The Highland Society of London’s Gold Medal was won by Jamie Forrester at the Argyllshire Gathering today, August 25, 2022. The top five placings were: Jamie Forrester, Haddington Sandy Cameron, Roy Bridge John Mulhearn, Glasgow Sean McKeown, Bowmanville, Canada Derek Midgley, Tinton Falls, USAJudges: Alan Forbes, Murray Henderson and Bob […]
1978 BY JEANNIE CAMPBELL MBE In 1978 the Argyllshire Gathering introduced a Silver Medal competition. For the Gold Medal competition, first prize winners in this event were excluded and entry was restricted to those who had won a prize in competition for the Gold Medal at a former gathering at […]
1977 BY JEANNIE CAMPBELL MBE Competitors in the Northern Meeting Clasp Competition and the Argyllshire Gathering Open Piobaireachd competition in 1977 were required to select and submit four from the following list of six tunes: Sobieski’s Salute, The Stewarts’ White Banner, Mary’s Praise, The MacDonalds’ Salute (the tune Fannet would […]
1976 BY JEANNIE CAMPBELL MBE The Gathering had remained unchanged for many years but 1976 marked a watershed with the first of several big changes coming in the force. In January 1976 Seumas MacNeill wrote: “1976 is going to be – for piping at least – a great deal different […]
DAN NEVANS relates last week’s in-person competitions at Oban and Lochaber from the perspective of a competing piper I’ve never really been one for vacations. I’m just not good at relaxing. I always feel like the sands of my own personal hourglass increase their irreversible passage as soon as I […]
This year’s Argyllshire Gathering – the 150th anniversary – was notable for the fact that it took place at all. Up until the middle of July, there was a widespread belief that, despite Scotland now being in Level 0 of its government’s COVID-19 restrictions, organisers would nevertheless not be able […]
With the COVID situation in France worsening, organisers of the annual Lorient Interceltic Festival say there will be no pipe bands or dancers this year. Methill Pipe Band, Strathallan Pipe Band and Prince Charles Pipe Band (San Francisco) had been lined up to travel to Brittany to take part in […]
The 2020 Argyllshire Gathering was formally cancelled today. It had been due to take place in Oban, Scotland over August 26 and 27. The belated announcement will surprise no one and comes exactly three months after the Northern Meeting cancelled its competitions for 2020 due to the worldwide coronavirus pandemic. […]
By Stuart Letford for Bagpipe.News Prepare for the long haul regarding the Coronavirus, folks. That was the message from a webinar discussion into the future of piping and pipe bands post-Covid-19. Further, there is a chance there may be no pipe band competitions held in 2021. The webinar took place […]
“We will not succeed in navigating the complex environment of the future by peering relentlessly into a rear view mirror. To do so, we would be out of our minds.” – Ken Robinson, Out of Our Minds (Capstone, 2001). Like most of you, I have now spent eight weeks self-isolating. […]
