Page 42 - The Bagpipe in Cape Breton: From a Conversation with Barry Shears, Piper

ISSUE : Issue 52

Published by Ronald Caplan on 1989/8/1

bard to the MacLeans of Coll before he im? migrated to Cape Breton. came a major in the regiment that was raised for that colony's defense. The MacKays, I mentioned previous, were pipers to the MacKenzies of Gairloch. John MacGillivray, who was a piper and a bard to Glenaladale, he settled in Antigonish. Ken? neth Chisholm, who was the last hereditary piper to the Chisholms of Strathglas before they were evicted and emigrated to Antigon? ish County. Regrettably he was killed shortly thereafter, or a few years after, by a falling tree. But he had his piping from the MacRaes of Kintail, who ran a pip? ing school. P. E. I. received several great players. The last Rankins, who were pipers to the MacLeans of Coll, and who also had a pip? ing school on the Isle of Coll, immigrated to P. E. I. And one of them, in fact, be- So we have, you know, quite a piping tra? dition in this province. And the stepdanc? ing as well. See, they don't have that in Scotland now. And they don't have the tra? ditional Cape Breton style of fiddling. And around the turn of the century in Scotland you had some excellent players that really revolutionized the method of playing the bagpipe. But see, we didn't get that over here until quite late in this century. And that's what--I'm trying to locate examples of that old style (of bagpiping). (In what form? It must be written, of course.) Well, the problem with that is that while there were a few pipers that were note-readers, or that could read and X Come for the summer, stay for the fall colours • you are welcome to VICTORIA COUNTY St. Lawr?nc? Bay SUMMER OF 1989 Highland Village Day lona AUGUSTS Nova Scotia Gaelic Mod Gaelic College, St. Ann's AUGUST 6 to 12 Regatta Week Bras d'Or Yacht Club, Baddeck AUGUST 6 to 12 Centre Bras d'Or Festival of the Arts Baddeck JULY 14 to AUGUST 19 "CIAD MILE FAILTE" One Hundred Thousand Welcomes VICTORIA COUNTY The Warden, Councillors, and Residents Take time to meet the people of Victoria County. Victoria County Is a Year 'Round Joy! Whether it's a Summer sailing regatta, Winter Alpine and cross-country skiing, or driving and hiking through the Autumn • we invite you to join us, and ... Enjoy Victoria County • We Do

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