"Celtic Spirit had been a dream of mine for some time. A dream that I once thought would never come true.

I gave 17 years of my life to the pipe band world, during which time I saw some big changes, not always for the better. Competing can be tough, almost heart breaking if you leave the day empty-handed. It can get you very down! A change was needed and so Celtic Spirit was born with it's upbeat toe-tapping, full-of-fun, in-your-face piping and drumming.

Putting it all together has not been easy. I needed a second drummer and some top class pipers. My long suffering friend Brian Kennedy took up the post as my other drummer. Thankfully now we both share the dream and we work very hard to keep the band going.

I speak from the heart when I say I'm very lucky to have so many friends. But what's even better is that my friends are top class pipers so I didn't have to look too far to piece together my band.

I thankfully share the band with Brian and it's now our band.

Celtic Spirit creates an atmosphere and touches people, leaving them wanting more every time. The passion comes from every player in the band. It's a must not to just play a tune but, as I've always said, remember that someone has taken time to write it. As players we should take the time to appreciate it!"