During his long career, Pipe Major Kitts volunteered his time and talent teaching numerous pipers. His easy going personality and talent along with his unselfish devotion to the perpetuation of traditional pipe music has encouraged many people, young and old, to take up the pipes.
John Angus was born April 15, 1898 near Munroe’s Mills. Although there is nothing to indicate when he started playing the fiddle, there is a photo of him holding a mandolin while overseas during WWI; therefore, we can make the assumption that he started playing early...
Born in Vankleek Hill, Joan Patricia Barton was the middle child of a family of eleven. A family of minimal means, Joan began to develop her musical talents when her grandfather paid for her to take piano lessons with the Sisters of Mary at the convent. In addition to...
Born in Maxville, in the heart of Glengarry, Carol has always been a proud and vocal supporter of the music and culture. When asked about her ability to play so many instruments, she replied, "Well, it's no big deal; I come from Glengarry where most everyone does...
Gerald McGillis began playing the fiddle on his 13th birthday and very quickly discovered his ability to learn any tune by ear after hearing it only a couple of times. Family folklore tells us that by the time his parents returned home from mass on that special day,...
Dr. Donaldson MacLeod can certainly be described as a "Jack of all trades" when referring to our Celtic heritage in general and Glengarry Celtic heritage in particular. Fluent in three languages, English, French and Gaelic, Donaldson, an engineer by profession, is...
John Roy MacDonell was born on the Third Concession of Kenyon in 1902. After losing his mother when he was two years old, he was raised by John & Ellen Kennedy on the fourth of Kenyon. Here he had the opportunity to meet a talented piper and Highland dancer, Neil...
Over the last fifty plus years, Kathy Fraser-Collins has significantly contributed to the Celtic music tradition of Glengarry as a teacher and a performer. Although she doesn't remember learning to play the piano, she gave her first performance at five when she played...
This legendary Glengarry piper was born September 28, 1890 to Donald D. MacLeod and his wife, Mary Ann MacSweyn. As a youngster, he learned to play the fife, accordion, piano and fiddle before he learned to play the bagpipes. He picked up tunes from his uncle, Fred...
Rev. Dawes was born in 1907 in Southampton, England and at the age of six years moved with his family to Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec. He was educated at McGill University and in 1930, became an ordained minister of the United Church of Canada. Over a period of...