Interesting People

7 questions with … Finlay Cameron

7 questions with … Finlay Cameron

Finlay Cameron (18) of Roybridge, Lochaber, Scotland has maintained a consistent standard throughout his years competing as a Junior and, since 2018, in the adult sphere. He won the MacGregor Memorial at the Argyllshire Gathering in 2016 (aged 14) and gained a third place place in the Silver Medal at […]

Celebration at the announcement of winning the Grade 1 World Pipe Band Championships 2009

Pipe band retro pictorial: the Worlds 2009

In 2009 Simon Fraser University Pipe Band lifted the Grade 1 trophy for the sixth time. Grade 2 was won by Inveraray & District who won every Grade 2 major that season. Their win was seen as their final step, and almost a formality, before joining the Grade 1 ranks. […]

Scottish Pipe Band Championships, Dumbarton, 2009. ©JohnSlavin@designfolk.com/Bagpipe.news

Pipe band retro pictorial: the Scottish 2009

We take another look back over the decade about to end, this time featuring the 2009 Scottish Pipe Band Championships at Dumbarton. In 2009, the Scottish was held on May 16 and was the first major championship of the season. Field Marshal Montgomery won Grade 1, Inveraray won Grade 2, […]

European Pipe Band Chamionships, Gourock, 2009. ©JohnSlavin@designfolk.com/Bagpipe.news

Pipe band retro pictorial: the 2009 Europeans

At this time of year, it is natural to look back over the year about to end. Today, we look back over the decade about to end by featuring a pictorial from the 2009 European Pipe Band Championships. The contest that year was held at Gourock, and Field Marshal Montgomery […]

World piping celebration in Armagh

World piping celebration in Armagh

The William Kennedy Piping festival was founded in 1993 in Armagh, Northern Ireland and has gone from strength to strength BRIAN VALLELY, Festival Director, reports on this year’s festival. When the William Kennedy Piping Festival was first launched in 1994, we little thought that a quarter of a century later […]

The real life of Colin MacLellan

The real life of Colin MacLellan

Piper, teacher, reed maker, judge and all-around bon vivant, Colin has spent a lifetime around bagpipes. While he’s the son of a piping legend in Captain John A, he’s done the business and won the big piping prizes — and much more.  In his life he has been a living […]

‘Big Ronnie’ bridges the generations

‘Big Ronnie’ bridges the generations

Ronald Lawrie of Oban (1927-2008) wasn’t called ‘Big Ronnie’ for nothing. But his broad-shouldered, 6ft 5in frame and imposing, square-jawed presence were almost incidental to his considerable stature in piping — and an involvement that began with direct influences from the 19th century and continues into the 21st century. He […]

The real life of Mike Katz

The real life of Mike Katz

While not cut from the cloth of the competitive piper, Mike Katz is one of the world’s most successful American-born pipers. Born in the Los Angeles region of the San Fernando Valley, he broke his piping teeth in his older brother Steve’s high school pipe band – along with a […]