A Historic Worlds for Everyone and in Particular Ian Embelton, Retiring RSPBA Chief Executive

Tomorrow we’ll witness the first World Pipe Band Championship for three years. It will be a pared down event with the local authority sponsors, Glasgow Life, understandably keen to save money. There will be no Highland dancing, no heavy events and no hospitality tent. Band numbers are down to around 150; usually we break the 200 mark. However this should not be seen as a lack of enthusiasm for the…

Draws for Inverness Announced

The Northern Meeting piping competitions, to be held in Inverness on September 1 and 2, have released the draws for their junior and senior competitions. Scroll through the panel below to view them or download by using the arrows top right:

Heart of Down Contest Brings Curtain Down on the NI Branch Season

Donard Park in Newcastle, County Down, was the setting for the Heart of Down Pipe Band Championships, the final event of the RSPBANI Branch outdoor competition season and also the conclusion of the 2022 Champion of Champions league calculated on the five competitions over the summer.  The competition had the largest entry of bands and drum majors at any local contest this season and there was also a largely attended…

Masters Solo Piping Results

This competition was held today in the National Piping Centre in Glasgow as part of the Piping Live festival. Overall winner was Callum Beaumont on a piobaireachd preference. He is pictured above with his trophy. Seventeen entered in the light music and 16 in the piobaireachd. The competition is only open to Gold medallists and winners of ‘A’ grade light music events at Oban and Inverness. Piobaireachd1 Callum Beaumont, Lament…

Lorient Results: MacCrimmon Trophy and Piobaireachd

The day after securing the lucrative MacCrimmon Trophy, Northern Ireland’s Robert Watt completed a very successful visit to the Lorient Festival in Brittany by taking first in the Piobaireachd competition as well. The runner-up was once more the Province’s other outstanding piper at the festival, Andrew Carlisle. Ceòl mòr results were as follows: 1 Robert Watt, Corrienessan’s Salute 2 Andrew Carlisle, Lament for the Earl of Antrim 3 Derek Midgley,…