• PART 60 •
BY JEANNIE CAMPBELL MBE.
The 1995 Gathering was held on 23rd and 24th August. The Piping Times report for 1995 was by Jeannie Campbell. “The first day began wet and misty but the weather cleared during the morning. Although all the competitions are indoors on the first day the four venues are widely spread around the town, so good weather is an advantage.
“The day began at 9am with the Gold Medal event in the Great Western Hotel and the Silver Medal event in the Corran Halls. At 9.15 the first half of the MacGregor Memorial Piobaireachd began in the Regent Hotel. This event is for pipers under the age of 22. Competitors submit four tunes and play one in the morning session and another in the afternoon. There were twelve entries. During the break between the two sessions the local under 16 march, strathspey and reel took place in the same hall.
“At 10.30am the Senior Piobaireachd began in the Royal Hotel. With four piobaireachd competitions all at the same time one has to make a choice, either to hear one event all the way through or to run around the town in order to catch particular players in other events.
“The Royal Hotel was the most comfortable of the venues as the room used was a pleasant upstairs lounge with soft armchairs and windows overlooking Argyll Square. In the Regent and Great Western Hotels the rooms used were basements, windowless with straight chairs. At the Corran Halls the small number listening to the Silver Medal was lost and lonely in the vastness of the hall.”
Gold Medal
“There were 30 entries for the Gold Medal which was judged by Ronald Lawrie, John Allan and Angus J. MacLellan. Competitors had to submit four from a list of eight set tunes. Most popular of the set tunes was the Lament for The Viscount of Dundee, submitted 24 times, followed by The Battle of Auldearn no. 2 and Lament for MacSwan of Roaig both submitted 21 times, then Rory MacLeod ‘s Lament , 17 times, The Blue Ribbon 15 times, Lady MacDonald ‘s Lament 12 times and least popular The Young Laird of Dungallon’s Salute and MacLeod of MacLeod’s Lament each offered 5 times.
“The Gold Medal was awarded to William McCallum, originally from Campbeltown and now resident in Clydebank, who is already a Gold Medallist having won at Inverness in 1989. His tune was Rory MacLeod ‘s Lament.
“In second place was local man Angus MacColl who also already holds the Inverness Gold Medal, from 1992. He played The Young Laird of Dungallon’s Salute. Third was Alan Bevan from Canada with Rory MacLeod ‘s Lament and fourth Ronald McShannon, another Campbeltown man, now resident in Glasgow, playing The Young Laird of Dungallon.“
Senior Piobaireachd
“The Senior Piobaireachd had 12 entries but there were two withdrawals and one breakdown. The judges were Donald MacPherson, Malcolm McRae and Norman Mathieson. The competitors submitted eight tunes of their own choice and the ones chosen by the judges for them to play could have been specially selected to please the audience. The result was 1. Cpl Gordon Walker, RHF, (Scarce of Fishing). 2. Willie MacCallum, (Lament for Donald Ban MacCrimmon), 3. Murray Henderson, (The Unjust Incarceration),4. PM Alasdair Gillies, The Highlanders, (The Earl of Seaforth’s Salute).
“There were 27 entries for the Silver Medal and each submitted four from a list of eight set tunes. The tunes in the Kilberry book were the most often submitted and the two not in the Kilberry were least popular. Lament for Donald of Laggan was submitted 23 times, The MacFarlanes’ Gathering 20 times, The Groat 18 times, The Bicker 13 times, The Glen is Mine and The Parading of the MacDonalds 10 times each, Castle Menzies eight times and the Lament for the Castle of Dunyveg twice.
“The judges were William MacDonald (Benbecula), James Young and Finlay MacNeill.”
Silver Medal
“The Silver Medal was awarded to James Stewart, who at present lives in Peterborough but comes originally from Banff. He comes from the same Stewart family as PM John Stewart whose sister was G.S. MacLennan’s mother. James’ grandfather and G.S. were cousins. James very nearly didn’t make it to Oban as his car broke down on the motorway and he was delayed for some hours. The RAC man who assisted him said he was to be sure to bring back a trophy – so he had to win!
“In second place was Donald MacPhee from the USA, and third Iain Speirs from Edinburgh, recently returned to Scotland after a long stay in Canada. Fourth prize went to Donald MacIntyre of the Highlanders and fifth to Herve le Floc’h from Brittany.
“The number of overseas competitors was well down on previous years, only two in the Gold Medal, none in the Senior and four in the Silver.
“Other results from the first day were:
MacGregor Memorial: 1. Gordon MacLean, Balfron; 2. Fiona MacKay, Alness; 3. Liam Brown, West Calder.
Local Junior March, Strathspey and Reel: 1. Judith Morrison, Ardrishaig; 2. Angus Morrison, Ardrishaig; 3. Gillian Campbell, Callander.
Judges were Joe Henderson and Ronald Morrison.”
Former Winners MSR
“The former winners march, strathspey and reel was held in the Corran Halls at 7pm. The judges were Tom Speirs, Ronald Morrison and James Young. There were fifteen entries but one withdrew. Competitors submitted six marches, strathspeys and reels and the tunes chosen were played twice over.
“The competition started off well with P/M Alasdair Gillies, followed by Dr. Angus MacDonald, Allan Russell and Angus MacColl, but then things began to go wrong. James Murray broke down in the strathspey; Brian Donaldson played the wrong ending to the last part of his march first time through, the correct ending on the repeat and then broke down on the second time over the reel. The next two players, Arthur Gillies and Robert Wallace finished their tunes, but were followed by Roddy MacLeod who broke down in the strathspey and Donald MacPhee in the reel. After Murray Henderson and Gordon Walker, Willie McCallum broke down in the reel and last on Robert Barnes broke down in the march.
The result was: 1. Gordon Walker (Hugh Kennedy, Piper’s Bonnet, Mrs Macpherson of Inveran), 2. Angus MacColl (Leaving Glenurquhart, Shepherd’s Crook, Lt. Col D.J.S. Murray), 3. Dr. Angus MacDonald (Edinburgh City Police Pipe Band, Dora MacLeod , John Morrison of Assynt House), 4. P/M Alasdair Gillies (Mrs John MacColl, Susan MacLeod, Sheepwife).
Second Day
“The games day was wet. It began as usual with the march from the station to the games field but the new Gold Medallist had returned to work in Glasgow so the Open Piobaireachd and March, Strathspey and Reel winner, Gordon Walker, took the pipe major’s position in his stead and James Stewart, the Silver Medallist, took the pipe sergeant’s position.
“There were 43 entries in the A grade light music and 26 in the B grade. Some competitors were complaining at having to play the strathspeys and reels twice over when the marches were only played once over.
“During the afternoon the competitions were halted temporarily for a display by the Coastguard search and rescue helicopter. Spectators were evacuated from one corner of the field but this proved to be totally inadequate in what was a potentially dangerous situation. Tents were destroyed, displays wrecked and flagpoles uprooted. One of the larger tents was only prevented from taking flight because several people held on to the ropes and poles. One brave man continued to hang on even when his kilt was blown over his head. The results were:
A Grade March: 1. Allan Russell, 2. Niall Matheson, 3. Niall Stewart, 4. Stuart Liddell, 5. John Patrick. Judges were Ronald Morrison, Malcolm McRae and Norman Mathieson.
A Grade Strathspey and Reel: 1. Niall Matheson, 2. Donald MacPhee, 3. Wilson Brown, 4. James Murray, 5. Alan Bevan. Judges were John Allan, William MacDonald, Joe Henderson.
B Grade March: 1. John Angus Smith, 2. Allan MacColl, 3. William Geddes, 4. Bruce Hitchings, 5. James MacPhee. Judges were Tom Speirs, Angus J. MacLellan, Finlay MacNeill.
B Grade Strathspey and Reel: 1. Darran Hood, 2. Ryan MacDonald,3. Paul Mather, 4. Euan MacCrimmon, 5. Ewen Stuart. Judges were Ronald Lawrie, Jimmy Young, Donald MacPherson.
Jig: 1. Gordon Walker, 2. Alan Bevan, 3. Scott Drummond. Judges were Tom Speirs, Donald MacPherson, Ronald Lawrie.
During the day the Oban Pipe Band and Islay Pipe Band played.
