Teenagers from Barra and Benbecula took the top honours at the Lewis and Harris Piping Society’s annual Junior Piping Competition held in Sir E Scott, Tarbert recently, which saw its largest number of entrants in the Under 18 piping category for years.
It was a fast-paced day, with the competition last Saturday (October 5) beginning at 9am and finishing at 3pm to allow the competitors from the Southern Isles to catch the last ferry from Leverburgh back to the Uists at 5pm.
It was a three-day trip for the Barra competitors, including Calum MacNeil who would go on to take the overall Under 18 win.
The overall Under 15 winner was Niall MacRury from Benbecula.
Competition was close in a lot of the categories and the piping society were delighted to have 16 entrants in the Under 18 piping category – their highest number for years and a “surprising” number, according to judge Alasdair Henderson.
Lewis and Harris Youth Pipe Band director Ashley MacDonald, who did much of the organising of the competition, said:
“I am delighted with how the day went.
“Everyone had such an early start but we were all in good spirits.
“The kids know each other well now and have developed great friendships.
“The judges Alasdair Henderson and Euan Cowan had their work cut out for them.
“The Under 18 piping had 16 participants.
“That’s the highest entry in a competition we’ve had in years and I’m delighted.
“All the kids did really well and they should all be proud of themselves for taking part.”
The competition is in various sections, from beginners on chanter to the Under 18s playing Piobaireachd, MSRs (March, Strathspey and Reel) and Hornpipe and Jigs.
Southern Isles piping tutor Dòmhnall Bàn MacDonald, who travelled with the players, said it was a “fantastic effort” all round and they were “delighted with the results”.
Dòmhnall Bàn, named Tutor of the Year win at the Scots Trad Music Awards and subsequently given Local Hero status by the Scottish Parliament, said:
“I’m very proud of them all.
“It has been a busy time for our young pipers and chanter players as they were competing at the Barra Mod the week before and some of them will be competing at the Mod in Oban next Saturday.
“Thanks to the committee for sponsoring the competition and thanks to all the parents for their support, especially the Barra parents who had to spend two nights in Uist so they could take part.
“It was a great team effort.”
Dòmhnall Bàn said Calum was “an excellent piper and a very good team player” and is “always a pleasure to teach”.
He also plays accordion and whistle.
He said Niall is “a talented piper and a very popular member of the Sgoil Lionacleit Pipe Band”, adding:
“With further practice, he will develop into an excellent player.”
Alasdair Henderson said:
“It was a lovely day.
“It was good to see so many of them up, especially from Uist and Barra.
“I was actually surprised at the amount of kids we had in for it.
“It was a good standard and it was nice to hear a variety of piobaireachd.
“Sometimes you get to these junior competitions and you hear the same tune over and over and over but we heard a variety and some good MSR turns as well.”
Alasdair said “the folk who ended up taking the top spots showed something that little bit special” and a certain maturity to their playing, but added there were a lot of youngsters who only just missed out on prizes as competition was so close.
He added there was “something kind of magical” about an event such as this, in the isles, due to its rich history of piping.
Alasdair had given a recital the previous evening, at the Caladh Inn in Stornoway, which made for good practice ahead of his competing at the Glenfiddich Piping Championship at Blair Castle at the end of the month.
“It gave me a wee chance to play some of the competition tunes I will be playing in front of an audience.
“It’s always good to get a wee bit of pressure on.”
Ashley thanked the parents and guardians, especially those from Uist and Barra, for taking the youngsters over.
“The people from Barra had to stay overnight in Uist on Friday before catching the ferry on Saturday and then again having to stay in Uist on Saturday night and the boat back home to Barra on Sunday.
“That’s a huge travel expense and commitment which we are grateful for.
“A big thanks to the piping instructors too who put in the hard work at teaching our youth.”
Lewis and Harris Piping Society chairman Dr John Smith said:
“We are very pleased with the way the day went.
“We seem to have found a location that suits both sides, so to speak.
“And although there might seem to be frenetic activity at times we got through all the different sections in time to let our friends from the South catch the last ferry.
“We are very grateful to all those who helped at the competition, especially the committee members of the Lewis and Harris Youth Pipe Band and their helpers who did the catering on the day.
“Our thanks also to all those who donated trophies for the competition and a special thanks to Ashley MacDonald who bears the brunt of the responsibility for organising the competition.”
The Piping Society medal was awarded to every prize winner, along with other prize items thanks to the Gordon Duncan Memorial Trust and McCallum pipes.
Various groups have donated new piping trophies, which the Piping Society are grateful for, but are still looking for more.
Anyone interested in donating is invited to contact Ashley on lhpipingsociety@gmail.com
Full list of prizewinners:
Beginner chanter
1st Micheal Iain MacMillan
2nd Albie Linnich
3rd Catherine Williams
4th Ellie Beaton
5th Karis MacLean
6th Tearlach Stewart
Micheal Iain MacMillan
Novice Chanter
1st Kate MacDonald
2nd Iagan MacDonald
Kate MacDonald
Advanced Chanter
1st Sarah MacDonald
2nd Patrica Mallon
3rd Maria Beaton
4th Francis MacLellan
5th Katie MacRury
6th Callum MacDonald
Sarah MacDonald
Novice Piping
1st Shonnie Beaton
2nd Mairi MacNeil
3rd Charlene Nicholson
4th Coinneach MacKenzie
5th Niamh MacInnes
6th Kaylah MacDonald
Shonnie Beaton
Under 15 Piobaireachd
1st Niall MacRury
2nd Ciorstaidh MacLean
Under 15 March
1st Liam Beaton
2nd Niall MacRury
3rd Ciorstaidh MacLean
4th Mille Shepherd
5th Matthew MacLeod
Under 15 Strathspey & Reel
1st Liam Beaton
2nd Niall MacRury
3rd Mille Shepherd
4th Ciorstaidh MacLean
5th Matthew MacLeod
Under 15 Hornpipe
1st Niall MacRury
2nd Liam Beaton
3rd Mille Shepherd
4th Ciorstaidh MacLean
5th Matthew MacLeod
Under 15 Jig
1st Niall MacRury
2nd Liam Beaton
3rd Mille Shepherd
4th Ciorstaidh MacLean
5th Matthew MacLeod
Overall winner under 15
Niall MacRury – Benbecula
Niall MacRury
Under 18 Piobaireachd
1st Micheal MacLellan
2nd Mairead Galbraith
3rd Callum MacNeil
4th Isabel Beaton
5th Racheal Sinclair
6th Charlie Shirkie
Under 18 March
1st Calum Beaton
2nd Micheal MacLellan
3rd Calum MacNeil
4th Racheal Sinclair
5th Mairead Galbraith
6th Isabel Beaton
Under 18 Strathspey and Reel
1st Calum MacNeil
2nd Micheal MacLellan
3rd Mairead Galbraith
4th Racheal Sinclair
5th Calum Beaton
6th Isabel Beaton
Under 18 Jig
1st Calum MacNeil
2nd Padruig MacLean
3rd Micheal MacLellan
4th Calum Beaton
5th Mairead Galbraith
6th Ian Alex MacDonald
Under 18 Hornpipe
1st Calum MacNeil
2nd Micheal MacLellan
3rd Padruig MacLean
4th Alexander MacLeod
5th Ceitidh MacLean
6th Katie MacRae
Overall winner under 18
Calum MacNeil – Barra
