TOMORROW evening, pipe major Norman McCutcheon opens the third William Kennedy Piping Festival in Armagh. Workshops in piping techniques and the nitty gritty of reedmaking back up a programme that also continues the organisers' presentation of pipes and pipers from different parts of the world. This year the Bulgarian garda bagpipe is celebrated by the playing of top player Kiril Ketev from the town of Smolen, where the large Rhodope instrument is played along with the smaller Trakia version.

Welsh piping has been silent for a hundred years, but joining Ketev in Armagh will be revivalists Jonathan Shorland and Carmarthen Town Piper Ceri Rhys Matthews. Playing Highland pipes will be local Stephen Megarity of the Field Marshall Montgomery band, Scots Gordon Duncan and Allan and Angus MacDonald. This Armagh Pipers' Club multi nationalism pays tribute too to the importance of the travelling uilleann piper with exBothy Band member Paddy Keenan, and John Rooney, nephew of the late great Felix Doran. Dubliner Neilidh Mulligan will be performing too, along with many local pipers. Friday night is a young pipers' recital, Saturday the big concert at the Drumsill Hotel. information: 08 01861 511248.