Marching to success

CONGRATULATIONS to Inveraray and District Pipe Band on winning the British Championship.

There is a multi-cultural feel to Inveraray and District Pipe Band these days as it attracts pipers and drummers from many parts of the world in a similar fashion to the top sports teams.

But this is still an Inveraray and district band, make no mistake. Present day success has its roots in years of hard work and dedication.

Go back a decade or so and Stuart Liddell was leading his young bunch of future champions in borrowed, non-matching kit into the Cowal Games arena.

With coaching from Stuart himself, the late Robert Stewart and others, supported by a stalwart committee, it wasn’t long before they shot up the rankings.

At that time the players were drawn from Inveraray and wider Argyll.

That core of Argyll players remains and they are fully aware of where they have come from. There’s no way their pipe major would let them forget.

And let’s not forget our other local pipe bands. Mid Argyll and Kintyre Schools did particularly well at the British Championships. Then we have the Oban bands, Dunoon Grammar School and Isle of Islay. If we’ve forgotten any, our apologies.

Every band is run by volunteers and it takes a lot of stamina and cash to keep them going.

Well done to everyone and here’s to success for the season ahead.