Domhnall Ban: 40 years in the job he loves

That would be quite enough for Domhnall Bàn Macdonald who, for 40 years, has been teaching the pipes in Uist and Barra. Now he also has the accolade “tutor of the year’ from Scotland’s Traditional Music Awards, by popular acclaim.

“It was a surprise and a huge honour”, he says. “I didn’t know anything about it until I got a call saying I was on the short list. Then what a great spree we had in Dundee! What an experience! Everything went so smoothly and it was wonderful to see so many of my ex-pupils”.

That roll of honour included, on the night, Seonaidh Macintyre of Trail West; Micheal Steele of Beinn Lee and Julie Fowlis to whom Domhnall taught the chanter.

But the sheer numbers of young people in Uist and Barra who have had the opportunity to learn traditional music is at least as important a legacy worthy of honour as a tutor of 40 years.

Today’s flourishing condition of Uist’s piping tradition owes an immense amount to Domhnall Bàn and his wife Esther who have been teaching the instrument since returning to live in Uist in 1984.

Growing up in Kyles Flodda, he learned the chanter from a neighbour, Duncan Maclellan. “Duncan taught a lot of folk in Uist the pipes long before I started”, he says. “I used to give him a hand and I suppose that is how I got into teaching”.

Piping continued to be a big part of his life when Domhnall moved to the mainland, working for a scaffolding company first in Kirkcaldy, where he played with Levenmouth Pipe Band, and then Glasgow, where he joined City of Glasgow Pipe Band and attended piobaireachd classes with the late Pipe Major Donald Macleod.

Domhnall and Esther, who is from Achmore in Lochalsh, returned to the islands, initially in North Uist, with four children. “A group of parents got together and formed Paible Junior Chanter Club”, he recalls. “That was voluntary and Esther was doing that with me. After we moved to Benbecula, it carried on and we used to meet at Trionaid, in Carinish”.

For 15 years, Domhnall drove the mobile library throughout Uist, a role inherited from his old neighbour, Duncan Maclellan. He also became Pipe Major of the Uist Pipe Band and held that position for many years before handing over to an ex-pupil. The band continues to flourish with the supply of personnel underpinned by the work in schools.

A career highlight came in 2001 with Domhnall leading a Western Isles Pipe Band to South Korea when Comhairle nan Eilean Siar sent a delegation to the World Festival of Island Cultures – a once in a lifetime experience and the kind of thing that would be unlikely to happen today!

Then, 21 years ago, the opportunity arose, through Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s commitment to music tuition, for Domhnall to make the transition from mobile library to full-time piping instructor in Uist and Barra schools, both primary and secondary. It was his dream job – and that is how it has continued to the present day.

“The reward”, he says, “is to see the kids improving every time”. Much of Domhnall’s tuition is through the medium of Gaelic, so that he performs a major service to the language in the schools as well as to the music. “Most of the kids have Gaelic”, he says.

By 2006, his appointment led to the formation of Sgoil Lionacleit Pipe Band and it has become a well-known institution not only within the islands but also in the competitive arena, travelling to the mainland for major events including the World Championships in Glasgow – fantastic experiences for the youngsters, drawn from Berneray down to Barra.

The costs involved are daunting and meant the band did not go to the “Worlds” this year. However, they hope to return in August and will definitely head for Kilmarnock to compete in the Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships where they have had previous success.

Another utterly unforgettable experience for youngsters, parents and tutor came in 2018 when the Sgoil Lionacleit Pipe Band was invited to take part in the Tartan Day parade in New York and Sixth Avenue echoed to pipes and drums from Uist and Barra. It was a classic example of the unexpected life opportunities which music in schools can open up.

The band has had to be re-built following the Covid shut-down since many members had left school. “At the Christmas concert last year”, says Domhnall, “we only had one drummer – the bass. For this week’s concert, we have 13 – six snare, six tenors and the bass”. That is a fair indicator of the band’s resilience and “we’re very fortunate to have Stuart Coils as our drumming instructor”.

Domhnall is a great admirer of the Scottish Schools Pipes and Drums Trust which does valuable work throughout Scotland. It has given the Sgoil Lionacleit band financial support on the drumming side in the past year. However, he points out, everything has to be match funded. “We are really struggling for money all the time”, says Domhnall.

At any one time, Domhnall and Esther, who has also worked for the Comhairle as a piping instructor for the past 16 years, have around 180 students in the schools they visit.

A few will go on to make their livelihoods from music while all of them will benefit from a life-enhancing aspect of their education. The recognition accorded to Domhnall Bàn by the Trad Awards has indeed been well earned and worthy of another tune!