Wi' a hundredpipers an' a' an' a'

David’s Irish friend Jamie told us before we left that it was in fact the Irish who gave the Scots the bagpipes – but the Scots were yet to get the joke!

We discovered he was right – on both counts. Pipes are a serious business in Scotland.

Our host told us that at the school he went to everyone learned the chanter. From there quite a number went on to learn the pipes.

At the highland games the pipes played many roles; musical competition for individuals and bands, dance accompaniments and the formalities of the opening and closing ceremonies.

Because we were there early we saw a member of the games committee bring on the first competitor. Let’s just say I preferred his look to his piping and by the looks of it so did his judges!

We heard young boys and girls

and whole bands marching up from the village.

One band leader was persuaded to pose for a photo

....and later turned out to be quite a star.

He lead the entry of the chiefs where they raised the Chiefs banner (tatty old thing must have seen a few wars)

...and the beating of the retreat at the end of the games

He also presented the prize in the drum majors challenge in which the drum major has to throw his mace (big stick with a ball on top that they carry) over the cross bar while attempting to march, without breaking step to the drum beat of the band and catch it on the way down.

He was last years winner which is how come he got to lead everything this year.

The pipe tunes were mostly ones I had heard my father singing and whistling through my childhood. It prompted me to google the lyrics.

We seemed to have the Scottish soldier right
There was a soldier,

A Scottish soldier

Who wandered far away

And soldiered far away

There was none bolder,

with good broad shoulder

He's fought in many a fray,

And fought and won.

The Hundred pipers sort of right

Wi' a hundredpipers an' a' an' a'

We'll up an'gie them a blaw, a blaw

(we used to sing we’ll up and give them a slug in the jaw but at least the sentiment was right)

but the lyrics we had sung to Cock of the North - along the lines of
Aunt Mary had a canary

Up the leg of her drawers

She pulled the string to hear it sing

And down came Santa Claus

is actually the Sinclair March, and would have the Gordon highlanders, the local regiment with whom this tune is associated, turning in their graves.