Captivating Centenary Celebration

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Captivating Centenary Celebration

The Robert Wiseman Dairies Vale of Atholl Pipe Band celebrated its centenary in style in Pitlochry Festival Theatre on Sunday 17 September, writes Gillie McNab.

In the afternoon past and present members and their families, and friends of the pipe band, were welcomed to a “buffet and blether” session attended by over 400 people. Photographs covering screens placed around the theatre, that took you through the hundred years, were pored over with names of old comrades being remembered and lots of tales being recounted. The oldest members there included pipers Peter Brown, Jock McKenzie, Sandy Spence and drummer Bob Smith and Drum Majors Sandy Wilson and Joe Goodfellow.

We were delighted to welcome the late Pipe Major Allan Cameron’s wife Betty, Pipe Band President Erhard Penker and Mrs Penker, Hugh Campbell, band treasurer for many years, Pipe Major Ian Duncan and family and Jock and Frances Duncan. Band members travelled long distances to attend and members from the first juvenile band turned up with their children already in their teens. The Festival Theatre did a splendid job feeding everyone.

Then it was on to the evening and our Centenary Concert. What a fantastic show! We were very pleased to welcome MSP John Swinney and his wife Elizabeth to the concert which was compered by Gary West. Gary joined the pipe band as a piper when he was just a wee lad and now, amongst other things, he introduces “Pipeline” on BBC Scotland Radio every Saturday night.

The novice juvenile band, led by Pipe Major Scott Oliphant, opened the show, and singer Sheena Wellington (pictured) wowed the crowd accompanied by Ewan Sutherland on guitar giving us several songs including a rendition of “A man’s a Man for A’ That”.

The Edinburgh Military Tattoo Highland Spring Ceilidh Dancers, under the direction of Billy Forsyth, enthralled the crowd as did Gordon Patullo on his accordion and Scotland’s Son of Fun Eddie Rose.

The Grade 1 Band, led by Pipe Major Andy Renwick, opened the second half of the show and, after playing a couple of sets including their competition medley, they played two tunes written by Gordon Duncan, Andy Renwick’s Ferret and The Fourth Floor as a tribute to him.

The show finished on a loud note when the combined ranks of all three “Vale” bands appeared on the stage. The Grade 1 Band, The Novice Juvenile Band and the Parade Band led by Pipe Major Stuart Letford.

Gary West thanked all the artistes for helping to celebrate the band’s centenary and thanked the centenary committee for all its hard work, with a special thanks to Ian Rodney, Centenary Committee Chairman, Alister Walker Pipe Band Chairman and Gillie McNab Pipe Band Secretary, and to all the sponsors of the raffle prizes: Malcolm Appleby of Grandtully, Knockhill Racing, The Atholl Palace Hotel, JRS Photo Hardware, Drummohr Caravan Park, Inverness Pine Chalets, Westlands Hotel, Green Park Hotel and Macnaughtons of Pitlochry.