Announcements

WELCOME.

It is hard for us, today, to realise what a courageous and provocative act was the holding of the First Piping competition at the Falkirk Tryst of 1781. Today, tartan and the bagpipe are essential to the sale of all things Scottish – from whisky to oil rigs – it is difficult to imagine that over two hundred years ago a Highlander would have been imprisoned for wearing the former or playing the later.

Falkirk was the best venue for the competition.  The meeting place of large numbers of Highlanders, who had driven their cattle and sheep down for sale before onset of winter. Any competition north of Falkirk, above the Highland line, would have been illegal. ( Repeal of the Act of Proscription in 1782 )

We can be proud of the courage and foresight of those Highland gentlemen who banded themselves together at the end of the 18^th century to form the Highland Society of London with the specific objective of saving from oblivion the language, literature, dress and music of the Highlands. We can also be grateful that their efforts were so successful that much of our old highland heritage was not only saved for prosperity but more importantly was rescued in time to form the basis of highland culture even today. This is especially true of our bagpipe music.

We welcome you, therefore, to this important and historic highland occasion. We trust you will enjoy the music and be enthralled by the competition. We hope also that you will recognise the debt that Scotland owes to the courageous gentlemen of the Highland Society and to the good people of Falkirk who were the hosts over 200 years ago, just as they are today.

ANNOUNCING THE WINNER.

I am directed by the Committee of Judges, appointed by the Friends of the Falkirk Tryst to attend this competition, and to determine on the merits of the several candidates, to present you with this pipe, as a premium for the skill you have displayed, in playing on this, the favourite instrument of your native country.

It has long been the ardent wish of the Friends of the Falkirk Tryst, to maintain, and to encourage that martial spirit, by which the natives of Scotland have been so long, and so eminently distinguished. They are both convinced, that there are no means, by which that spirit can be more effectually nourished and kept up, than by preserving the music of the Highland pipe, which is of a nature so peculiarly warlike and inspiring, and which has been so often heard amidst the shouts of victory !

In the line of your profession, you could desire no higher reward, than to receive a mark of distinction from such useful and public spirited friends, and to have it delivered to you, at the close of such a competition, and in the presence of so respectable an audience.

With this pipe, you are only to play upon great occasions, and we have no doubt that you will hand it down with pride to your posterity.