May 2004
PIPERS’ and PIPE BAND SOCIETY
of ONTARIO, OTTAWA BRANCH
**** www.ppbso-ottawa.org ****
President: Graeme Ogilvie (613) 830-9160
(email: )
Vice-President: Charlie King (613) 830-7418
(email: )
Vice-President: Bruce Hewat (613) 733-0552
(email: )
Treasurer: Jack Yourt (613) 774-3622
(email: )
Secretary: Douglas Heyland (613) 821-2505
(email: )
Veterans’ Memorial Highland Games
19 June 2004
Spencerville Fair Grounds, Spencerville, Ontario
The first annual Veterans’ Memorial Highland Games is being held at the Spencerville Fairgrounds in the Township of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal where pipers, drummers and pipe bands are scheduled to compete. A heavy weight competition, and a highland dance show with the MacCulloch Dancers are also on the agenda.
This year is the 60th anniversary of D-Day and we are honouring our veterans with a large colour party comprised of Royal Canadian Legion members associated along the Veterans’ Memorial 416 Highway. The colour party will be piped onto the field by the 2CMBG (Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group) Pipe Band from Petawawa. A candlelight ceremony to commemorate our fallen comrades will be performed at this time, as will a fly-past of a Canadian Forces CC144 Challenger aircraft.
Massed bands will begin after the ceremony (1:00 pm) and the Scottish events will commence directly thereafter. The Grade 3, 4, and 5 band competitions, with a possible Grade 2 competition, will be featured on the main field, along with the heavy weights and dancing shows. A Festive Garden will be open for refreshments during the day starting at 11:00 am until 8:00 pm, with a ceilidh planned for the evening at the Drummond Building.
For more info, please check the Games web-site at www.cybertap.com/brothers/hg/2chg.html or contact Kelly Bush at (613) 657-1117 or . See the last page of the newsletter for the entry form.
Note: a printing error on the PPBSO Master Entry Form incorrectly lists the North Lanark (Almonte) Highland Games as taking place on 28 August 2004; the correct date for the Almonte Games is Saturday 21 August 2004.
2004 Eastern Ontario Summer Events
30 May A Robbie Burns Picnic with the Glengarry Pipe Band (see next page)
04-06 June 4th Annual Brockville Celtic Festival (see next page)
05-09 July Kingston School of Scottish Music and Dance (see next page)
29 July B in the Park with the Sons of Scotland, Windsor Police, LA Scots Pipe Bands (see next page)
30 July Piobaireachd Society Gold Medal (Canada) Contest, Maxville, Ontario
30-31 July Glengarry Highland Games (www.glengarryhighlandgames.com/)
01 August Montreal Highland Games (www.montrealhighlandgames.qc.ca/)
21 August North Lanark Highland Games (www.almontehighlandgames.com/)
EVENTS
A Robbie Burns Picnic
Sunday 30 May 2004 1-5 pm, $5 at the door, children under 12 free.
Presented by Heritage Brewing Limited with music by the Glengarry Pipe Band, Paddy Kelly and friends.
Join us for an afternoon of music, poetry and Burn’s Ode to a Haggis.
Place: Heritage Brewing Limited, 5459 Canotek Road, Ottawa.
For more information call 746-1544, all proceeds to the Glengarry Pipe Band.
4th Annual Brockville Celtic Festival
04-06 June 2004. The 4th Annual Brockville Celtic Festival is a celebration of Scottish, Irish & Welsh culture & heritage. The main venue is St. Lawrence Park, along the waterfront. Key activities include pipe band concerts & massed bands, main stage with Celtic musicians, Scottish Heavy Games, Pub Tent with entertainment, clan displays, workshops, children's event, Celtic church services, food & merchandise vendors. Daily admission for adults just $5.00; $2.00 for ages 5-11; under 5 free. Free parking. For more information, check www.brockvillecelticfestival.com.
02 Jun 7:30 pm Pre-Festival Concert, Blockhouse Island, Brockville PB
04 Jun 7:00 pm Free Concert, Court House Green, Brockville PB
05 Jun 12:00 pm Free Concerts, Court House Green, Syracuse Scottish PB, P&D of the Black Watch, Air Command P&D
05 Jun 1:00 pm Main Stage Concert, Celtic Village at St Lawrence Park, Ottawa Police Services PB & Highland Dancers
05 Jun 3:00 pm Massed Bands, Celtic Village at St Lawrence Park, Brockville PB, P&D of the Black Watch, Air Command P&D, Syracuse Scottish PB, Ottawa Police Services PB
06 Jun 5:00 pm Main Stage Concert, Celtic Village at St Lawrence Park, Brockville PB
Other Celtic Bands: Scantily Plaid, The Brigadoons, Belfast Andi & Agincourt, Roger James, Antrim, The Celtic Heirs, Montreal Welsh Male Choir, Celtic Heritage Fiddle Orchestra & more.
Kingston School of Scottish Music & Dance
05 to 09 July 2004 at the Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario
Piping Instructors - Bob Worrall, Ken Eller, Ann Gray, Drumming Instructors - Jim Kilpatrick, John Fisher, Tyler Fry.
Cost - $275.00 tuition; $325.00 accommodation and meals. This is an early notice to pipe bands in our area, as we anticipate a very high demand for a limited number of spots. Please spread the word and don't let your band miss out on this amazing opportunity.
(613) 542-7287
Website: http://www.macgregordespitethem.com
E-mail:
B in the Park… An Evening of Celtic Excellence
Thursday 29 July 2004, Confederation Park Ottawa (Elgin at Laurier) from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.
The Sons of Scotland Pipe Band are proud to present 'B In The Park', an evening of pipes and drums featuring the Windsor Police Pipe Band, and the LA Scots in Confederation Park, Ottawa. Come see these world-class bands up close, and meet the members afterwards. Post event ceilidh to be held at D'arcy McGee's Irish Pub, 44 Sparks Street. Door prize of a trip for 2 to Scotland generously donated by Zoom Airlines of Ottawa. Tickets are only $10, and they are available through all Sons band members, at D'arcy McGee's Irish Pub central, and at the Scottish and Irish Store, Nepean. Information is available on the Sons website at www.sospb.com
Pipe Major John Thompson MacKenzie, 1920-2004
On Sunday, 02 May 2004, John “J. T.” MacKenzie passed away peacefully at the Glengarry Memorial Hospital in Alexandria, Ontario. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland in 1920, he spent his childhood within the shadows of Edinburgh Castle and at the early age of nine years, became a boy piper at the Queen Victoria Military School in Dunblane, Perthshire. On 16 September 1935, he signed on as a boy piper with the 2Nd Battalion of the Scots Guards and was posted to Aldershot, England. Within three short years, he was carrying out Garrison Duties in Cairo, Egypt and when World War II began, he was part of active service in North Africa. In addition to being a piper, his training as a soldier included being qualified as a paramedic, stretcher-bearer and gunner. During his service in the Scots Guards, John also displayed athletic talents in the areas of football, field hockey, soccer and boxing.
In the late 1940’s, he served in Norway and at the end of the War; he became Pipe Major of the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards and was appointed a Piper for the Royal Household in 1946. In 1948, he married Agnes Munro and two days following the wedding, John received orders to set sail for Malaya. He returned to Britain in 1950 and in 1952, transferred to the Army Reserve. Having taught piping and highland dancing for less than a year back at the Queen Victoria Military School, J.T. took advantage of an offer to join the Royal Canadian Air Force as Pipe Major at No. 1 Fighter Wing in North Luffenham, England.
J.T. came to Canada and served as Pipe Major at Rockcliffe Air Force Base from circa 1956 to 1962 when he was posted to Marville, France. In 1966, he returned to Ottawa and it was at this time that he started the Ottawa Police Pipe Band and began teaching in Glengarry on the weekends.
J.T.’s love of the pipes and teaching went hand-in-hand throughout his career having also taught, along with John Kerr, young pipers and drummers in the 1958 – 1960 period. This included the Harrington-Kilmar Pipe Band in the Laurentians, north of Hawkesbury and a Scout Band in Hawkesbury.
Upon retiring from the Armed Forces in 1970, J. T. began teaching piping in the Stormont, Glengarry and Dundas School Board in addition to teaching in the Glengarry Piping School on Saturdays. In 1987, he retired from the S. D. & G. Board but continued as an active participant and organizer in the Glengarry Highland Games and in particular, the Friday Night Tattoo. He also took time to write his memoirs in a book titled, “There was a Piper, a Scottish Piper”, published by Barry Penhale, a publisher of heritage books.
Predeceased by his wife Agnes and his son Ian, J.T. is survived by his best friend of seventeen years, and wife, Helen Zehr, his daughters Marilyn McGale (Dan) Janice MacLennan (Earl), stepchildren Brenda Wettlaufer (Claire), Kris Sangers (Gerry), Tim Zehr (Deb) and 14 grandchildren.
J. T. MacKenzie will be long remembered by the piping world and a long list of former students, acquaintances and close friends throughout the world. The family has initiated the, “Pipe Major J. T. MacKenzie Memorial Fund”, which will serve to support a trophy and prize for a winning piper in a juvenile category at the Glengarry Highland Games. This will support the commemoration of his love for piping and teaching.
P/M J.T. MacKenzie with piper Gilbert Young
Under cool and blustery conditions, the massed Pipes and Drums
honour Pipe Major J.T. MacKenzie on the day of his funeral, Thursday 06 May 2004, Maxville, Ontario.
(photo courtesy: Bob Tracy)
MAXVILLE’S BIRTH OF THE GAMES
(reprinted with permission from the 25th Anniversary Glengarry Highland Games Souvenir Book 1973)
Two men sat at a kitchen table, enjoying a convivial glass, while they discussed a recent trip one of them had made, a trip to Embro, where he, and his young daughter, had attended the Highland Games.
The two men were Peter McInnis and Doctor Don Gamble. Peter had made the trip, and his enthusiasm for all he had seen, and heard, was being imparted to his audience of one.
He told of the piping, the dancing, the lively bands, and the happy crowds of people, and everywhere the flash of tartans, as kilts swirled with the marches, and always, everywhere, the excitement and skirl of the pipes, and it was good to be a Scot on such a day.
A Scot!! Maxville was full of folks of Scottish descent. Why, their very village had originally been called Mac’sville, their county was Glengarry, and with a Dunvegan a few miles away, and - well they might well have been sitting in a piece of Scotland itself.
Then like a flash, the idea hit them. Why not bring the Highland Games of Glengarry to Mac’sville!
The idea was a little frightening when they considered all the expense, and work, and organization, that would be needed to bring such an event to their small village.
But beyond the fear was the thought of what it would mean to them, to the village, to the whole district, to have their own meeting of the Clans, their own pipe and dancing contests, their own band.
So away they went, Doc Gamble, the local veterinarian, and Peter McInnis, who owned and operated an electrical store in the village, they took their idea, brainstorm, their dream, call it what you will, took it to the newly formed Chamber of Commerce, to the village Council, to the Agricultural Society, to the neighbouring villages, took it everywhere, to everyone. Their enthusiasm was contagious, the various groups supported them, the financial backing was assured. The Fair Grounds of some 18 acres were made available for the holding of the Games.
A Highland Games Committee was formed, naturally Doc Gamble and Peter McInnis became part of this Committee.
Now came the matter of organization, this would require the services of someone with specialized knowledge and experience.
And this was to be found in the person of W.A. McPherson: Mr. McPherson was born in Hamilton, Ontario and was the grandson of a man from Callander, Perthshire. He had made his debut as a highland dancer at the age of nine, at Dundurn Castle Hamilton, at which time he took all the firsts in his age group. He had become a recognized “Games” organizer and would be, the committee felt, the ideal man to organize what was to be known as the “Glengarry Highland Games”. So “Mac” came in, at a modest honorarium, to organize the first games, and impart his “know how’ to the committee.
The first year brought many problems, one of which was the catering. The concessionaire, from Ottawa, thought the committee’s estimated ten to fifteen thousand spectators was far too optimistic. Five thousand will be plenty, he told them. If more should arrive I can easily bring in more supplies, by truck, in less than an hour. More than twenty thousand arrived, but the concessionaire found no trucks were available, it was Saturday, everyone had left for the day.
The hungry hordes bough everything possible from Maxville stores, and the surrounding villages. Many knocked on the doors of private homes, begging to buy something to eat and drink. By Saturday night there wasn’t a slice of bread in Maxville and Monday was a civic holiday, so no bread cart until Tuesday.
As an aftermath to this experience, a new concessionaire was arranged for the following year, who catered for an estimated twenty thousand people.
The people came alright, but the vast majority brought box lunches, and picnic baskets, and only a small percentage of the food was sold.
Other things were pretty hectic also that first year. The games were being held on the village fair grounds, with facilities equal to the needs of the usual fair crowds, but far from adequate for a crowd of twenty thousand, and with a grandstand only big enough to seat seven hundred, this meant most of the twenty thousand were milling around the grounds, and crowd control became rapidly nil.
Nevertheless, with all these, and a hundred and one other unforeseen problems, the games that first year, were counted a success, with some $4,000 realized as clear profit.
The Kenyon Agricultural Society took their share of the profits and put them right back into the improvement of the Fair Grounds, a policy they have followed through all the succeeding years.