We are delighted to be hosting the 3rd Caritas Banner Piobaireachd Competition for pipers aged 18 & Under this coming Sunday (Nov.30), writes Ben Duncan. The event will be held in the George Watson’s College Music School. (See map, music school circled yellow, top left.) Doors open 7.45am for an 8.30am start in all events. They are as follows: 14 & Under Urlar and Variation; 14 & Under Piobaireachd; 18…

Lament for the Castle of Dunyveg and the Campbell Canntaireachd

Reader Tom MacKenzie has written from Canada: ‘What was your source for the typeset version of the Campbell Canntaireachd in the article on the Lament for the Castle of Dunyveg? Having the ‘scientific notation’ with the canntaireachd is, I think, an excellent idea. Now I can sing the tune with the canntaireachd. ‘I have the ‘Pipers Meeting’ book by Patrick Molard and Jack Taylor, but the tune is not in…

History: Mull Games More than Sixty Years Ago

Old programmes and publicity pamphlets are an excellent record of piping competitions and Highland Games, writes the Editor. Calum Maclean, Tobermory, has forwarded a couple from the Mull Games of the 1960s. In 1965 the date and venue were more less the same as today. Duty band was the Ceannloch Pipe Band from Campbeltown under ‘P/M MacCallum’ and ‘Drum Major Lang’. Can anyone give us more information on these two…

Argyllshire Gathering Entries Open/ Set Tune Addition/ Florida Pipe & Drum Academy

The Argyllshire Gathering Piping Competitions take place in Oban, Argyll, on Wednesday 26 August and Thursday 27 August 2026. Entries are now open here. The website reads: ‘The Competition features two days of piping excellence, with over 200 pipers from across the globe competing in this, the world’s foremost solo piping competition.’ Pipers are encouraged to enter now but their eligibility and acceptance will only be decided early in the new…

Consideration of Upper Limits on Numbers Following the Demise of two Grade 1 Bands

Recently, two first grade pipe bands ceased operations, unable to attract enough competent pipers and drummers to compete confidently at the top level. This reduction highlights a growing issue: the remaining top bands have become so large that they absorb much of the available talent, leaving fewer skilled players to sustain other Grade 1 or 2 bands. By Allan Hamilton Historically, a greater number of strong bands existed precisely because…