Taken from a Listserv message by Ewan Macpherson

There is a very good article in the latest edition of the 'Piping Times' Vol. 55 No.3. It refers to the poor state of the memorial to Calum Piobair (Calum Macpherson) near Catlodge at Laggan - about 2 miles from Ewan of the '45's Cairn. Calum Piobair and his family were the personal pipers to Cluny at Cluny Castle. There is a splendid old photograph on the front cover, circa 1870s, of Calum wearing the hunting tartan kilt, tweed jacket, waistcoat and with his crooked stick. We have a similar picture in the Museum but he is in a black jacket.

The article refers to the poor state of the Cairn and the ground around - almost hidden with self-seeding birch trees. Other pictures accompanying the article include the actual cairn, his former home (Piper's Cottage) and his grave at Laggan cemetery. The writer is pleading for assistance to clear the site and anyone interested should contact Jeannie Campbell at college@college-of-piping.co.uk.

I (Ewan) understand that they already have a number of volunteers and the local pipe band are also showing an interest. The Clan Museum is favourably mentioned in the article and in particular how well Olive looked after the writer during a 'surprise' visit. The website is worth a look at but a shame there is no music to accompany it! See www.college-of-piping.co.uk.

Inasmuch as the excerpt on the College of Piping's website will have been superceded by the time many of our members read this news item, the text has been reproduced below:

John MacDonald was born at Glentruim, only a couple of miles away, where his father Alexander was piper to Macpherson of Glentruim. The MacDonalds too has a close association with the Northern Meeting, Alexander winning the Prize Pipe in 1860 and the Former Winners Gold Medal in 1864, and his brother William doing the same in 1868 and 1869. John himself won the Gold Medal in 1890 and went on to win the Clasp seven times. As a young man John was employed as a gamekeeper at Glentromie near Kingussie. On one occasion he met Calum Piobair at the old castle of Ruthven and together they walked the 10 miles to Catlodge having a tune on the bagpipe at intervals along the way. Near the cottage is the cairn erected by the Glasgow Badenoch Association in memory of Calum Piobair. The cairn was unveiled in 1960 when Dr Kenneth MacKay gave the eulogy in the presence of Calum’s son Angus and grandson Malcolm. If one does not know where to look the cairn is difficult to find.