Tag: Donald MacKay

Final years of the Glasgow Celtic Society’s Grand National Gathering

Final years of the Glasgow Celtic Society’s Grand National Gathering

PART THREE • By JEANNIE CAMPBELL MBE In 1860 the Glasgow Celtic Society announced that: “The directors having resolved on suspending for a season their Annual Games have arranged an Excursion Trip per the ‘Craignish Castle’ to Arrochar on Thursday 5th July at 8.30am returning from thence at 6pm. At […]

Piping, charity and tragedy in London in the 1900s

Piping, charity and tragedy in London in the 1900s

by JEANNIE CAMPBELL MBE. Donald MacKay, from Beauly (1880-1910) was a successful amateur piper, as was his brother Archibald, both winning many prizes at the London gatherings. Donald then turned professional and in 1902 he played at the Northern Meeting and was placed second in the Gold Medal. In 1903 […]

Alisdair McLaren: Ten years after

Alisdair McLaren: Ten years after

It’s been a quite a decade. I took over as Director of the National Youth Pipe Band of Scotland (NYPBoS) in 2009 shortly after moving to Scotland from Australia. Ten years later, I’m looking forward at marking that decade with an NYPBoS concert on February 8 in Edinburgh at the […]

Piobaireachd Society Secretary, Bill Wotherspoon plays at the grave of one of piping's great figures of the past, Major General C. S. Thomason. 2011 was the centenary of his death.

The Piobaireachd Society salutes its first president, General Thomason

By John KS Frater Major General Charles Simeon Thomason, one of the leading figures of the great Highland bagpipe, died on July 12, 1911. The first President of the Piobaireachd Society (PS), he had become quite an obscure figure until fellow Sapper and piper, Brian MacKenzie brought him to life […]