A set of smallpipes that belonged to the late virtuoso piper, Gordon Duncan is being offered for sale. The proceeds raised will go to the Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust, the registered charity that funds and supports young traditional musicians. The pipes, pictured, are in the key of D and were […]
Callum Beaumont from Bo’ness, Scotland was the winner tonight at the 2021 Donald MacDonald Cuach. Callum, pictured, played Donald MacDonald’s setting of Cumha Mhic a h-Arasaig (MacKintosh’s Lament). The competition was held online for the first time in the event’s 35 years with the five pipers playing from their respective […]
1926-1927 By Jeannie Campbell The first report of the 1926 Gathering appeared in The Scotsman ofSeptember 15: “The Argyllshire Gathering is taking place at Oban this week, and the county gentry and their friends from all parts have since Monday been assembling in Oban. Last night the annual Gaelic concert, which […]
I became a Piping Times subscriber in 1974 although I had bought occasional copies before that whenever I was in a piping shop. I joined the College of Piping’s evening classes in 1976 after playing in a band for six years and was soon helping with the enrolment of pupils […]
A rare photograph of Pipe Major John McLellan DCM of Dunoon is the latest addition to the website created by a distant descendant of McLellan. The photograph, below, shows McLellan as a young soldier and was taken during the Anglo Boer War of 1899-1902. At the time of the photograph, […]
The first lessons MacLeod and I had from Roderick Fraser were often interrupted when he would send us into Helensburgh for a jar of beer, which he would consume with a pot of potatoes and salt herring boiled together, and being fortified with this he would then proceed to play […]
Primary schools in Glasgow and East Lothian will welcome a Piper and Drummer in Residence in the new term. The schools are Windygoul and Dunbar schools in East Lothian, and John Paul Academy – and its associated ‘cluster’ primary schools – in Summerston, Glasgow. The two positions are being co-funded […]
Archie MacNeill (1879-1962), is probably best known as the composer of Donald MacLean’s Farewell to Oban, The Detroit Highlanders, David Ross of Rosehall and a few other great tunes that have stood the test of time. Archie, though, was an important figure in piping and, in fact, could be regarded […]
Three Orkney businesses all contributed to bringing you this very well presented book: The Orkney Brewery, Sheila Fleet Jewellery and The Brig Larder restaurant. I suppose that’s a sign of the character of this collection as a whole. To me, the central themes that radiate from this collection are Family, […]
By Jeannie Campbell 1923-1925 In 1923 the Games and Balls were held on September 12 and 13. The opening day was showery and the ground was not in particularly good condition, but there was a large crowd of people present, including the Duke of Argyll, the President of the Gathering. […]
