Richard Parkes celebrated in Antrim at June 28th “Richard’s Retreat” private party

With 25 Ulster Championships, 27 All-Ireland Championships, 17 Scottish Championships, 13 European Championships, 12 Cowal Championships, 12 British Championships, five UK Championships, 15 RSPBA Grade 1 Champion of Champions titles, and, most famously, 13 World Championships, Richard Parkes is the most successful pipe-major in history. About 100 guests marked his retirement at “Richard’s Retreat” at Dunadry Hotel and Gardens in Antrim, Northern Ireland, on June 28, 2025.

Though a public event could have filled the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall, at the ever-self-effacing Parkes’s request, the retirement do was invitation-only and casual for current and previous members of Field Marshal Montgomery.

FMM Pipe-Major Matt Wilson, who played under Parkes for 21 years, including seven as pipe-sergeant, served as emcee.

Highlights of “Richard’s Retreat” included a performance by the band of its new “Tribute“ medley, one of their two competition selections for 2025. The medley consists of tunes that featured in previous World’s-winning medleys. Apart from practices, it was the band‘s first performance of the medley of medleys, which will make its public debut on July 5th at the All-Ireland Championships in Londonderry. Former Pipe-Sergeant Alastair Dunn introduced the band.

“The celebration brought a real sense of closure to the FMM chapter of my life.” – Richard Parkes

“It was a wonderful night, made even more special by the chance to catch-up with many former Field Marshal Montgomery members,” Richard Parkes said. “The celebration brought a real sense of closure to the FMM chapter of my life.”

Parkes was presented with a framed photo montage of photos from his 13 World’s wins and remarked that, like every piper or drummer who’s played with Field Marshal Montgomery, he, too, is part of history.

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Six of the eight pipers in Field Marshal Montgomery when Parkes became pipe-major in 1981 were able to attend.

Until Richard Parkes and Leading-Drummer Gordon Parkes won the 1990 Cowal Championship, no Grade 1 band from Northern Irleand had won an RSPBA major.

The traditional Celtic folk duo of former Field Marshal Montgomery piper Alan MacPherson and local musician Ryan McGarrity entertained throughout the evening.

Here’s a brief video from the June 28, 2025, retirement event.

Retirement parties for piping and drumming luminaries used to be more common. Among the notable events in history are those for Pipe-Major Willie Ross, Pipe-Major Donald MacLeod, John MacFadyen, and Pipe-Major Donald Shaw-Ramsay.