Biography

From a very musical family, where all the members play musical instruments, Liam started to learn music on a penny whistle, quickly graduating to the concert flute. He is now extremely accomplished on both instruments and is the 2008 Scottish flute and whistle champion. He competed in the All Britain Championships playing solo flute and whistle.

When Liam was loaned an old practice set of Uillean Pipes at school, he made remarkable and quick progress on this challenging instrument. A pupil at Holyrood Secondary School in Glasgow, Liam is a member of the school’s traditional music group ‘Oran’, playing both flute and the pipes, which has performed at the school’s award ceremonies and other concerts. He says himself that, “playing the pipes is my favourite thing to do and gives me such pleasure.”

Liam is occasionally able to play his tutor’s full set of pipes and has been told that he has the ability to go far. His ambition is indeed to compete in the All Britain and the World Championships in Ireland playing the pipes, but without a good quality set his progress will be seriously hampered.

How the Award Helped

The Dewar Arts Award enables Liam to purchase a set of Uilleann pipes.

Since the Award

Subsequently, Liam writes that since receiving delivery of his new pipes, he has played at many ceilidhs, school functions and family gatherings.  Currently, he is focussing on final school exams but hopes to compete at the 2010 Glasgow Feis.

His long-term aim is to excel at playing the Uilleann pipes, which he has been told by the experts takes many years of practice.