All readers will want to pass on their best wishes to P/M Ian McLellan who has been in hospital for a brief spell. Ian is now well on the road to recovery. He features in this month’s PT and in next month’s Pipe Band magazine – major retrospectives celebrating his 75th birthday and wonderful career with Strathclyde Police.

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Uist and Barra tomorrow at the CoP. Starts 9am admission £8. 13 in piob; 14 ceol beag. Judges for the ceol mor are Willie Morrison, Stuart Shedden and Neil Mulvie with Barry Donaldson taking over from Neil in the light music. £200 for both firsts and £150 for H&J. Invitees are Douglas and Jim Murray, Glenn Brown, Gordon Walker, Donald MacPhee (I’m told Donald’s father Sandy will be in attendance from the US), Peter Hunt, William Geddes, Finlay Johnston (who will dash north to play with Inveraray at the Bucksburn concert after going on first), Angus MacColl, Allan Russell, Niall Stewart, Niall Mathieson, John Angus Smith (Mod qualifier) and Iain Speirs. Some top piping guaranteed in the first major of the season. The second is the SPA in April also at the CoP. Unlike the U&B the SPA is still open so you get a broader spectrum of ability but top playing nevertheless. Judges for the SPA ceol mor are Willie Morrison and Dugald MacNeill and MSR John Wilson and Ian McLellan (hopefully fit again).

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John and Jack Taylor will be giving the CPA seminar in Edinburgh in May in memory of the late Jim McGregor. Great idea to remember Jim in this way. He would have been humbled and proud. I hope he knew the high regard everyone in the piping world had for him.

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Thanks to all those who have signed on early for the New England School. It is going to be a great week at governor’s Academy in July. Registrations for the Highland School are coming along fine too thanks to Alison’s hard work.

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Query on CoP Facebook: should a kilt belt be worn with waistcoat? Definitely bad idea. One or t’other is always the rule, be it day or evening wear.

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Still on Fb Dinger Bell says he has some leave from Iraq coming up. Get the kettle on Willie, says the man.

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Jim McGillivray, Ontario, has sent this picture of a set of pipes he has acquired. They were sold originally by the CoP and then sold on. They are a beautiful set I think you’ll agree and Jim says they have a marvellous tone. When we sold them in 2005 they were known as ‘Hector MacLean’s pipes’. Jim says it looks like they are a Donald MacPhee set, silver and ivory, with stocks replaced by Henderson in 1951. I don’t know if readers can expand the pic sufficiently to appreciate the quality of the manufacture.

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Will have the U&B results tomorrow on Fast News.

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First thing in the morning is the RSPBA AGM.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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