Page 39 - The Bagpipe in Cape Breton: From a Conversation with Barry Shears, Piper

ISSUE : Issue 52

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1989/8/1

and there'd be competitions for pipers. (As part of it.) Yes. (When we say that the pipers were around Glace Bay, we'll say, and your father was hearing them--in what kind of con? text do you figure he was hearing them?) Well, they had the Maclntyre Pipe Band in Glace Bay. See, pipe bands are a very recent development in pipe music. They were formed with an army in? fluence around 1850. That's a fairly common date referred to as the formation. They don't have an ex? act date for the formation of a pipe band. Cer? tainly the High? land regiments in Scotland had their pipers. A lot of' the times they weren't allowed to be called pipers. Top left: Stephen B. MacNeil of Gillis Point and Port Hawicesbury. Top right: John Jamie? son of Pipers Glen and Giace Bay. Below, left to right: Angus MacDo? nald, Mount Young (Aonghas 'llleasbuig Aiasdair Dhuibh); Allan MacFarlane. Margaree (Allachan Aonghais Dhuibh); Angus Bea? ton, Mabou Coal Mines (Aonghas lagan Raonuil). They were sort of attached to the companies, and instead of carrying a musket, they'd be responsible for entertainment. You weren't really allowed to have a piper until around 1820. But during the Napole? onic Wars, each company or each regiment would have several pipers. Actually, sev? eral of them came to Cape Breton and northeastern Nova Scotia. There's quite a few of them that played in the Napoleonic Wars that emigrated to Nova Scotia. One was Neil Ruadh Mor MacVicar, who was a piper, fiddler, and a bard, who settled in Catalone. And he was originally a shepherd in North Uist before he left. And he was involved in the Napoleonic Wars. There was another, Donald MacLeod, who was a piper with the Black Watch. And I've been talking to his great-grandson in Hal? ifax, and he still has his 4 service med? als for the Peninsular Campaign. He was at Waterloo. He emigrated to Lansdowne, and several of his sons played, and this gen? tleman still has the ribbons off of his pipes, the 42nd Tartan. And he has the Nova Scotia's Friendly Seaport NORTH SYDNEY 75 Quality Rooms and Suites Signature Fishery Restaurant St. Pierre Connection Rum Bar Reception and Meeting Facilities pool • sauna • whirlpool fitness gym • games room AMPLE PARKING Special Day Rate Program for Ferry Travellers 39 FORREST STREET, P. O. Box 157 NORTH SYDNEY, N. S. B2A 3M3 (902) 794-8581 100,000 WELCOMES AWAIT YOU! Since 1885, North Sydney has been recognized as] a friendly seaport and has welcomed many a trav? eller, mariner or otherwise, from around the world. Our new Inn continues this tradition, in a magnificent setting overlooking the harbour. J

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