A very warm welcome to the Highland Society of London website.
The Highland Society of London is a charity, which exists to promote and support the traditions and culture of the Highlands of Scotland, whilst maintaining a Membership of individuals to support the Society’s activities. Fast approaching it’s 250th anniversary, the Society has a proud record of financing and otherwise supporting significant charitable activities both in the Highlands and also in London. This assistance has varied as the needs of Highlanders have changed over the years, but has always had a particular bias towards piping and education. In recent years, the Society has focused on supporting competitions for individuals who excel in particular pursuits traditional to the Highlands and Islands, hoping as a result to bring those traditions to a wider public in Scotland and beyond.
The calendar of activities that the Society supports is shown below; please click on the links for more details about each event :
Upcoming
8th March 2026: Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships, Kilmarnock
9th May-14th June 2026: Best Work by a Highlander, RSA Annual Exhibition, Edinburgh
TBC June 2026: Highland Book Prize, Inverness
4th-5th August 2026: Isle of Skye Highland Games Piping Competitions, Portree
15th August 2026: Glenfinnan Gathering Highland Dancing Competitions, Glenfinnan
26th-27th August 2026: Argyllshire Gathering Piping Competitions, Oban
3rd-4th September 2026: Northern Meeting Piping Competitions, Inverness
TBC September 2026: Fiction Prize, Gaelic Literature Awards, Glasgow
TBC September 2026: The London Recital, Dover House, London
9th-17th October 2026: Highland Art Prize, Royal National Mòd, Glasgow
5th December 2026: Gaelic Singer of the Year award at The Trads, Paisley
Recent
6th December 2025: Gaelic Singer of the Year award at The Trads, Aberdeen
10th-18th October 2025: Highland Art Prize, Royal National Mòd, Lochaber
28th September 2025: Dissertation Prize, University of the Highlands and Islands
25th September 2025: The London Recital, Dover House, London
16th September 2025: Gaelic Literature Awards, Glasgow
11th-12th September 2025: Northern Meeting Piping Competitions, Inverness
27th-28th August 2025: Argyllshire Gathering Piping Competitions, Oban
16th August 2025: Glenfinnan Gathering Highland Dancing Competitions, Glenfinnan
5th-6th August 2025: Isle of Skye Highland Games Piping Competitions, Portree
22nd July 2025: Highland Book Prize, Inverness
20th June 2025: Queen Victoria School Highland Dancing Prize, Dunblane
3rd May-8th June 2025: Best Work by a Highlander, RSA Annual Exhibition, Edinburgh
9th March 2025: Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships, Kilmarnock
30th November 2024: Gaelic Singer of the Year award at The Trads, Inverness
11th-19th October 2024: Highland Art Prize, Royal National Mòd, Oban
9th October 2024: Dissertation Prize, University of the Highlands and Islands
17th September 2024: Gaelic Literature Awards, Glasgow
3rd September 2024: Highland Book Prize, Nairn Book & Arts Festival
29th-30th August 2024: Northern Meeting Piping Competitions, Inverness
21st-22nd August 2024: Argyllshire Gathering Piping Competitions, Oban
17th August 2024: Glenfinnan Gathering Highland Dancing Competitions, Glenfinnan
13th August 2024: Opening of Galley Aileach Boathouse, Kildonnan, South Uist
6th-7th August 2024: Isle of Skye Games Piping Competitions, Portree
16th June 2024: Best Work by a Highlander, RSA Annual Exhibition, Edinburgh
12th June 2024: Queen Victoria School Highland Dancing Prize, Dunblane
16th April 2024: Islands Book Trust appeal, Isle of Lewis
20th March 2024: Duncan Ban MacIntyre memorial, Makar’s Court, Edinburgh
10th March 2024: Scottish Schools Pipe Band Championships, Kilmarnock
10th January 2024: Fellowship programme, Circus Artspace, Inverness
For more information about the Highland Society of London, please contact info@highlandsocietyoflondon.org. Details relating to the trustees of the charity, its accounts and its administration can be found on the Charity Commission of England and Wales website here.
MacDonnell of Glengarry, from the Society’s tartan collection currently at the National Museum of Scotland: this two red line version was worn by the Glengarry Fencibles and was chosen by Glengarry as his Clan Tartan in 1816 (with thanks to Peter Eslea Macdonald)