Tag Archives: highland dancing

Cowal Gathering 2009 – changes to dancing entry process and solo piping competition

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Cowal Gathering Massed bandsThe Cowal Gathering in Homecoming Scotland 2009 has just announced some changes designed to make things easier for entrants and more efficient for the event organisers. These changes relate to the entry process for the Highland Dancing competitions, to the age groups for the Confined Pre-Premier dancing competition and to the Solo Piping Competition.

New Highland Dancing competition entry system

Random draw for dancing order: The biggest change announced is to the way that the order of dance will be decided. This year a random draw will take place after the closing date for entries. This draw will decide the order of dance. The ‘first to enter last to dance principle’ will not be used in any competition at the 2009 Games.

This takes the stress out of the entry process. People will not have to hover online and try to enter as soon entries go live. They will not have to take a day off work so as not to miss the chance of getting a specific position in the dancing order.

Regardless of when any entry is received, so long as it is before the closing date, everyone will have the same chance of dancing last. Entries will open on the 16th March 2009 and will close on the 1st July 2009.

This new system was trialled in 2008 in the 11yrs Scottish Championship and the feedback received was very positive.

Online entries only for 2009: THere will be no paper entries this year. Complete the online entry forms available on the Cowal Gathering website.

Organisers say that they have seen the number of paper forms received fall considerablyin recent years.  The majority of eople use the online forms to enter the competition. The few paper forms received have generally been from those people who could not be online when the entries went live. The random draw for the order of dancing, announced above , should made the paper forms effectively redundant.

Change to age groups for Confined Pre-Premium Highland dancing competition: The age changes below arise from discussions with local dance teachers. The Pre Premier competition will, however, retain its confined status and is open only to residents of Argyll and Bute District, of at least six months standing prior to the date of the competition.

On a trial basis for the 2009 Gathering the Pre Premier age groups will be as follows;

  • Event 5A Argyll Trophy for Beginners: aged 8 years and under
  • Event 5B Argyll Trophy for Beginners: aged 9 years and under 12 years
  • Event 6A Argyll Trophy Novice: aged 10 years and under
  • Event 6B Argyll Trophy Novice: aged 11 years and under 14 years
  • Event 7 Argyll Trophy Intermediate: aged 13 years and under.

These changes are to be reviewed after the 2009 Gathering. If they have proved successful they may be introduced on a permanent basis. The Organisers reserve the right to change the sections, dependent upon the numbers entering each section.

Addition to programme of Grade C Solo Piping Competition

In line with the recent re-grading undertaken by the Competing Pipers Association (CPA), the 2009 Cowal Gathering is adding a C Grade competition at this year’s Cowal Highland Gathering. This is intended to encourage more pipers to come to Cowal to compete and that the Gathering maintain its reputation as a proactive event and an important date in the piping calendar.

Specific details of this new competition will be made available when the live date for entries is announced in early April 2009.

The photograph above shows the massed bands at the Cowal Gathering in Dunoon

Dunoon Grammar School goes mega with a Burns Supper for 1,100

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Dunoon Grammar School went large.  On 23rd January the school marked the 250th anniversary of the birth of Robert Burns with all 1,100 of the school’s pupils and staff taking part in a traditional Burns Supper.

The school canteen served up traditional Burns haggis, neeps and tatties. The pupils presented a celebration of all things Scottish during the meal – with Highland Dancers, readings from Burns and a stirring set from the school’s pipe band.

Councillor Isobel Strong, Argyll and Bute Council’s Education Spokesperson, congratulated the school, saying: ‘It’s wonderful to see the children of Dunoon Grammar School taking part in this wonderful occasion and celebrating the work of Scotland’s national bard’.

Pupils from the school’s TV station, whose recent launch on 16th January was extensively covered by For Argyll, also broadcast their own version of this year’s Homecoming Scotland video. Pupils and staff of the school took the places of the Scottish celebrities who appeared in VisitScotland’s original promotion; and stunning images of Dunoon replaced the various location shots in the official version.

Dougie MacLean who wrote Caledonia – and who will probably never want to hear it again by the end of this year – had already given the pupils the go-ahead to use the song in the broadcast.

During the Supper, the school’s S1 IT and Enterprise Club also produced and sold tartan ribbons to mark the event and are donating the proceeds to Children 1st.

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Helensburgh’s Homecoming Pipes and Dancers

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Helensburgh Highland dancersHelensburgh’s annual Pipe Band Championship has been part of the town’s  events programme since 2002. It has grown in popularity, stature and prestige each year, attracting  pipe bands and highland dancers from the UK, Europe and the USA.

As a full partner in Homecoming 2009, the organisers are hopeful of a greater than usual attendance. The grant will made an enormous difference to their ability to market the events, in particular it has enabled them to set up a dedicated web site which is already bringing in numerous enquiries regarding accommodation and the area. They hope to double the number of visitors to 5000, and impact more on the local economy. ‘We are extremely grateful to have been put forward by Argyll & Bute Council for this partnership and extremely honoured that Homecoming Scotland 2009 has approved the partnership’, Colina told me.

Colina Helen Campbell and her volunteer committee have worked tremendously hard, but stress that the events could only happen with the involvement of ‘competitors, volunteers, artistes and committee members  from the whole of the Helensburgh & Lomond area, plus Dunoon where I originate from myself.’

Burntisland Pipe Band at HelensburghMost volunteer groups are motivated by bringing benefits to residents and visitors, but it is the individual and personal feedback that really keeps people sacrificing so much time and effort. For this group one particular comment stays in their minds from last year: ‘an old soldier from Erskine Home, after watching the massed pipebands  asked his carer to push his wheelchair over to where I stood, struggled to his feet and shook my hand.  “Thank you for the best organised event ever, you have done Scotland proud. The pipebands, the Argylls Army cadets and you have made my trip here worthwhile.  I will be back next year”.’

Events held between 19th and 21st June include a Burns Supper and Ceilidh with Hall for Leather, a local folk/ rock fusion band, a display of pipe bands and highland dancing, parade, competitions, trade stalls, a barbeque and children’s entertainment.

On Saturday 28th February there will be a great taster for what is in store at a fund raising concert and ceilidh with Hell for Leather, supported by the Helensburgh & District Pipe Band and the Margaret Rose Highland Dancers. This will be the 3rd annual concert and ceilidh. Each year it grows in popularity with over 200 people attending last year – despite it being the stormiest night of the year with roads flooded and public transport cancelled.

Further details of all these events can be found on the website or by phone at 0750 8941998.

Reporter: Mark Morpurgo

Photographs: Derek Prescott. The lower photographs shows the Burntisland Pipe Band at the Helensburgh Championships on a previous occasion.

Concert & Ceilidh at Helensburgh

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On Saturday 28th February there is fund-raising concert and ceilidh at 7.30pm in Helesnburgh’s Victoria Halls. This will be a great taster event for what is in store at the Bi-centenary Pipe Band Championship in June, which is part of Argyll’s programme for Homecoming Scotland 2009. Hall for Leather will be supported by the Helensburgh & District Pipe Band and the Margaret Rose Highland Dancers.

This will be the 3rd annual concert and ceilidh. Each year it grows in popularity with over 200 people attending last year – despite it being the stormiest night of the year with roads flooded and public transport cancelled.

Helensburgh Bi-Centenary Pipe Band & Highland Dancing Championships

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The Helensburgh Bi-Centenary Pipe Band and Highland Dancing Championships will be held in a variety of venues around Helensburgh from 19th-21st June. The event is part of Argyll’s programme for Homecoming Scotland 2009. The Pipe Band Championships are on 21st June.

This event is part of Argyll’s programme for Homecoming Scotland 2009.