The Annual Piping Competition | An Fharpais Phìobaireachd Bhliadhnail
In 1944 a sub committee of the Association was formed for the purpose of organising an annual solo piping competition. Ten of the world’s top pipers were invited to compete in the first competition in 1945, which proved to be a great success and details of the competition were written into the constitution of the Association. ​
​
Prize money was raised by Association by organising a variety of functions. Highlanders and Islanders who had moved to, and prospered in the city, were extremely generous in donating silver trophies and down through the years more have been donated. Our current sponsor’s regularly give generous financial support which eases the financial burden on the committee.
The competition organisers are also grateful to the support given annually by the Glasgow Highland Club who graciously present a Silver Medal to the winner of the Piobaireachd competition. The medal is most attractive and inscribed with the motto of the club in the form of “Dileas dha cheile” (“Faithful to one another”).
Today the competition organisers annually issue invitations to 14 selected pipers using the criteria set out by the Competing Pipers Association in that only those graded P, or the best qualified in the A grade are considered. The competition, held in March of each year, is still rated as one of the big four competitions in the world.
Ann an 1944, chuireadh fo-chomataidh den Chomann air bhonn airson an fharpais phìobaireachd aon-neach bhliadhnail a chur an òrdugh. Fhuair deichnear de na pìobairean a b’ fheàrr air an t-saoghal cuireadh gus pàirt a ghabhail sa chiad fharpais ann an 1945. Bha seo anabarrach soirbheachail agus chaidh am mion-fhiosrachadh a sgrìobhadh a-steach don bhonn-stèidh aig a’ Chomann.
Chaidh airgead nan duaisean a thogail leis a’ Chomann tro bhith ag eagrachadh measgachadh de chuirmean. Bha Gàidheil is Eileanaich a bha air gluasad agus air soirbheachadh sa bhaile anabarrach fialaidh ann am buileachadh dhuaisean airgid agus tha sin air cumail a’ dol sìos tro na bliadhnaichean.
Tha an luchd-urrais a th’ againn gu làithreach a’ tort seachad làn-taic ionmhasail agus tha sin a’ lasachadh an uallaich ionmhasail leis a bheil a’ chomataidh a’ dèiligeadh.
Tha luchd-eagrachaidh na farpais gu mòr an comain an taic a thathar a’ faotainn gach bliadhna bho Chlub Gàidhealach Ghlaschu, a bhios a’ buileachadh Bonn Airgid air buannaiche na farpais Pìobaireachd. Tha am bonn air leth tarraingeach agus sgrìobhte air, tha suaicheantas a’ chluib: “Dìleas dha chèile”.
San latha an-diugh, bidh luchd-eagrachaidh na farpais a’ cur a-mach cuireadh gach bliadhna gu 14 pìobairean taghte, a’ cleachdadh nan slatan-tomhais a tha air an cur sìos le Comann nam Pìobairean Farpaiseach. Tha iad sin a’ riaghladh nach urrainnear beachdachadh ach orrasan a tha air an rangachadh aig P no an fheadhainn as àirde teisteanais aig ìre A. Tha an fharpais a bhios a’ gabhail àite sa Mhàrt gach bliadhna, air a meas mar aon de na ceithir farpaisean as motha air an t-saoghal.