Over the years various playing members have entertained crowds throughout the world including New Zealand, Russia, Brazil, France, Germany, Tenerife, Ireland, Belgium and Norway.
Germany 1997 - The Dufftown Pipe Band were invited out to Mörlenbach, Germany in June 1997. This was specifically to play at the International Folklore Festival. The Pipe Band received a very warm and generous welcome from everyone, with an invitation to a Champagne Breakfast hosted by the local Mayor on the first day! The Dufftown Pipe Band played at various places throughout the area, including local supermarkets, schools and concerts. The final performance was the Folklore Festival; an outdoor event in the village of Mörlenbach. During this performance the local group organising the event recorded the performance on to CD, giving several copies to the Pipe Band.
Tenerife 2006 - Following lengthy discussions by telephone with the Mayor of Puerto de la Cruz in Tenerife as well as several visits to Tenerife, the late Mr George Buchan from the Commercial Hotel, Dufftown (Chairman of the band at that time) fulfilled his ambition by arranging for the Dufftown Pipe Band to be invited out to Puerto de la Cruz; one of the top destinations in the Canary Islands located in the North of Tenerife. This was to take part in their world famous annual carnivals. This was an amazing experience where the band again received a very warm and generous welcome by the local people.
Ireland 2016 – In November 2015, Michael O Hara, owner of Yeats County Inn in Curry, Sligo, Ireland contacted the Pipe Band to invite them over to play at a Burns Night at the Inn over the weekend of 22nd January. Michael’s mother, Sheila French, has a close connection to Dufftown and he wanted to treat his motherby bringing over the band to make the Burns/Scottish night extra special. Michael very generously offered free accommodation and food to the Band at the Inn for the trip with only the band having to raise funds for the transport (bus from Maynes Coaches and ferry). In total twenty members made the trip, contributing towards the cost of the transport. The band took a bus down to Cairnryan where they caught the ferry across to Belfast where they continued their travel by bus to Curry, Sligo.
On the Saturday in the morning the band visited the Holy Well at Tobernault before having a look around Sligo itself. In the evening the band played outside as guests arrived to the Scottish night, they played before the meal inside and then once again later at night. On the Sunday they played outside the Immaculate Conception Church in Curry and then again later in the afternoon back at the Inn, before travelling back home on the Monday. The hospitality provided on the trip was exceptional and the band made many new friends and acquaintances. A big thanks to Michael, Jacqui and all the staff and customers at the Yeats County Inn in making great lifetime memories and hope to return back next year!
USA 2016 – The Innes Clan Scottish Society in the USA was founded in 1984 and established a link with Dufftown Pipe Band many years ago. The band are believed to be the only band in the world to wear the Red Innes of Moray tartan. The Society generously provides a donation annually to the Band to help with ongoing costs. At the end of 2015 the Innes Clan Society contacted the band to see if 2 pipers would be willing to come across to the USA in September 2016 to join the Society at some of their celebration events. The Society very kindly agreed to pay travel costs of the pipers and host them during their stay. To ensure all fairness in the selection of the 2 pipers, names were picked out of a hat to determine the 2 lucky members, which were Neil McConnachie and Kim Paterson. These two members flew out to Charlotte, North Carolina on 7th Sept where they were shown the sights and history of Charlotte and kindly hosted by Clan Innes members Ed and Anne Shoaf. They then flew to Estes Park in Colorado on 9th Sept where they played at the Estes Park Highland Games weekend which was attended by thousands of people over the course of the weekend, this was like Dufftown Games but x 20 to get a picture of the size of event!! On the Sunday they were taken on a tour of the Rocky Mountains National Park which was an amazing experience. Neil and Kim had an absolutely brilliant trip and have made some wonderful friends from the Clan Innes Society, they were made to feel most welcome and were treated like royalty.
Ireland 2017 - Following a successful trip to Yeats County Inn in Curry Sligo in 2016, the Band were invited back again by Michael O Hara in January 2017 to attend their Scottish Burns Night. 23 Band Members were able to make the trip in 2017, 8 of whom did not manage to attend in 2016 so a new experience for them. The group aged from 12yrs to 55 (ish) yrs and the Band had a great time yet again. The locals were truly delighted to have the Band back across, as was Michael, his mum and the team of staff at the Inn. On the Saturday the Band played at the Inn for the Burns Night with some of the locals getting drumming lessons in the evening!! On the Sunday the Band travelled to Tubercurry where they played outside a Church in the morning and at a Residential Care Home in the afternoon. An amazing experience yet again where the Band truly bonded as a FAMILY.
All of the above international events would not have been acheivable without gaining the generous donations and sponsorships from the local people and businesses in Dufftown as well as those in the surrounding areas. The Dufftown Pipe Band are very apprecaitive of this and give out a huge THANK YOU to everyone involved in making such experiences possible.
The pipe band would welcome and consider any opportunity to further their international portfolio.