PM Donald MacLean, Lewis
Donald won the Gold Medal at Oban in 1951 and at Inverness in 1953. His instrument was a legend itself, and few pipers were able to blow it. Those who did were never quite the same afterwards. There was no more stirring experience than to hear Donald play in the basement of Lawrie's shop. He was Pipe Major of the Glasgow Transport Pipe Band from about 1953 to 1955. Donald played with the right hand on top but could play on either shoulder.
As a composer he is remembered for his march 'Major David Manson at Clachantrushel' and many other tunes. Clachantrushal is a standing stone, said to the tallest in Scotland, which is sited behind Donald's house at Ballantrushal. He himself is commemorated in his lifelong friend Donald MacLeod's 6/8 PM Donald MacLean of Lewis. Donald's sudden death at Cowal on 29th August 1964 at the early age of 56 meant that he did not live long enough to see his best piobaireachd pupil Hector MacFadyen win the two Gold Medals in that year.
Donald won the Gold Medal at Oban in 1951 and at Inverness in 1953. His instrument was a legend itself, and few pipers were able to blow it. Those who did were never quite the same afterwards. There was no more stirring experience than to hear Donald play in the basement of Lawrie's shop. He was Pipe Major of the Glasgow Transport Pipe Band from about 1953 to 1955. Donald played with the right hand on top but could play on either shoulder.
As a composer he is remembered for his march 'Major David Manson at Clachantrushel' and many other tunes. Clachantrushal is a standing stone, said to the tallest in Scotland, which is sited behind Donald's house at Ballantrushal. He himself is commemorated in his lifelong friend Donald MacLeod's 6/8 PM Donald MacLean of Lewis. Donald's sudden death at Cowal on 29th August 1964 at the early age of 56 meant that he did not live long enough to see his best piobaireachd pupil Hector MacFadyen win the two Gold Medals in that year.
Donald was born at Ballantrushal, Lewis in 1908. In 1926 at the age of 18 he enlisted in the Seaforth Highlanders at Fort George, and the next year was posted to the 1st Battalion at Aldershot. The Pipe Major there was Donald R MacLennan, who soon took him in hand. In due course he passed through the Army School under PM William Ross and in 1936 was appointed Pipe Major of the 2nd Battalion Seaforth Highlanders. He also had piobaireachd instruction from Angus MacPherson. He served in Egypt and Palestine before going to France in 1939 with the Highland Division and was taken prisoner at St Valery. The rest of the war was spent in prison camps in Germany. He took over the Scottish Command School of Piping 1946 then went to the Highland Brigade training school 1947-48. He retired in 1948 with 22 years service. He was now able to take part in competitions and became a consistent prize winner. He was piper to Sir Edwin de Winton Wills, Glenlyon before he took the post of manager of the bagpipe department at R G Lawrie Ltd in Glasgow in 1953.
