By RONALD McSHANNON, PIOBAIREACHD SOCIETY MUSIC COMMITTEE
The Piobaireachd Society recommends the following for competitions in 2025:
A. SENIOR COMPETITIONS
A new approach to setting tunes for the senior competitions was adopted in 2023 for a trial period of five years. The aim is to give competitors a wider choice of tunes while still ensuring exposure for the appropriate repertoire. If deemed successful, the period may be extended beyond five years.
Competitors will submit six tunes from the list below. Different tunes will be selected for each competitor for the Argyllshire Gathering and the Northern Meeting in the same year. The chosen tunes will be noted and competitors will not be permitted to submit these two tunes again for a period of at least five years. Â
The list may be expanded from year to year on the recommendation of the Piobaireachd Society. It is unlikely that any of the tunes will be removed from the list.
| The Finger Lock | PS 1, K |
| In Praise of Morag | PS 1, K |
| The Unjust Incarceration | PS 2, K |
| The Bells of Perth | PS 2, K |
| Lament for Donald Ban MacCrimmon | PS 2, K |
| Donald Gruamach’s March | PS 2, K |
| Colin Roy MacKenzie’s Lament | PS 3, K |
| Lament for the Duke of Hamilton | PS 3, K |
| Lament for the Earl of Antrim | PS 3, K |
| Lament for the Children | PS 3, K |
| Patrick Og MacCrimmon’s Lament | PS 3, K |
| Scarce of Fishing | PS 3, K |
| The Red Speckled Bull | PS 4, K |
| Beinn a Ghriain | PS 4 |
| John Garve MacLeod of Raasay’s Lament | PS 5, K |
| Mary’s Praise | PS 5, K |
| Lament for the Union | PS 6, K |
| Craigellachie | PS 6, K |
| The Daughter’s Lament | PS 6, K |
| The Sound of the Waves against the Castle of Duntroon | PS 6, K |
| The End of the Little Bridge | PS 8, K |
| Lady MacDonald’s Lament | PS 8, K |
| Nameless Cherede Darievea | PS 8, K |
| The Laird of Anapool’s Lament | PS 9 |
| The Rout of the Lowland Captain | PS 9 |
| MacLeod of Colbeck’s Lament | PS 10 |
| MacKenzie of Gairloch’s Lament | PS 10 |
| The Red Hand in the MacDonald’s Arms | PS 10 |
| The MacLeans’ March | PS 10 |
| The Battle of Waterloo | PS 11 |
| Mrs MacLeod of Talisker’s Salute | PS 11 |
| The MacDonalds’ Salute | PS 11 |
| Abercairney’s Salute | PS 11 |
| My Dearest on Earth, Give me your Kiss | PS 11 |
| Lament for the Harp Tree | PS 12, K |
| Port Urlar | PS 12 |
| Lament for Airds | PS 13 |
| Lament for Hugh | PS 13 |
| Salute to MacDonald of Staffa | PS 13 |
| Good Health to You Donald | PS 13 |
| The Sutherlands’ Gathering | PS 14 |
| Lament for King George III | PS 14 |
| Lament for Cluny MacPherson | PS 14 |
| Sir James MacDonald of the Isles’ Salute | PS 14 |
| MacLeod of MacLeod’s Lament | PS 15, K |
| Farewell to the Queen’s Ferry | PS 20th Century Piob. 2020 edition |
| Lament for John MacDonald, Inverness | PS 20th Century Piob. 2020 edition |
| Lament for Pipe Major Robert Reid | PS 20th Century Piob. 2020 edition |
| Salute to James Campbell | PS 20th Century Piob. 2020 edition |
| Salute to the MacCrimmon Cairn at Borreraig | PS 20th Century Piob. 2020 edition |
| The Phantom Piper of Corrieyairack | PS 20th Century Piob. 2020 edition |
| Roderick MacDonald’s Salute | Donald MacLeod Piob. 2019 edition |
| A Son’s Salute to his Parents | Donald MacLeod Piob. 2019 edition |
| The Edinburgh Piobaireachd | John MacLellan Ceol Mor |
B. GOLD MEDAL COMPETITIONS
| The Prince’s Salute (#) | PS 1, K |
| Lament for the Departure of King James | PS 3, K |
| Lady Margaret MacDonald’s Salute | PS 3, K |
| The Stewarts’ White Banner | PS 7 |
| Ronald MacDonald of Morar’s Lament | PS 8, K |
| The Young Laird of Dungallon’s Salute (#) | PS 10 |
| The MacLeans’ March (#) | PS 10 |
| A Son’s Salute to his Parents | Donald MacLeod Piob. 2019 edition |
Competitors will submit four of the above tunes, one of which they will be required to play. For the purposes of the Gold Medal competitions, tunes marked (#) require crunluaths a mach.
C. SILVER MEDAL COMPETITIONS
| Lament for the Viscount of Dundee | PS 1, K |
| You’re Welcome, Ewen Lochiel | PS 2, K |
| The Rout of the MacPhees (#) | PS 4 |
| MacDonald of Kinlochmoidart’s Lament No 1 | PS 6, K |
| The Desperate Battle (#) | PS 7, K |
| The MacFarlanes’ Gathering | PS 7, K |
| The Piper’s Warning to his Master | PS 12, K |
| Chisholm’s Salute (#) | PS 14, K |
Competitors will submit four of the above tunes, one of which they will be required to play. For the purposes of the Silver Medal competitions, tunes marked (#) require crunluaths a mach.
PS = Piobaireachd Society Collection K = Kilberry Book of Ceol Mor
The Donald MacLeod and PS 20th Century Piobaireachd collections have been corrected and re-printed recently in A4 format and it is recommended that these be used as the sources for these tunes.
Competitors are not restricted to settings in the Piobaireachd Society Collection and Kilberry Book. Â Those who wish to play alternative settings should submit legible scores, indicating the origins of the settings, to competition organisers along with their tune selections.
Altogether different tunes known by the same or similar names will not be accepted as alternatives. This announcement is without prejudice to any arrangements made by the Argyllshire Gathering or the Northern Meeting.