EASTER CONCERT -23rd APRIL 2011
The following report was written by Ileach and Oban Times correspondant Hugh Smith and published in this weeks Oban Times. "The
skirl of the pipes and the beat of the drums were heard loud and clear
when the Bruichladdich sponsored Islay Pipe Band played to their hearts'
content at a fundraising concert in Bowmore village hall on Saturday.
John
MacLellan, manager of Kilchoman Distillery and an avid band supporter,
chaired the proceedings with good humour and was fulsome in his
encouragement of everyone who participated.
The band along with its
junior pipers and drum corps, played a variety of sets and held the
attention of the 100 plus supporters present and set feet-a-tapping.
The
concert also provided the first public airing of the new pipe tune 'Dr
Knowles Welcome to Port Ellen', penned by band member and former Scots
Guardman George Johnston in honour of local GP Jean Knowles who was in
the audience and strongly approved of the composition.
Junior
vocalists entertaining were Alasdair Currie and Ruaraidh MacKinnon. Mod
multi-winner Ryan Johnson was in top poetic form and the Ella Edgar
dancers representing a variety of age groups, delighted and charmed.
The
solo piper, who also accompanied the dancers, was Duncan Beattie who is
shortly to leave these shores to join the House of Edgar Shotts and
Dykehead Pipe Band.
Led by Pipe Major Nigel Morris and Lead Drummer
Sandy MacLean, the band brought the curtain down with 'The Braes of
Sutherland' which also featured violinist Mairi MacGillivary and Gillian
Morris on keyboard. This proved an effective and fitting finale to an
evening of quality piping and pleasing entertainment."
NB: The proceeds from the Concert raised £800 for band funds.
APRIL 2011 The
band are busy practising for the first competition of the season at the
Scottish Championships next month. As preparation for this, we are
holding a concert in Bowmore Hall on Easter Saturday - 23rd April. As
well as the band, other artists will be performing and the concert will
mark the debut performance of a brand new pipe tune composed by one of
our own pipers.
As 'Leaving Port Askaig' is a well known Islay tune,
Dr Knowles felt that there should also be a tune for Port Ellen and she
offered a generous donation to the band in return for a suitable tune.
One of the band members George Johnston (ex Scots Guards) composed the
tune which he has fittingly entitled 'Dr Knowles' Welcome to Port
Ellen'. We hope you can come along and enjoy a great night's entertainment!
|
FEBRUARY 2011
Now
that the days are stretching and spring is just around the corner, it
brings with it a sobering thought: there are only 12 weeks left until
the season kicks off with the Scottish Championships at Dumbarton!!!
With this in mind, the band are now stepping up a gear in preparation
for the competitions and also for a fundraising concert. This will take
place here on Islay during the Easter weekend.......so please make a
note in your diary and watch this space - more details coming soon!!!
NB. This year sees the loss to the band of two of it's most accomplished players, Ryan Bryce and Duncan Beattie.
Ryan is leaving due to other commitments and Duncan has been given the golden opportunity to play in Grade One
with
the legendary Shotts and Dykehead Pipe Band! The band will miss not
only their musicianship but also their sense of fun and camaraderie and
we would like to wish them both all the very best for the future. Haste
ye back!!!!
|
 Seasons Greetings
Christmas
is nearly upon us and the band is looking forward not only their annual
Christmas knees up but also to bringing in the New Year at the Port
Charlotte Hotel on Hogmanay. Since the Jura Music Festival they have
made a couple of appearances locally, playing at the Bowmore Distillery
Open Day in October and the Post Mod Concert last month. Lead tip
Sandy Maclean also spent a very fruitful weekend in Glasgow learning to
write drum scores and receiving tuition from current World Solo Drumming
Champion Barry Wilson. Although things have quietened down considerably
since the summer, the band have been keeping busy over the winter
learning new tunes for next years competition sets and trying (weather
permitting!) to fit in some practices with the mainland players.
Suddenly the new season doesn't seem such a long way off.......Merry
Christmas!!
SEPTEMBER - THE JURA MUSIC FESTIVAL
The short video above was shot at this years Music Festival - a
fantastic weekend of great music and an event which all the band look
forward to and enjoy immensely!!
28TH AUGUST 2010
Islay
Pipe Band rounded off the 2010 competition season with a fantastic 3rd
place at the Cowal Championships. Hearty congratulations to one and
all!! Here's Andrew's take on the days proceedings......
On
the 28th August, the band competed at the Cowal Games in Dunoon. We
were supposed to stay in Dunoon but our hotel went into administration!
(The only good news there is that we paid the deposit by credit card, so
hopefully we will get our money back one day.) We only received 12 days
notice of this, but luckily our friends at the Heritage Hotel in
Glasgow managed to put most of us up with a few going into the nearby
Botanic Hotel.
On
hearing of our predicament, Alisdair Ross phoned the Pipe Major and
offered us a free return ferry fare on Western Ferries and a generous
donation towards any extra costs for the bus. Thank you very much from
all the band to Alisdair and Western Ferries.
We
left Glasgow at 6am to catch the 7.45 ferry to Dunoon as we were due to
play at 11.18. There were quite a few showers during the morning but
it was dry when we went on to play. We had a good run and were quite
happy with our performance but then had the long wait until 6pm for the
results. However the Ceilidh Tent at Cowal was brilliant, with Gunna
Sound, Deoch 'n' dorus and to cap it all, the magnificent Skerryvore all
playing. It started to pour down in the afternoon, so we were glad we
were on early!
Local boy Robert McEachern was policing all day at Cowal and got a lift back to Glasgow with his Islay compatriots.
We
were awarded 3rd place and the whole band was ecstatic with this great
result to end our season. We then went on to play down Argyll street in
Dunoon and finally arrived back in Glasgow at 11pm.........it's hard
work this rock'n'roll lifestyle.....!! | |
JULY/AUGUST 2010
Latest News from the Worlds....... 6th
Place!!! What an outstanding achievement for the band in their 1st season
competing in Grade 3A. Well done, we're proud of you all!!
21st AUGUST 2010
AN UPDATE BY ANDREW ON THE RECENT ACTIVITIES OF THE PIPE BAND:On the 17th July, we competed at the Balloch Highland Games. We got 1st Place in Grade 3 and 2nd in Grade 2 which was a superb performance, as we beat two Grade 2 bands to lift the 2nd prize.
On
the 31st July, we competed at the European Championships at Stormont in
Belfast. We thought we had played quite well, so when we ended up 16th
out of 20, it was a bitter pill to swallow. Still, we had a great
night out in the town of Moira, near to where we were staying and
afterwards back at the hotel. Special thanks to Annette and James at
the Gill Good Lodge for their magnificent hospitality!
World Championships
We
headed for the World Championships having worked on a few points the
judges had raised on our crit sheets. It was a lovely day and Glasgow
Green had over 55,000 spectators - we never knew we were so popular!!
Seriously, we were on 4.15 pm and we played the best we have all
season. We were praying for a top 10 finish, so when the results came
out and we got 6th Place, winning a lovely trophy - well let's just say
we had a ball!! We ended 2nd for piping overall and the drummers were
14th out of 30 bands. I would like to give our young drum corps a
special mention, because while the pipe corps has been strengthened,
this is the same drum corps that has come all the way from Grade 4B, so a
great performance by Sandy, Calum, Shannon & Ryan and all the bass
section.
Our
next competition is Cowal at the end of August, so we go there with a
bit more confidence after our good result at the Worlds.
| |
JULY 2010: Europeans - Northern Ireland
*The
band has just returned from a highly enjoyable trip to the Europeans'
at Belfast. A disappointing 16th place at the Europeans' doesn't reflect
on what was a very good performance by the band.
  - This
Saturday (17th), sees the Islay Pipe Band head to the Loch Lomond
Highland Games at Balloch to compete in the Grade 2 & Grade 3
competitions. Although we are in Grade 3, at a minor competition you
can play up a grade, so we are going to try our luck.
|
We
are delighted that 'Kevan Brown Ltd' from Tiree is sponsoring the bus
to Balloch this weekend - as well as that he fits a fine bathroom and
kitchen!! A huge thank you from all the band for this great sponsor. (If anyone would like to sponsor the bus at a future competition, please phone Andrew on 01496 850271)
*We would also like to thank Lodge Kildalton 552 for the kind donation of £400 - many thanks!!
|
NEWS UPDATE .......Great result from Balloch.....1st place Grade 3 & 2nd place Grade 2 - Well done!!!
The
band recently held a bingo at Portnahaven Hall. Our thanks to Sheena,
the pipe band ladies and the Rhinns ladies for all their superb baking
etc. It was an amazing spread and even if you don't like bingo, it's
worth coming for the tea itself!! After raffle, tombola, teas etc, the
sum realised was a magnificent £700. Special thanks to our caller Eddie
Morris and to Wendy for her hard work in the kitchen. We also held a
very successful disco in Port Ellen on July 3rd and we would like to
thank all who came and supported the band.
 
Islay Pipe Band travelled to Annan last weekend to compete in the British Championships. We were first on in our grade at 2.00pm - we played very well and were delighted to gain 7th place, just one place outwith the prizes. The pipe corps were awarded a 2nd place by one piping judge and the drum corps climbed a few places as well, so all the hard work is paying off.
*We met Karl Savage and his wife Rosa who moved to the borders from Islay around 17 years ago. It was really nice of them to make the effort to come and support the band.
|
MAY 2010
On the 22nd May, Islay Pipe Band competed at our first competition of the year - the Scottish Championships at Dumbarton and we finished 11th in our new grade - 3A. There were a few errors by both drummers and pipers, but at least we know we can't afford any mistakes now when up against a lot of really good bands.
Our next competition is the British Championships at Annan at the end of June, where this time we will be required to play a March, Strathspey and Reel, so it's down to more hard work in the meantime and we'll see how we do there.
|
|
You
may have seen many of the youngsters playing alongside us during the
whisky festival and didn't they all do really well!! All of their tutors
are very proud of them and you can enjoy seeing them all again at the
Beach Rugby on the 12th June. (The band's next fundraiser will be a
disco the night before the Rugby - we hope to see you there!)
|
APRIL 2010 The band would like to thank fellow Ileach Robert Mackenzie who is holding a fundraising Ceilidh for the band on Friday 23rd April at Glasgow's Hillhead Rugby Club.
Music
will be provided by Iain Prentice's 'Sound of Islay' and some Islay
Pipe Band members will be there to perform as a mini band. For more
information regarding tickets, contact band secretary James McEachern:
(01496) 850392. A
huge thanks also to Jim Johnston and Diageo for the sum of £1000.
Jim's efforts in helping us at the New Year's dance resulted in this
donation. His son Ryan is busy learning the snare drum and it's great
to see parents like him getting involved in raising funds for the band.
HOGMANAY - PORT CHARLOTTE
Islay Pipe Band bring in 2010 and entertain the New Year revellers in Port Charlotte. | |
The band would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has
supported us this past year in every way. There are far too many, to
mention you all, but a special thanks must go to the MacTaggart Third
Fund and the Schroder Foundation for making up the shortfall when we
lost our Black Bottle sponsorship.
|
PROMOTED . . . . . NOT AGAIN!!
The band has just had confirmation from
the RSPBA, that they will be competing in Grade 3A next year.
To be promoted up the grades for the
third consecutive year is an extraordinary achievement and quite a
rarity in the pipe band world. While it probably would've been
beneficial to stay in Grade 3B for another year and have the time to
consolidate and strengthen the two corps before taking on 3A, the
'powers that be' have decided that Islay Pipe Band are ready for that particular
challenge!
So no pressure then - it's onwards and
upwards again!!
It
won't be an easy task. At this level the standard is considerably
higher and the competing 3A bands are excellent and very much on par
with each other - but with the
characteristic drive and determination of Pipe Major Morris and his
troops, you can be assured they will give it their all, and do Islay
proud as always.
|
JURA MUSIC FESTIVAL During
the September weekend, the band was at the Jura Music Festival. We
played
early on the Saturday afternoon and then held piping and
drumming workshops with the help of snare drum tutor Jim Whitefield. Everyone was kept busy
trying their hand, and then we played again in the late
afternoon. Saturday
evening was extremely busy with bagpipes and a ceilidh band playing in
the hotel. There was a concert in the hall, while local Jura band
'Pete Smoke and the Roaches' played in a marquee. The dancing in the
hall with Archie MacAllister and his Friends went on till..... well who
knows....but it was late anyway..!! The
band were staying in a house up on a hill behind the Antlers
Restaurant, and it was quite a dark walk up to it .......with the
result that the bramble bushes claimed a few casualties on the way..!!
A
great time was had by all and we would like to thank the Jura Festival
Committee for asking us over. | |
AT THE COWAL GAMES:
On
the 29th August, the Islay pipe Band travelled to Dunoon to compete at
the Cowal Games. This
was the bands last competition of the season
and we hoped to finish on a high. We were playing at 10.48 in the
Grade 3 arena, changing from playing the Medley this
time, to a March, Strathspey and Reel. We thought we played really
well and came off feeling reasonably happy: it was in the hands of
the judges now......The weather had held off and it was only our
friends from Badenoch & Strathspey Pipe Band who got a
soaking, as they were last on to play.
The
results were announced at 5.30: We came fifth and were delighted to
take home our sixth trophy of the season - a magnificent effort from
the whole band for our first season in Grade 3B.
Two
of Ella Edgar's Highland Dancing prodigies, Emily Logan and Eilidh
McDonald carried the trophy in front of the band as we
marched down the street. The McColls Hotel where we were staying, had
a ceilidh band playing for the night, so it was a very weary band which
headed home on Sunday!!
| |
NEW SPIRIT FOR ISLAY PIPE BAND (From press release)
Bruichladdich is to sponsor the award winning Islay Pipe Band. 
The band were crowned Champion of Champions in 2008, after winning their grade at the Scottish, British and Cowal Championships and being placed 2nd at the European and World Champiponships. The band were hoping to compete in Grade 3B in 2009, but when Black Bottle, their major sponsor, pulled out in these credit crunch fuelled days we find ourselves in, a frantic appeal was made to find a new supporter, in addition to other emergency fund raising measures to keep the dream alive.
Islay Pipe Band should really ought to be supported by an Islay distillery at the various national and international events, so we are happy to be able to help in our humble way. We're not seeking to rename the band or anything like that - but luckily 'Bruichladdich Islay Single Malt' just about fits around the big drum!
 Footnote from Pipe Major Nigel Morris.
'The band will finish the 2009 competition season in August under the Black Bottle identity, and we thank them for
their past support.
ISLAY PIPE BAND AT THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS:
On the 15th August, Islay Pipe Band competed
at the World Championships in Grade 3B. We arrived at Glasgow Green at
8.00am - as you need to arrive this early in order to get your bus as
close as possible to the action. The rain was pouring down, but we
managed to get the gazebo up while Pipey went to register us.
|
We were practising in the gazebo by 9.00,
with another chanter practice at noon, pipes at 12.30 and competing at
1.40pm. We were 6th on out of the 27 bands in our grade.
The
weather started to clear and our spirits rose. We played really well
and came off the arena thinking we had done a good job - mind you so
did a lot of other bands. The March Past and Results were at 6.00pm.
Our grade was won by a South African band - Benoni MacTalla and well
done to them! We were placed 7th overall (out of 27 bands) and were
just outside the prizes - but there is always next year!
|
This
Saturday coming will be our last competition of the year at the Cowal
Games. I love Cowal - it will always be my favourite. Piping down the
street at night gives everyone a huge buzz and hopefully we will have a
trophy in front of us...........
The band
would like to thank the owner of Oran Mor for letting us practise in the
auditorium on the Friday before the Worlds, when the rain was lashing
down outside. All we had to do in return was to play a few tunes in the
bar - which went down well with the locals.
ISLAY AIR SHOW
  
The band has just had another busy weekend,
playing at the Islay Air Show and at Ardmore. Several of the learners
played with the band for the first time in public at the Air Show and
included eight pipers and three drummers - so things look good for the
future. Well done to them all! After
Cowal the band will be having a few weeks holiday, but chanter practice
will resume on 17th September at 7.00pm at ICCI in Bowmore.
JULY 2009 BALLOCH GAMES - LOCH LOMOND
Islay Pipe Band has
been very busy in the last two weeks of July competing at Balloch on
18th July and at Inverclyde on 25th July. The minor competition at
Balloch was in doubt as CalMac took our ferry away - there was no
7.00am sailing. So we phoned the organisers and who said they would put
us on on last in Grade 3 - at about 3.30pm. To cut a long story short,
we reached Balloch at 3.00pm. Pipe Major Morris went into overdrive and
got us all 'singing'. We went on to play, came off, had a quick
breather and then we were back on to play in Grade 2. As this was a
minor competition you can play up a grade as well. The results were
announced at 5.30pm so it was a quick day.... We were placed first in
Grade 3 and second in Grade 2 so it was a happy bus that travelled back
to Glasgow. The band congregated in the 'Islay Inn' where there were a
few 'Islay Airs' and even some Irish dancing!
******
THE EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS - INVERCLYDE
 
The Balloch competition was to prove
a great warm up for the European Championships which were being held in
Greenock on 25th July.
Not such a rush this time as we were away on the
Friday.
It was a beautiful day and the setting at Battery Park was just
perfect. We were on sixth out of the sixteen bands in Grade 3B. Once
again the sun shone on us, as we are now ...........
GRADE 3B EUROPEAN CHAMPIONS!!
What an achievement!
|
******
We would like to
thank everyone for their support,
financially and otherwise, as we couldn't do it without you.
Our next
competition is the World Championships in August when there will be 27
bands in our grade which will be a huge challenge.
******
|
JUNE 2009
AT THE BRITISH CHAMPIONSHIPS IN IRELAND
Islay Pipe Band travelled to Ireland last weekend to the British Pipe Band Championships,
leaving Islay on Thursday as we were catching the early morning ferry
to Troon on Friday morning. We stayed at the Heritage Hotel in
Glasgow, where the staff accept us as part of the family. - well worth
a stay!
We left on the Seacat from Troon to
Larne which took around two hours. We were staying at a guesthouse
called the ‘Gil-Good Lodge’ which managed to fit us all in and we had
the whole place to ourselves. The lodge lies about halfway between
Belfast and Banbridge, where the competition took place, After a
practice on Friday afternoon, we went into Belfast to do some
shopping. The girls seem to have this down to a fine art, although a
few were late back to the bus and big Andy was worried the dinner would
be ruined! - it wasn’t!! After dinner we had a chanter practice before
turning in.
On Saturday morning the day was
dull and drizzly, but we headed for Banbridge in good spirits, due to
play at 10.54. The band played their set really well before going on
to play for the Drum Majors competition. By midday we had the rest of
the day to ourselves before the results announcement at 5.30pm.
This was the first time we had played our medley and we ended up with 3rd place, much to the delight of the whole band.
 We headed back to the lodge where our hostess Annette had a lovely buffet
prepared, but not before making    an unsceduled stop to rescue a damsel in distress, spotted by the roadside! Before having dinner we rounded off the day by playing a few selections from the whole band for a bus party who were dining in the Lodge.
We
would once again like to thank everyone who has helped to support us
either through donations or by supporting our fundraising events.
|
