Uist and Barra Annual Professional Competition held at The College of Piping, March 10, 2012
President Julia MacIsaac presents the overall trophy to P/M GordonWalker
James MacLean reports: A large crowd enjoyed a feast of piping at the College during the first major championship of the year. It was a day first class performances with the pipers superbly stewarded by Jeannie Campbell and all events concluded by 5pm. Overall winner was P/M Gordon Walker with two firsts and a fifth.Winner of the Ceol Mor was Iain Speirs with an outstanding rendering of In Praise of Morag and he thus continued his impressive run of success in ceol mor from last year into 2012. Iain won the Glasgow Highland Club medal for the second year in a row. The Glasgow Highland Club Medal was presented by Dugald MacIntyre who in a short, but well received, speech emphasised the Club’s role in encouraging all of the Highland arts. P/MWalker was unbeatable in the ceol beag with his superb bagpipe and playing thrilling the large and
54
appreciative crowd. Ceol Mor – 1 Iain Speirs, In Praise of Morag 2 Niall Stewart, Lament for Donald Duaghal MacKay 3 Douglas Murray, Kinlochmoidart No2 4 Finlay Johnston, King’sTaxes 5 P/M GordonWalker, Lament for the Children MSR – 1 P/M Gordon Walker, Braes of Castle Grant, Piper’s Bonnet, Sheepwife 2 Jim Murray, Pap of Glencoe,Tulloch Castle, Smith of Chilliechassie 3 Niall Stewart, Arthur Bignold of Lochrosque,EweWi’ the Crookit Horn 4 Douglas Murray, Highland Wedding, Struan Robertson,Major Manson 5 Iain Speirs, Duchess of Edinburgh, Lady Loudon,Traditional Reel H&J – 1 P/M GordonWalker, Man form Skye, John Paterson’s Mare 2 Jim Murray, Lucy Cassidy, Donella Beaton 3 Allan Russell, Ina MacKenzie,The Old Chanter 4 Donald MacPhee, Bobbie Cuthbertson,