1st Port Glasgow BB Pipe Band to Celebrate Winning World Juvenile Title 50 Years Ago

This year represents 50 years since 1st Port Glasgow BB became World Juvenile Pipe Band Champions. The band was also Champion of Champions that year.  Above is a photo of the winning band of 1972. It was taken in the BB Institute in Balfour Street, Port Glasgow, and shows the band in its new Anderson tartan kilts and tweed jackets. We did not have the kilts in the 1972 season…

Pitlochry Games Results

Warm and dry for the final Highland games of the season. There was a two-minute silence for HM The Queen and a lone piper played the lament. Twenty played in the seniors, eight in the juniors. Champion Piper was Craig Sutherland who is pictured above on the boards today. A composing competition to mark the 170th Anniversary of the Pitlochry Games has been won by Niall Matheson, Inverness. Niall was…

Her Majesty The Queen

As pipers we will add to the tide of grief, mourning, and gratitude that has followed the death of HM The Queen. For every day of her domestic life she rose to the sound of our national instrument. She appointed thirteen different Sovereign’s Pipers during her 70-year reign. They attest to her knowledge of the tunes, and woe betide those guilty of lazy repeats. By The Editor In her support…

Northern Ireland Round-Up: Belfast Tattoo/ Pipe Band College/ World Solo Drumming/ Blackthorn/ All Irelands

After two years absence, the Belfast International Tattoo finally returned on September 2nd and 3rd with three shows at the SSE Arena. The cancellation of the 2020 and 2021 shows placed many challenges at the door of the organisers. I was present on the Saturday night when there was a very good attendance and I understand that was the case across the other two shows. This has obviously encouraged the…

Northern Ireland Pipe Band Round – Up: Part 1

The second half of the Northern Ireland competition season got underway with the Ulster Championships on July 23rd in the grounds of Ballymena Academy. It proved to be a very successful event with a large crowd and decent weather except for a heavy shower mid-afternoon. There were thirty one band entries and twenty six drum majors. A Highland dancing competition was also in full swing throughout the day such is…