THE MACCRIMMON PIPERS OF SKYE: A Tradition Under Siege
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THE MACCRIMMON PIPERS OF SKYE: A Tradition Under Siege
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THE AUTHOR
"The MacCrimmon Pipers of Skye: A Tradition Under Siege" has been 25 years in the making. Author Bruce Campbell is acknowledged as one of the foremost experts on the subject of this historic family and has likely had more printed on the topic than any other piping historian.
He has reserached this book in Boreraig, Dunvegan Castle, the National Libraries of Scotland and Australia, in Canada, Scotland and Australia and has read thousands of books, articles and manuscripts in the process, many of them never before published.
A first rate piper himself Bruce has won many prizes in top solo and band competition over a quarter of a century in Australia, Scotland, England and Holland. In 1971 he enlisted as a young piper in the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards and has since played all over the world. He has studied under both Captain John MacLellan and Captain Andrew Pitkeathly at the Army School of Piping, Edinburgh Castle and has played with Grade 1 bands Scottish Gas and City of Blacktown (Australia) and has also pipe majored and taught bands like Peebles Ex Servicemen's, Canberra Burns Club, Queanbeyan City and City of Canberra. Additionally he held professional appointments with the Sultan of Oman's Royal Band and the Royal Australian Regiment as Pipe Major and served with the Royal Scots.
Pipe Major Bruce Campbell is also rated as one of Australia's top piobaireachd players which has aided his insight into the study of this book.
Currently he is editor of HIGHLAND GATHERING, the best selling Celtic Arts monthly, and has also authored THE COMPLETE RECORD OF THE AUSTRALIAN PIPE BAND CHAMPIONSHIPS as well as countless soccer books and magazines.
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THE BOOK
This 200 page book, complete with photos, family trees and comprehensive notes will be available on August 1, 2000 by Duntroon Publishing. MacCrimmon authority Rod MacLeod, who has pre-viewed several chapters, has correctly forecast that it will be the most comprehensive book ever published on the subject.
"More has been written about the MacCrimmons, the legendary Skye piping family, than any other of our ancient pipers. Previous studies of this subject have, however, either failed to examine the MacCrimmons beyond the undeniable 'romance of the highlands', or, if treated in a serious manner, then failed to examine them against the background of contemporary social and economic circumstances. As a result it is often difficult to objectively study the contribution of a family living three hundred years, and more, ago in a remote corner of an equally remote area of the West Highlands of Scotland.
Tradition, legend and collected oral history have all been examined against the little factual evidence that we have. An attempt has also been made to view the MacCrimmons in the political and socio-economic conditions of their time, and thus it is hoped that fantasy has been separated from the strong tradition of oral history. It can be a mistake to dismiss Gaelic folklore too lightly. For centuries each clan employed its own hereditary story-teller, the seannachie, to preserve the history of the clan at a time when illiteracy was the norm. If the device used was to cloak fact with a touch of fanciful fiction then we must accept that device for what it is, and not to reject the substance of the oral tradition out of hand.
In this book I have attempted to illustrate the full MacCrimmon story and that has meant repeating much of what has been written before. It has also meant using the traditional dates of the birth and death of the various principals in that story, although the substance of the tradition would not be substantially altered if any of these dates were shifted by a few years.
This is the first time that the complete MacCrimmon story has been told and the dynasty's role in highland society critically examined. The story of the MacCrimmons is a fascinating one, one that is entwined with the history of piping itself, and, while the history of the highlands is often viewed romantically, this historical 'dressing up' should not obscure fact.
And while there is much romance associated with any highland subject the MacCrimmons have also come in for more than their share of bagging. In recent years the publication of The MacCrimmon Legend has done much to undermine the traditional notion of these hereditary pipers, a trend that was maybe started over a century ago in Archibald Clerk's contribution to the New Statistical Account of Scotland.
It is understandable that such an emotive subject has clouded the reason of writers, and it is hoped that this book will enable students of highland history and lovers of the bagpipe to separate fact from fiction, to evaluate the importance of the family and to decide whether the story of the MacCrimmons is legend, or in fact merely myth; a tradition under siege."
Bruce Campbell, Australia May 2000.
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HOW TO ORDER
The MacCrimmon Pipers of Skye will be available on August 1 2000 and will be distributed through most good piping shops, select book shops in Australia and Scotland and by direct mail order from Duntroon Publishing.
ORDERING FROM DUNTROON PUBLISHING
Visa & MasterCard accepted. Foreign currency cheques also accepted.
Please note, no payment will be processed until the book is ready for dispatch.
RRP: $A44 GBP18.95 $US40 $CDN42 - may include freight charges which will vary amongst stockists.
Airmail Postage & Packaging;
Australia & New Zealand $A5,
Europe $A10 or GBP4
North America $A10, $US8, $CDN9.
PLEASE NOTE THAT ALL BOOKS PRE-ORDERED DIRECT BY AUGUST 1 WILL BE DISPATCHED POST FREE.
If you would like your book signed personally by the author please indicate the subscription desired. e.g. to John MacCrimmon in piping, Bruce Campbell
DUNTROON PUBLISHING
may be contacted at their
Street Address; Suites 4/5 108 Railway Street, Corrimal, NSW 2518 AUSTRALIA
Postal Address; PO Box 98, Corrimal NSW 2518 AUSTRALIA
email: highlandgathering@hotmail.com
fax: (02) 4285 7482 telephone: (02) 4285 7480
A FOLLOW-UP AND CONTACT ADDRESS
Because of the huge amount of interest shown worldwide in this book it is anticipated that a follow-up will be published. This will deal more extensively with Donald Ruadh and Iain Dubh MacCrimmon and their descendants. It will also incorporate family trees. If you would like to submit details of your own MacCrimmon family tree for publishing please send information to maccrimmonpipers@hotmail.com or press the link below.
DUNTROON PUBLISHING would like to thank the MacCrimmon family list, Anita Nason, Malcolm MacCrimmon, Rod MacLeod and Hugh Cheape for their invaluable help in preparing this book.
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