News
Set Tunes 2025
The Piobaireachd Society recommends the following for competitions in 2025:
A. SENIOR COMPETITIONS
A new approach to setting tunes for the senior competitions was adopted in 2023 for a trial period of five years. The aim is to give competitors a wider choice of tunes while still ensuring exposure for the appropriate repertoire. If deemed successful, the period may be extended beyond five years.
Competitors will submit six tunes from the list below. Different tunes will be selected for each competitor for the Argyllshire Gathering and the Northern Meeting in the same year. The chosen tunes will be noted and competitors will not be permitted to submit these two tunes again for a period of at least five years.
The list may be expanded from year to year on the recommendation of the Piobaireachd Society. It is unlikely that any of the tunes will be removed from the list.
The Finger Lock | PS 1, K |
In Praise of Morag | PS 1, K |
The Unjust Incarceration | PS 2, K |
The Bells of Perth | PS 2, K |
Lament for Donald Ban MacCrimmon | PS 2, K |
Donald Gruamach’s March | PS 2, K |
Colin Roy MacKenzie’s Lament | PS 3, K |
Lament for the Duke of Hamilton | PS 3, K |
Lament for the Earl of Antrim | PS 3, K |
Lament for the Children | PS 3, K |
Patrick Og MacCrimmon’s Lament | PS 3, K |
Scarce of Fishing | PS 3, K |
The Red Speckled Bull | PS 4, K |
Beinn a Ghriain | PS 4 |
John Garve MacLeod of Raasay’s Lament | PS 5, K |
Mary’s Praise | PS 5, K |
Lament for the Union | PS 6, K |
Craigellachie | PS 6, K |
The Daughter’s Lament | PS 6, K |
The Sound of the Waves against the Castle of Duntroon | PS 6, K |
The End of the Little Bridge | PS 8, K |
Lady MacDonald’s Lament | PS 8, K |
Nameless Cherede Darievea | PS 8, K |
The Laird of Anapool’s Lament | PS 9 |
The Rout of the Lowland Captain | PS 9 |
MacLeod of Colbeck’s Lament | PS 10 |
MacKenzie of Gairloch’s Lament | PS 10 |
The Red Hand in the MacDonald’s Arms | PS 10 |
The MacLeans’ March | PS 10 |
The Battle of Waterloo | PS 11 |
Mrs MacLeod of Talisker’s Salute | PS 11 |
The MacDonalds’ Salute | PS 11 |
Abercairney’s Salute | PS 11 |
My Dearest on Earth, Give me your Kiss | PS 11 |
Lament for the Harp Tree | PS 12, K |
Port Urlar | PS 12 |
Lament for Airds | PS 13 |
Lament for Hugh | PS 13 |
Salute to MacDonald of Staffa | PS 13 |
Good Health to You Donald | PS 13 |
The Sutherlands’ Gathering | PS 14 |
Lament for King George III | PS 14 |
Lament for Cluny MacPherson | PS 14 |
Sir James MacDonald of the Isles’ Salute | PS 14 |
MacLeod of MacLeod’s Lament | PS 15, K |
Farewell to the Queen’s Ferry | PS 20th Century Piob. 2020 edition |
Lament for John MacDonald, Inverness | PS 20th Century Piob. 2020 edition |
Lament for Pipe Major Robert Reid | PS 20th Century Piob. 2020 edition |
Salute to James Campbell | PS 20th Century Piob. 2020 edition |
Salute to the MacCrimmon Cairn at Borreraig | PS 20th Century Piob. 2020 edition |
The Phantom Piper of Corrieyairack | PS 20th Century Piob. 2020 edition |
Roderick MacDonald’s Salute | Donald MacLeod Piob. 2019 edition |
A Son’s Salute to his Parents | Donald MacLeod Piob. 2019 edition |
The Edinburgh Piobaireachd | John MacLellan Ceol Mor |
B. GOLD MEDAL COMPETITIONS
The Prince’s Salute (#) | PS 1, K |
Lament for the Departure of King James | PS 3, K |
Lady Margaret MacDonald’s Salute | PS 3, K |
The Stewarts’ White Banner | PS 7 |
Ronald MacDonald of Morar’s Lament | PS 8, K |
The Young Laird of Dungallon’s Salute (#) | PS 10 |
The MacLeans’ March (#) | PS 10 |
A Son’s Salute to his Parents | Donald MacLeod Piob. 2019 edition |
Competitors will submit four of the above tunes, one of which they will be required to play. For the purposes of the Gold Medal competitions, tunes marked (#) require crunluaths a mach.
C. SILVER MEDAL COMPETITIONS
Lament for the Viscount of Dundee | PS 1, K |
You’re Welcome, Ewen Lochiel | PS 2, K |
The Rout of the MacPhees (#) | PS 4 |
MacDonald of Kinlochmoidart’s Lament No 1 | PS 6, K |
The Desperate Battle (#) | PS 7, K |
The MacFarlanes’ Gathering | PS 7, K |
The Piper’s Warning to his Master | PS 12, K |
Chisholm’s Salute (#) | PS 14, K |
Competitors will submit four of the above tunes, one of which they will be required to play. For the purposes of the Silver Medal competitions, tunes marked (#) require crunluaths a mach.
PS = Piobaireachd Society Collection K = Kilberry Book of Ceol Mor
The Donald MacLeod and PS 20th Century Piobaireachd collections have been corrected and re-printed recently in A4 format and it is recommended that these be used as the sources for these tunes.
Competitors are not restricted to settings in the Piobaireachd Society Collection and Kilberry Book. Those who wish to play alternative settings should submit legible scores, indicating the origins of the settings, to competition organisers along with their tune selections.
Altogether different tunes known by the same or similar names will not be accepted as alternatives. This announcement is without prejudice to any arrangements made by the Argyllshire Gathering or the Northern Meeting.
For the Music Committee: Ronald McShannon, 2 Ascot Avenue, Glasgow, G12 0AX
Annual Conference Report
A report by President Robert Wallace on this year’s very successful Conference is available to members here.
President’s Newsletter
The Newsletter is issued most months with the exception of summer. If you do not receive a copy, generally out at the end of the month, please email president@piobaireachd.co.uk. The Newsletter features information and news on the Society’s activities.
Archie Kenneth Quaich 2024
This ever-popular amateur piobaireachd contest was held in the rooms of the Royal Scottish Pipers Society on 24th February. The judges were Ronald McShannon and Finlay Johnston, for the second time. They commented afterwards to the assembled competitors that spending more time on the tuning of the bagpipe on the boards would have improved several performances. However the standard overall was good, and the winners particularly so. Alan Forbes, Chairman of the Piobaireachd Society’s Music Committee, kindly gave out the prizes. In summary, these were:
- Arran King
- Edmund Boland
- Owain Woodman Carr
- Graham Farr
- John Forbes
Check out the rules and history of the AKQ here.
Silver Chanter
The Piobaireachd Society has agreed to take over the running of one of piping’s most iconic events, the Silver Chanter. It will do so under an agreement with Mossburn Distillers/Torabhaig Distillery and Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the Gaelic College. Both are near neighbours on the Sleat Peninsula on the isle of Skye.
The Silver Chanter will be funded by the Society and by Mossburn/Torabhaig. Both have agreed substantial financial support for the next five years. The venue will be Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, thus maintaining ‘the Chanter’s’ presence on its home island.
The first year of the new arrangement will be 2024. There will be no Silver Chanter this year. The Society will maintain as many of the traditions associated with the competition as is possible. The date will be the Thursday evening of the Skye Gathering. It will be a black tie, gala occasion. It will be recorded.
The competition will remain invitational but with the six pipers drawn from the Dunvegan Medal, the Col. Jock MacDonald Clasp (both Skye Gathering competitions), the Gold Medals and senior piobaireachd events at Oban and Inverness, and the current Silver Chanter holder. The music will be from the MacCrimmon tune list used for the senior competition at the Skye Gathering.
Robert Wallace, President of the Piobaireachd Society, said: ‘The National Piping Centre ran the Silver Chanter successfully over the past five years. Now that their time has come to an end, our members and our General Committee were of the view that we should do whatever we could to ensure the survival of the recital/competition, and that it should be held, if viable, on the isle of Skye.
‘We believe that the sustainable model we have established will give stability to what has been, since 1968, an important fixture in the piping calendar. The original aim of the Silver Chanter was to encourage piobaireachd on Skye and I believe the Society’s decision will continue this.’
THE PIOBAIREACHD SOCIETY SET TUNES FOR 2024
The Piobaireachd Society recommends the following for competitions in 2024:
A. SENIOR COMPETITIONS
A new approach to setting tunes for the senior competitions was adopted in 2023 for a trial period of five years. The aim is to give competitors a wider choice of tunes while still ensuring exposure for the appropriate repertoire. If deemed successful, the period may be extended beyond five years.
Competitors will submit six tunes from the list below. Different tunes will be selected for each competitor for the Argyllshire Gathering and the Northern Meeting in the same year. The chosen tunes will be noted and competitors will not be permitted to submit these two tunes again for a period of at least five years.
The list may be expanded from year to year on the recommendation of the Piobaireachd Society. It is unlikely that any of the tunes will be removed from the list.
The Finger Lock | PS 1, K |
In Praise of Morag | PS 1, K |
The Unjust Incarceration | PS 2, K |
The Bells of Perth | PS 2, K |
Lament for Donald Ban MacCrimmon | PS 2, K |
Donald Gruamach’s March | PS 2, K |
Colin Roy MacKenzie’s Lament | PS 3, K |
Lament for the Duke of Hamilton | PS 3, K |
Lament for the Earl of Antrim | PS 3, K |
Lament for the Children | PS 3, K |
Patrick Og MacCrimmon’s Lament | PS 3, K |
Scarce of Fishing | PS 3, K |
The Red Speckled Bull | PS 4, K |
Beinn a Ghriain | PS 4 |
John Garve MacLeod of Raasay’s Lament | PS 5, K |
Mary’s Praise | PS 5, K |
Lament for the Union | PS 6, K |
Craigellachie | PS 6, K |
The Daughter’s Lament | PS 6, K |
The Sound of the Waves against the Castle of Duntroon | PS 6, K |
The End of the Little Bridge | PS 8, K |
Lady MacDonald’s Lament | PS 8, K |
Nameless Cherede Darievea | PS 8, K |
The Laird of Anapool’s Lament | PS 9 |
The Rout of the Lowland Captain | PS 9 |
MacLeod of Colbeck’s Lament | PS 10 |
MacKenzie of Gairloch’s Lament | PS 10 |
The Red Hand in the MacDonald’s Arms | PS 10 |
The MacLeans’ March | PS 10 |
The Battle of Waterloo | PS 11 |
Mrs MacLeod of Talisker’s Salute | PS 11 |
The MacDonalds’ Salute | PS 11 |
Abercairney’s Salute | PS 11 |
My Dearest on Earth, Give me your Kiss | PS 11 |
Lament for the Harp Tree | PS 12, K |
Port Urlar | PS 12 |
Lament for Airds | PS 13 |
Lament for Hugh | PS 13 |
Salute to MacDonald of Staffa | PS 13 |
Good Health to You Donald | PS 13 |
The Sutherlands’ Gathering | PS 14 |
Lament for King George III | PS 14 |
Lament for Cluny MacPherson | PS 14 |
Sir James MacDonald of the Isles’ Salute | PS 14 |
MacLeod of MacLeod’s Lament | PS 15, K |
Farewell to the Queen’s Ferry | PS 20th Century Piob. 2020 edition |
Lament for John MacDonald, Inverness | PS 20th Century Piob. 2020 edition |
Lament for Pipe Major Robert Reid | PS 20th Century Piob. 2020 edition |
Salute to James Campbell | PS 20th Century Piob. 2020 edition |
Salute to the MacCrimmon Cairn at Borreraig | PS 20th Century Piob. 2020 edition |
The Phantom Piper of Corrieyairack | PS 20th Century Piob. 2020 edition |
Roderick MacDonald’s Salute | Donald MacLeod Piob. 2019 edition |
A Son’s Salute to his Parents | Donald MacLeod Piob. 2019 edition |
The Edinburgh Piobaireachd | John MacLellan Ceol Mor |
B. GOLD MEDAL COMPETITIONS
The Big Spree | PS 1, K |
Black Donald’s March (#) | PS 3, K |
The Blue Ribbon (#) | PS 5, K |
The MacDougalls’ Gathering | PS 5, K |
Nameless (Hiharin odin, hiharin dro) | PS 5, K |
The Glen is Mine (#) | PS 6, K |
Clanranald’s Salute (#) | PS 7, K |
Farewell to the Laird of Islay (#) | PS 9 |
The Battle of Sheriffmuir (#) | PS 15, K |
The Gunns’ Salute | PS 15 |
Competitors will submit six of the above tunes, one of which they will be required to play.
For the purposes of the Gold Medal competitions, tunes marked (#) require crunluaths a mach.
C. SILVER MEDAL COMPETITIONS
Lament for MacSwan of Roaig | PS 1, K |
The Gathering of Clan Chattan (#) | PS 2, K |
The Gathering of the MacNabs (#) | PS 5, K |
MacKintosh’s Lament | PS 8, K |
MacNeil of Barra’s March | PS 10 |
Melbank’s Salute | PS 14 |
The Cave of Gold (#) | PS 16 |
Cronan Phadruig Seumas | Donald MacLeod Piob. 2019 edition |
Competitors will submit four of the above tunes, one of which they will be required to play.
For the purposes of the Silver Medal competitions, tunes marked (#) require crunluaths a mach.
PS = Piobaireachd Society Collection K = Kilberry Book of Ceol Mor
The Donald MacLeod and PS 20th Century Piobaireachd collections have been corrected and re-printed recently in A4 format and it is recommended that these be used as the sources for these tunes.
Competitors are not restricted to settings in the Piobaireachd Society Collection and Kilberry Book. Those who wish to play alternative settings should submit legible scores, indicating the origins of the settings, to competition organisers along with their tune selections.
Altogether different tunes known by the same or similar names will not be accepted as alternatives.
This announcement is without prejudice to any arrangements made by the Argyllshire Gathering or the Northern Meeting.
For the Music Committee, Ronald McShannon, 2 Ascot Avenue, Glasgow, G12 0AX
2023 Annual Conference
A report by President Robert Wallace on last weekend’s Annual Conference can be read by members here. The conference was well attended with a very high quality of contributions both written and played.