Argyllshire Gathering 150 special events Day 1:  Stuart Liddell overall champion

Oban, Scotland – August 25, 2021 – Celebrating the 150th anniversary event, the Argyllshire Gathering in Oban, Scotland, managed to pull together one-time in-person competitions, starting with a unique set of competitions for pipers from Argyllshire or with a strong connection to the region invited to compete at the West Highland town’s historical Argyllshire Gathering Halls, site of many balls for the local gentry over the last 100 years.

Stuart Liddell of Inveraray, Scotland, emerged the overall winner, determined by the results of the Piobaireachd and MSR events.

Piobaireachd
1st Stuart Liddell, “In Praise of Morag”
2nd Alasdair Henderson, Dunoon, Scotland
3 Finlay Johnston, Glasgow
Judges: Dr. Angus MacDonald, Iain MacFadyen, Colin MacLellan

MSR
1st Angus MacColl, Benderloch, Scotland
2nd Willie McCallum, Campbeltown/Bearsden, Scotland
3rd Stuart Liddell
Judges: Barry Donaldson, Ian Duncan, John Wilson

Medley
1st Stuart Liddell
2nd Sarah Muir, Glasgow/Campbeltown, Scotland
3rd Willie McCallum
Judges: Barry Donaldson, Ian Duncan, Dr. Angus MacDonald

Seven pipers from Argyllshire, or with “strong family connections” with the region were invited, and also competing was Jamie Forrester, London/Isle of Mull.

Prizes in each event were £300 for first, second £200, and £100 for third, and the Piobaireachd and MSR aggregate winner received £500.

On August 26th, solo piping competitions will be held at Mossfield Park, the traditional site of the Argyllshire Gathering’s second day of light music events, including a March and Strathspey & Reel for pipers with a Premier or A-Grade from the Competing Pipers Association, a B-Grade March and Strathspey & Reel, and a Jig open to all.

With international travel restrictions in place, the complications that non-UK pipers face made it unrealistic to get to the day-two competition.