The Caledonian Piping Club was established in July 2000 and is the only Piping Club in the Area - set up solely to teach anyone, of any age, to play the pipes.

We are not a competition Band and only accept a limited number of engagements, however, we still have an active year in other respects and are always kept busy.

Learners, (on the practice instrument, The Chanter), are taught in St. Andrew’s Academy, Saltcoats, (7pm), at a cost of £5. As the individual progresses to the pipes - practices are still in St. Andrew’s, but on Tuesdays and Thursdays, (7pm), at a cost of £7 per week.

Anyone interested in learning should turn up to St. Andrew’s in the first instance.

Gerard McClumpha, Group Leader

The ParisPortDover Pipe Band makes a welcome return to Marymass Festival. The Band has achieved excellence in the performance of Scottish music at local, national and international competitions. The Band is composed of 90 pipers and drummers from Ontario, Canada. Their practice facilities are in the town of Paris, Ontario, in Brant County population 114,000, geographically located less than an hour from two of the Great Lakes, Lake Ontario and Lake Erie.

In 2005 the Pipe Band won the Canadian Championship event in Hamilton, the North American Championship and through points accumulated at events during the summer became "Supreme Champions" among the hundreds of Grade 5 pipe bands across North America.

The Bands 18-day trip to France and Scotland will culminate with their participation in the Marymass Parade. Wearing the Lamont Tartan the Band will be led by former local man, Pipe Major Gordon Black.

After our practice, we often went to the Dreghorn Bowling Club for a small refreshment before going home. It was at one of these occasions that we all thought it would be a good idea to start a Band of our own.

Several local youngsters later joined us swelling our ranks and some parents helped along the way, added by some small Gala day engagements that gave us funds to purchase pieces of uniforms and equipment.

The Band became official in 1982, when we had our first AGM and we established a constitution that, although altered by subsequent AGM’s, has kept many of the original aspects of our formation, including free membership of our Band, all we look for is commitment.

Our mission statement is to provide free tuition to anyone who wishes to learn to play the bagpipes or drums up to competition standard.

The band was first named Dreghorn and Bourtreehill Pipe Band, which lasted for 20 years until 2002.

We changed our name to Irvine and District Pipe Band in 2002 and our Pipe Major – George McKeand – has led the Band since 1997.

Our Band leads the parades of most local Galas and Fetes during the summer months, in particular, the Marymass Festival and we compete in pipe band competitions whenever possible.

John W. Easdale, Pipe Sergeant

Initially starting with only a few pipers, now we have around 36 members from Millport and the North Ayrshire area. This includes juvenile boys and girls being taught piping and drumming.

The Band photograph was taken last year, when the Band was invited to a Highland Games event in Bressuire, France. During the Band trip they took take part in a VE Parade, laying a wreath at the Bressuire War memorial.

The Band this year has been invited to take part in the Interceltic Festival, Asturias, Northern Spain.

This will be the Isle of Cumbrae RBLS Pipe Band’s fourth Marymass Parade.

More details of the Band can be obtained on web site: www.isleofcumbraerblspipeband.org.uk