A documentary airs in Belfast next week that tells the story of pioneering women pipers who helped pave the way for women musicians at a time when the traditional music scene in Ireland was dominated by men.
The documentary, entitled ‘Mná Na Bpíob’ (‘Women of the Pipes’), is part of the Belfast Film Festival and will be shown next Thursday (26th) at The Black Box, in Belfast’s Cathedral Quarter.
The documentary refelcts on the history of the traditional music scene around Ireland in the 19th and 20th centuries. Renowned uillean piper, Louise Mulcahy, uncovers the neglected stories of these pipers, such as Kitty Hanley, Molly Morrissey, a ‘Nance the Piper, May McCarthy and Margaret Murphy (1893–1973) from Castletroy in Limerick who won the Parliament of the Republic of Ireland’s uilleann piping competition in 1914 – the first woman to do so.
Musical performances from Louise, Michelle and Mick Mulcahy, Máire Ní Ghráda, Molly Ní Ghrada, Mary Mitchell-Ingoldsby, Rosaleen O’Leary, Heather Clarke, Marion McCarthy, Síle Friel, Jane Walls, The Rowsome family, Paddy Moloney and many more are featured.
Stuart Liddell, who is playing a recital tonight in Delgatie Castle in Aberdeenshire, will be heading to the south east of England in mid-November to do the same.
The 2020 Glenfiddich champion will be performing at the Ex-Servicemen’s Club in Wymondham in Norfolk on behalf of the City of Norwich Pipe Band.
Contact pipemajor@norwichpipeband.net for tickets priced £15.
Dr. Brendon Eade from New Zealand was the overall winner of the Open/Professional category at the recent summer 2021 World Online Piping & Drumming Championships.
The contest is organised and promoted by Seattle, USA-based BagpipeLessons.com
Open/Professional
Ceòl Mòr – 1. Bobby Durning (Scarce of Fishing); 2. Scott Armstrong (The Big Spree); 3. Jack Williamson (MacDonald of Kinlochmoidart’s Lament, No. 1); 4. Brendon Eade (The Red Speckled Bull); 5. Alastair Murray (The Old Men of the Shells, No. 1); 6. John Dew (The Earl of Ross’s March).
Judge: Brian Donaldson.
MSR –1. John Dew; 2. Ian K. MacDonald; 3. Joshua Hogg; 4. Dr. Brendon Eade; 5. David Stulpner; 6. Scott Armstrong.
Hornpipe & Jig – 1. Dr. Brendon Eade; 2. Ian K. MacDonald; 3. John Dew; 4. Joshua Hogg; 5. Jack Williamson; 6. David Stulpner.
Judge: Iain Speirs.
Grade 1
Ceòl Mòr – 1. Joseph Biggs (MacLeod of Raasay’s Salute); 2. Tristan Mitchell (Lord Lovat’s Lament); 3. Stephen Ross (The Glen is Mine); 4. Tam McGirr (Lament for the Viscount of Dundee); 5. Trevor DeMass (Lament for Islay Flora MacLeod); 6. Eddie Boland (Sir James MacDonald of the Isles’ Lament).
Judge: Callum Beaumont.
MSR – 1. Joseph Biggs; 2. Tam McGirr; 3. Gord Wallace; 4. Eddie Boland; 5. Tristan Mitchell; 6. Charlie Martin.
Judge: Ian K. MacDonald
Jigs – 1. Joseph Biggs; 2. Trevor DeMass; 3. Brieuc Colleter; 4. Gord Wallace; 5. Ryan Morrison; 6. Charlie Martin.
Judge: Dr. Brendon Eade.
Hornpipes – 1. Joseph Biggs; 2. Trevor DeMass; 3. Charlie Martin; 4. Jürgen Christiansen; 5. Brieuc Colleter.
Judge: Gordon McCready.
6/8 March – 1. Joseph Biggs; 2. Martha Hall; 3. Brieuc Colleter; 4. Trevor DeMass; 5. Ryan Morrison; 6. Friedrich Christiansen.
Judge: Terry Lee.
Grade 2
Ceòl Mòr – 1. Christopher Johnson (Battle Of Auldearn, No. 1); 2. Craig McKenzie (MacLeod’s Controversy); 3. Arnold Edwards (Too Long In This Condition); 4. Eala Niamh McElhinney (Massacre of Glencoe); 5. Bernhard Cohnen (Corrienessan’s Salute); 6. Lauren McMillan (Isabel MacKay).
Judge: Willie McCallum.
MSR – 1. Campbell Wilson; 2. Jean-Sébastien Gamache; 3. Eala Niamh McElhinney; 4. Reece Doherty; 5. Lauren McMillan; 6. Christopher Johnson.
Judge: David Hilder.
Jigs – 1. Campbell Wilson; 2. Jean-Sébastien Gamache; 3. Christopher Johnson; 4. Matthew Bouwmeester; 5. Arnold Edwards; 6. Raúl Peinado.
Judge: Dani Brin Millar
Hornpipe – 1. Jean-Sébastien Gamache; 2. Campbell Wilson; 3. Christopher Johnson; 4. Mary Thrasher; 5. Ron J. Graham; 6. Raúl Peinado.
Judge: Sean McKeown.
6/8 March – 1. Imogen Akers; 2. Christopher Johnson; 3. Campbell Wilson; 4. Jean-Sébastien Gamache; 5. Michael Jeanrenaud; 6. Ron J. Graham.
Judge: Shaunna Hilder.
Grade 3
Ceòl Mòr – 1. Lee McLeod (Lament for Mary MacLeod); 2. Ray Cai (Clan Campbell’s Gathering); 3. Ray Morrison (Duncan MacRae of Kintail’s Lament); 4. Kathryn McEwan (The Little Spree); 5. David Brown (MacIntosh’s Banner); 6. Kevin Carothers (The Piper’s Warning To His Master).
Judge: Peter McCallister.
MSR A– 1. Fin Parsons; 2. Ray Cai; 3. Sarah Keir; 4. Diego Barquet; 5. Sam Wiley; 6. Nicholas Mathis.
Judge: Gordon McCready.
MSR B – 1. Noah Mittwer; 2. Kevin Carothers; 3. Stevie Hyde; 4. Chris Bouwmeester; 5. Lee McLeod; 6. Kael Haysom.
Judge: Nick Hudson.
Jig – 1. Stevie Hyde; 2. Ray Cai; 3. Edon Abbot; 4. Diego Barquet; 5. Reece Doherty; 6. Kevin Carothers.
Judge: John Dew.
Hornpipe – 1. Matthew Fleek; 2. Ray Cai; 3. Kevin Carothers; 4. Eric Sparklin; 5. Nicholas Mathis; 6. Chris Bouwmeester.
Judge: Stuart Easton.
6/8 March – 1. Stevie Hyde; 2. Matthew Fleek; 3. Chris Bouwmeester; 4. Kevin Carothers; 5. Ken MacLean; 6. Lee McLeod.
Judge: James MacHattie.
Grade 4
Ceòl Mòr (Ùrlar and first variation) A – 1. Aiken Madan (The Little Spree); 2. Emily Pentz (The Little Spree); 3. Heather Dunn (Clan Campbell’s Gathering); 4. Sophie Stringer (Glengarry’s Lament); 5. Denmark Hodges (Company’s Lament); 6. Ray Morrison (Duncan MacRae of Kintail’s Lament).
Judge: Andrew Donlon.
Ceòl Mòr (Ùrlar and first variation) B – 1. Abby Long (The Glen is Mine); 2. Jodie Warren (Glengarry’s Lament); 3. Sheila Stewart (Cabar Feidh Gu Brath); 4. Bill Stuart (Black Donald’s March); 5. Poppy Middleton (Glengarry’s Lament); 6. Lou Lanaro (The Desperate Battle).
Judge: Ann Gray.
2/4 March A – 1. Alec Macdonald; 2. Emily Pentz; 3. Poppy Middleton; 4. Denmark Hodges; 5. Camille Layt; 6. James Gendron.
Judge: Shaunna Hilder.
2/4 March B – 1. Ian MacPhail; 2. Jodie Warren; 3. Chris Zaleski; 4. Sheila Stewart; 5. Amanda Brennan.
Judge: Sean McKeown.
Strathspey & Reel – 1. Abby Long; 2. Aiken Madan; 3. Alec Macdonald; 4. Ian MacPhail; 5. Emily Pentz; 6. Kyke Wallis.
Judge: Keith Paton.
Jig – 1. Emily Pentz; 2. Craig Mitchell; 3. Alec Macdonald; 4. Bill Stuart; 5. Poppy Middleton; 6. Sophie Stringer.
Judge: Matthew Welch.
6/8 March A – 1. Kyke Wallis; 2. Glen Jorgensen; 3. Abby Long; 4. Heather Dunn; 5. Sheila Stewart; 6. Lillian Prince.
Judge: Alastair Dunn.
6/8 March B – 1. Emily Pentz; 2. Poppy Middleton; 3. Sean Stewart; 4. Sophie Stringer; 5. Aiken Madan; 6. Anders Udsen).
Judge: Iain Speirs.
Grade 5
Ceòl Mòr (Ùrlar) – 1. Sue Kennedy (Old Men of the Shells); 2. Jeremy Suggett (Glengarry’s Lament); 3. Travis Robbins (Lament for the Old Sword); 4. Ivan Agarkov (Company’s Lament); 5. Nancy Guss (Company’s Lament); 6. Alan Sutherland (Company’s Lament).
Judge: Nick Hudson.
2/4 March – 1. Heather Nicasio; 2. Dylan McMaster; 3. Stephanie Scott; 4. Craig Sherman; 5. Lisa Martin; 6. Parker Brooke.
Judge: Dr. Brendon Eade.
6/8 March – 1. Heather Nicasio; 2. Adi Moss-Sheth 3. Brian Creel; 4. Stephanie Scott; 5. Violet Haysom; 6. Dylan McMaster.
Judge: Dani Brin Millar.
Jig – 1. Adi Moss-Sheth; 2. Stephanie Scott; 3. Lisa Martin; 4. Dylan McMaster; 5. Matthew Owen-Hunt; 6. Heather Nicasio.
Judge: Ian K. MacDonald.
Slow Air A – 1. Sean Stewart; 2. James Morris; 3. Heather Nicasio; 4. Jan Roberts; 5. Oscar Arnold; 6. Matthew Owen-Hunt.
Judge: David Hilder.
Slow Air B – 1. Adi Moss-Sheth; 2. Travis Robbins; 3. Jeremy Suggett; 4. Kate Gordon; 5. Brian Creel; 6. James Randell .
Judge: Willie McCallum.
