Trailing Drones: Click me! Click me!

Harry always liked to play “The Burning of the Piper’s Hut” as a warm-up, tune, but wasn’t so keen on the real thing. The RSPBA‘s Washington Street HQ in Glasgow went ablaze in the early hours of March 10th, and we’re led to believe it was not “A Flame of Wrath,” but reportedly a Victorian era heating system gone wrong. Thankfully no one was hurt, and things will be rebuilt. “Not the first time the RSPBA got their wires crossed,” quips Henrietta in the background. Wonder if the heating system was up to code. I hope the insurance covers it, and that the parent organization won’t have to borrow from the branches.

Not-so-subtle are the indications of financial trouble in Pipe Bands Australia. Holy Financial Irregularities, Batman! The money is flaying out the back end of those associations like the chicken vindaloo out of Harry after a Rose Street pub crawl. How do people get so sloppy? Okay, Rose Street sloppy Harry knows, but financial sloppy with other people’s money? Pipe band associations, Highland games and events in various places have experienced this, as pipe band folk are too willing to place our cash and trust in seemingly hard-working volunteers. The problem is that pipe bands, contests and associations are not small change operations anymore. Gone are the days when you raised our summer bus money by selling candy and pop to the band kids at winter practices, or where a bake sale was all that was standing between you and the big contest on the summer. The money it takes to do all this is now large, and Harry suggests all associations need to have a keen looking at financial practices and accountability. Ask questions, peeps. If you don’t get straight answers, demand them, and, if you are bullied or made to be afraid to criticize fairly anything about your association – like judges, or accounting, or any decisions made on your behalf as a competitor – there is good reason to be concerned. The money being used is your money. Executives and directors represent you. They are accountable to you. Be fair but be vigilant. Ask questions. Get answers.

On that subject, Harry’s looking forward to hearing the end result of the “Live Back In Ireland” finances. 1,200-plus punters at £25 a head is a cool £30K. After the costs are tallied, there should be a nice bit of dosh there for pipe band development in NI. Maybe they can help with roof repairs at 45 Washington Street? Or maybe there’s a building in their future? One thing they won’t be financing is the Spring Gatherin’, which was pulled from the calendar without warning, after the agency supporting the venue rental pulled out. Harry smells the deep manure pile of toxic personal politics. Ask questions. Get answers.