Last week we kicked off an occasional series looking at the stories behind some of our well known tunes. The tune we looked at was Pibroch of Donald Dubh. Today we look at Cock of The North. In the late 1890s, when news came of Piper Findlater’s exploits at Dargai […]
We found this photograph whilst delving into the fascinating archives of the Piping Times yesterday. We post it today whilst the contribution made by pipers last Friday to mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day is still fresh in the mind. The photograph was sent in a few years ago […]
The Bruce Gandy Bagpiping Development Society is to establish a piping scholarship fund to honour a young Canadian piper who was killed in a military helicopter crash on April 29. Almost two weeks after the crash, the cause of the crash of the Cyclone helicopter is still not yet known. […]
On the last Saturday in February I played in the Archie Kenneth Quaich in Edinburgh, Scotland. Had I known this would be the last ‘traditional’ competition in Scotland for the foreseeable future I might have hugged my friends a little longer. I would certainly have tried to spend just a […]
We are grateful to Pipe Major Alistair Duthie for sending us some statistics on the number of pipers killed or wounded during the Second World War. On Friday we estimated the figure to be 10,000. However, the true figure is a little less. Mr Duthie made the following calculation: “If […]
Our story yesterday about Pipe Major John Whyte was seen by one of his descendants. Pat Sedakat is a niece of Whyte and lives in Coupar Angus, the Perthshire village where Whyte was from. Pat has kindly provided information on her uncle and also a few family photos. John, Pat […]
(Post updated with colour photo): Pipe Major John Whyte is thought to be the last piper to be killed during the Second World War. Whyte, from Coupar Angus in Perthshire, was Pipe Major of the 79th (Scottish Horse) Medium Regiment Royal Artillery and was killed in Germany on May 5, […]
Today, we kick off yet another occasional series, this time on the tunes that are set regularly for the major solo piping competitions. The first tune to be discussed is Isabel MacKay. The tune was last set in 2016, although it is in the current CLASP list. Here to take […]
Iain MacDonald, one of Scotland’s greatest ambassadors for its piping and culture, died this morning. He was 70 and had been in hospital for a few weeks with various health issues. Iain was born in Glasgow to parents who were born on Great Bernera, just off the Isle of Lewis. […]
On Monday we kicked off the first of an occasional series on the stories behind some of our more famous tunes. There’s been a great response to this, with suggestions of further tunes to look at. Today, we kick off what will be another occasional series, that of famous pipers. […]
