Periodicals

The International Piper was founded in 1978 by the late Captain John A. MacLellan MBE (1921-1991) and his wife, Christine. They were the magazine’s joint editors. The magazine ran until 1981 and was popular from its first publication, containing as it did news, well written, informative and opinionated articles, humour and comment. It was never really seen as a rival publication to the Piping Times and whereas the Piping Times was always A5 in size, the International Piper was produced to a larger format, though not quite A4.

The very first issue carried a plea from MacLellan for comradeship in piping because, he wrote, “we sense that all is not well with the piping scene. Wherever one goes there is a distinct feeling that piping is in the throes of varying degrees of discontent and even frustration. This manifests itself in different ways.”

Among the many regular columns and contributors was John Shone and his ‘London Letter’ which detailed the activities of the Scottish Piping Society of London. In Scotland, Tom Speirs reported on the activities of Edinburgh’s Eagle Pipers’ Society, while Angus J. MacLellan provided regular updates on the Glasgow-based Scottish Pipers’ Association. Though it ran for only a little over three years, the magazine also provides a fascinating insight into the fully emerging international piping scene of the late 1970s and early 1980s.

The National Piping Centre is grateful to the well known piper, judge and reedmaker, Colin MacLellan – son of the magazine’s editors – for permission to present The International Piper here. He said: “I can still remember mum and dad working away for hours on each issue. It was all done from our home in Dean Park Crescent. I hope readers of today will enjoy these articles.”