Prestigious competition returns to Stornoway
Some of the world’s finest pipers will be performing in Stornoway this week, following news that the prestigious
Pipe Major Donald MacLeod Memorial Piping Competition is back after a three-year hiatus.
The annual competition which is hosted by The Lewis and Harris Piping Society was impacted by the Covid pandemic and is set to return to form with the addition of a new junior competition.
For almost 30 years, a small number of talented pipers have been invited to take part in the annual competition in celebration of the acclaimed piper and composer.
The newly added junior competition will welcome six youngsters from Uist, Barra, Lewis and Harris to perform at the Caladh Inn, Stornoway, today (Thursday April 6) followed by the performance of eight pipers invited to participate in the main competition at the Caladh Inn tomorrow (Friday April 7).
The event, which is billed as the “World Masters of Piping”, is supported by three main sponsors, Point and Sandwick Trust (PST), The Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust and Woody’s Express.
PST general manager Donald John MacSween said: “PST committed to supporting this competition back in 2019 and we are so pleased to see the return of the event following the pandemic.
“We are excited to see the addition of the new junior competition which will give six talented youngsters the opportunity to perform for the judges. PST wishes all the participants luck on the day.”
The eight pipers invited to take part in this year’s PM Donald MacLeod Memorial Competition are: William McCallum, Angus D MacColl, Callum Beaumont, Finlay Johnston, Connor Sinclair, Fred Morrison, Glenn Brown and James Duncan Mackenzie.
The six youngsters taking part in the junior competition are: brother and sister Eosaph and Mairead Gailbraith from Barra and Padruig MacMillan from South Uist – pupils of Dòmhnall Ban MacDonald – and Innes Begg from South Lochs, Eilidh MacDonald from Tarbert and Ruairidh MacDonald from Lochs – pupils of Ashley MacDonald.