Another well attended practice night saw some 14 pipers on the floor. No sign of John Murphy as yet so hang in there John, get better and get back to the bar.
The solo piping season is well under way and Ben Duncan was the overall winner at the Scottish Pipers’ Association last weekend. A very busy and well attended competition held at the National Piping Centre. Alisdair Henderson won the overall at the Donald MacLeod memorial invitational and we have the Wheel of Fortune to look forward to on Sunday, 21st April, at Danderhall Minor Welfare Club, where 8 top players go head to head. (see our facebook page for further details).
The Eagle Pipers’ Society are sponsoring the first prize in the MSR event.
Cameron Drummond is the overall defending champion and he is in this years line up to try and defend his title. As a sneak preview Cameron was our post pie piper and kicked off with a couple off 2/4 marches, starting with the great John McColl’s March to Kilbowie Cottage. A couple of strathspeys and reels were next, followed by a snippet of a wee medley that featured the strathspey, The Maids of the Black Glen, that Cameron cleverly converted into common time structure.. Great stuff and it certainly it whetted the appetite for the main event in a couple of weeks.
The final player of the night was George Campbell who gave us the piobaireachd, Flame of Wrath for Squinting Patrick or Patrick Caogach. George got the drones, that were on the way up, in perfectly and presented the tune just as it should be, bright and brisk. The story of the tune may be as follows-
Donald Mòr (MacCrimmon) had a brother who lived in Glenelg… who was known by the name of Patrick Caog, on account of a squint or defect in one of his eyes. This young man had a quarrel with his foster brother, a native of Kintail. Sometime after the dispute, while he was in the act of washing his face, in a burn or rivulet adjoining his dwelling, the Kintail man came behind him, and treacherously with his dirk gave him a mortal blow.
This being made known to Donald Mòr at Dunvegan, he prepared to revenge the untimely death of his brother, and taking his pipes up to MacLeod’s room, he threw them on the bed. MacLeod surprised, demanded to know what had occurred. In few words he related to him the affair, when the laird pacified the enraged piper, and promised him, on condition of his remaining at home, to see justice done before the expiration of twelve months.
Macleod thought that his wrathful piper would forget the cruel murder by that time, and allow his ire to abate; but such was not the case, for on the termination of the twelve months, he set out himself for Glenelg, without informing any one of his intention; and finding on his arrival there that the murderer of his brother had gone to Kintail, he pursued his journey thither.
The offender, having been apprised of his arrival, concealed himself in the house of a friend; and the inhabitants of the village not choosing to deliver him up, MacCrimmon was so enraged, that he resolved to set their houses on fire and burned eighteen of their houses, which caused the loss of several lives. (This is called Lasan Phadruig Chaog, or a flame of wrath for Squinting Peter).
Donald then made his escape to Lord Rea’s country, where he remained for some time under the protection of Donald Duaghall Mackay.
The story certainly reflects the feeling of the music as the rage and anger clearly comes across. Great tune George and many thanks for playing it for us.
Normal meeting in a couple of weeks on Tuesday 23rd but perhaps we will see you at the Wheel of Fortune on the Sunday before?
Euan Anderson
Hon P/M
The Eagle Pipers' Society, Edinburgh 