The top 15 p|d stories of 2015

#11

Boghall P-M Ross Walker retires – August 14th

The day before the World Championship, the leader of one of the world’s greatest bands called it quits, announcing that he’d hand over the reins to Ross Harvey, choosing family over pipe bands.

Why was this story important? The increasing demands of leading pipe bands can take a toll on family and career, and that Walker chose the step away from the group he literally grew up with was a testament to modern-day realities. It take a particular type of person to accept the leadership of top-grade bands, and, more than ever, pipe bands are the domain of the young who can commit almost complete attention to competition success.