Celtic Music

Playin’ The Pipes

Ours, the strains renowned in story,
Of peaceful halls or deadly quarry.
Pipers call to field or foray,
Melt to love or rouse to glory.
Sound our mountain melody.
(”The Highland Bagpipe” W.I. Manson 1901)

The bright and colourful music of the bagpipe is ideal for outdoor events and festivities.


- Piping the mayor and multitude for the City of Guelph World Record Walk	- Leading the opening procession annually at the Eden Mills Writers Festival

There is a long history and colourful folklore of bagpipe music in western European culture. I have acumulated research and travelled through the England, Scotland and Ireland to absorb and understand the rich folk music traditions. This experience has helped me in hosting many an evening of Scottish music at McDougall Cottage Museum in Galt. It is an entertaining and educational experience that connects to the roots of Scottish music tradition.

Mainly I play the music of the British Isles, including Scotland, Ireland and England. My collection of ten different western European bagpipes enables me to play French, Breton and Galician music as well as some medieval and rennaisance dance music.

In the winter of 2000 my wife, Eva McCauley and I began hosting the Celtic music pub session every friday night in Elora. It continues to draw a crowd at the Shepherd’s Pub on Mill Street. We also formed the band WhirlyGig to play dance music at local ceilis. WhirlyGig can still be found playing celtic music at weddings, festivals and special events around Wellington County.

I am a former member of the Guelph and Fergus Pipe Bands and have been playing pipes for about 25 years. These days I perform solo as well as in traditional folk ensembles on various pipes like the Highland Pipes, Borderpipes, and the Scottish smallpipes.

Below, WhirlyGig (Eva and Robin) with Jacob McCauley at Guelph’s John McCrae memorial park.

I am available to teach beginning adult pipers and teach tune repertoire for the Scottish smallpipes through Riverside Celtic College www.riversidecelticcollege.ca in Guelph, Ontario.

“There is meat and music here, said the fox as he ate the bagpipe”
(an old proverb)