When is International Bagpipe Day?
Friday March 10thEvery year on March 10th, International Bagpipe Day commemorates this special device. To the general public, the day also highlights the diversity of bagpipes.
Bagpipes are woodwind instruments. Most people associate this instrument with Scotland, Ireland, and other Celtic countries. However, the bagpipe's sources derive from ancient Egypt. Several believe Ancient Egyptians played some form of the bagpipes about 400 BC. The men who played the instrument were called the pipers of Thebes by the time. Historians also believe that Nero, the Roman emperor, played the pipes.
Historians aren't sure how the bagpipes made their way to Scotland and Ireland. According to one theory, invading Roman legions carried the bagpipes to Scotland. Pipers from Scotland and Ireland have played the bagpipes at weddings, feasts, fares, and even during war. The bagpipes were used in the Scottish Highlands during the 16th and 17th centuries as the weapon of combat.
Bagpipes come in a variety of sizes. The Highland bagpipe and the Lowland bagpipe are two popular items in Scotland. People are most familiar with the Highland bagpipe, and pipers usually appear at Highland dancing, weddings, and funerals. The Irish people play the uilleann bagpipes. The instrument is more suitable for indoor performances due to its softer sound than Scottish bagpipes.
