Famous Pipers
[kicked] by Iain Dubh [Black John] Healsoproducedfiveoutstanding
and told me,he,used me worse than marches in the newly developing
a cu [dog]. ‘competition’ style. All are still
It is reckoned that Angus created regularly played by present day
problems over his treatment. The competitors.
hospital authorities knew he kept a Finally, but perhaps more
diary but could never find it. importantly,heraisedthebagpipetoa
September29th new level of social acceptability
Dhuilt ‘Dennan’ deoch dhomh, cha immensely contributing to Highland
robh uin’ aige. Dhinnis mi dha Dr culture in the process and thus
Cuddach and same night thug ‘Booth’ secured the status of the bagpipe
‘fearan–dhendashiugaairfalbh,thilgmi within that culture.Truly a genius.
phoit mhuin air.
‘Dennim’ refused to give me a
•
Ronald Morrison was born in 1919 in
drink.He said that he had no time.I Gerinish, South Uist, the youngest in a
told Dr Cuddach and the same night family of ten children. He attended the
‘Booth’removed one of the two jugs classes taught by John MacDonald
and I threw the chamber pot over (Inverness) in South Uist 1933-39.
him.’ When war broke out he joined the
On October 8th, 1855, Angus Lovat Scouts and being posted to Beauly
writes that he misses the newspapers, was able to continue to visit John
the last entries in the diaries express MacDonald for instruction during 1939
this concern. and 1940, before active service in Italy
In March 1856, he was and Greece.
transferred to the Crichton Royal After the
mental hospital in Dumfries. warhetrained
Afterthreeyearsandthreedayshe as a primary
escaped. He attempted to cross the school teacher,
River Nith and was, unfortunately, eventually
drowned. becoming a
Now let me summarise Angus headmaster.
MacKay’s contribution to Highland H i s
music. competition
Hepublishedacollectionofsixty- successes
one piobaireachd in staff notation i n c l u d e d
thus providing pipers with a valuable winning the Cowal Piobaireachd in
referenceformemorisingthetunesas 1965.
wellasaguidetotheirinterpretation. He was a part time instructor at the
His manuscript record of 179 College of Piping for a number of years
further tunes provided a base for and had many private pupils.He judged
others to continue his work,notably regularly and ran the Uist and Barra
GeneralThomason in his‘Ceol Mor’ Competition for many years.He died on
and the Piobaireachd Society in its January 15th,2004.
series of publications.
21
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