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Highlander Club
Wall of Fame
MacGregor’s is all about people. People and their stories are the basis for so much of our culture. The pictures on our walls tell many great stories, most directly linked to this area and the music of the Highlands. Take a few minutes and find out who is who!
MacGregor’s Bars' very own Bruce MacGregor has been at the forefront of Scottish folk music and indeed he was inspired to start the bar after years of touring with his band Blazin’ Fiddles unable to find a good Scottish bar on his travels. The band have played throughout the world from Buckingham Palace and the Royal Albert Hall to stadiums in North America and village halls all across the Highlands. His book “The Highlander’s Revenge ; tunes and tales from a Blazin’ Fiddler” is a collection of his compositions and recollections along with some fabulous photos, some of which are on the walls in the bar. He is also the long time presenter of BBC Radio Scotland’s flagship roots and acoustic music programme "Travelling Folk".
Click on the images below to enlarge.
 Diana Gabaldon with Jo De Sylva (known affectionately to Live at 5 viewers as “Mrs Mac”). One of the perks of winning ‘Best Bar in Scotland’ at the Visit Scotland Thistle Awards was getting the chance the chance to meet Diana, the author of the acclaimed “Outlander” books. |  Winning the Scottish Licensed Trade “Live Music Venue” of the year award was great and meeting comedian Kevin Bridges was a real bonus. |  The night the Scotland rugby team arrived at MacGregor’s; Scotland’s captain fantastic and British Lion Stuart Hogg has a deep love of music and was belting out “The rolling hills of the Borders”! He didn't play guitar. |
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 Anna Massie (Blazin' Fiddles and The Black Isle Correspondent) Bruce and the Mark Radcliffe at the Cambridge Folk Festival |  One of the most amazing musicians in the world - Nicola Benedetti MBE joined Bruce and Blazin' Fiddles on the charity single “Doddie’s Dream”. The “My Name5 Doddie Foundation” was set up by Scottish rugby legend Doddie Weir’s in the fight against Motor Neurone Disease. |  The night the Scotland team arrived at MacGregor’s; one of the world's greatest rugby players Fin Russell “helped" us out behind the bar |
 Blazin' Fiddles at Ostrava Festival in Czech Republic |  Bruce and Jenna Reid picking up the Trad Music Award for Best Folk Band |  Sandy Brechin (accordion), Sharleen Spiteri (Texas), Ewan McGregor (Jedi), Bruce MacGregor (fiddle) playing at a charity event in London. |
 Grant was world famous inventor of the Vibration fishing rod, violin maker, Scott Skinner's great friend and founded the Highland Strathspey and Reel Society in 1903. He taught Donald Riddell the fiddle and violin making. Donald taught Bruce MacGregor owner of MacGregor's, founder of Blazin'Fiddles and BBC radio Scotland presenter of "Travelling Folk" |  Fiddle teacher, composer, violin maker and Pipe Major of the Lovat Scouts, Donald Riddell CBE was posthumously inducted into the Scottish Traditional Music Hall of Fame. Reforming the Highland Strathspey and Reel Society in 1973, Donald became one of the most important figures in the revival of Scottish fiddle music. He is pictured here playing the Rondello, an invention of Grant's which can be viewed in Inverness museum. |  The Highland Strathspey and Reel Society in 1922. Led by Alexander Grant (second left) with a young Donald Riddell (back row third from left). |
 This tune written by James "Scott" Skinner, the Strathspey King, arguably the greatest musician Scotland has ever produced, wrote this for his great friend Alexander "Sandy" Grant. Skinner was a frequent visitor to Inverness. |  An incredible man, William Bankier from the North East of Scotland, ran off to join the circus as a young man. He became, through incredible determination and application, one of the most respected athletes of his age. Some of his most famed strongman stunts included lifting an elephant with a harness and the "Tomb of Hercules" where he would support a piano, a six-piece orchestra and a dancer. |  Published in 1816 by Captain Simon Fraser who lived out his life across the road in Rose Street. His father and grandfather were involved in the Jacobite rebellions of 1715 and 1745 and collected the songs and melodies of that period. Fraser, in an attempt to gain patronage from the Hanovarian crown, took out all pro-Jacobite words and classicised the folk tunes. |
 |  Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers, born Samuel Liddell Mathers, was a British occultist. He is primarily known as one of the founders of the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, a ceremonial magic order of which offshoots still exist today! He was the man who trained the infamous Aliester Crowley who lived in Boleskine House on the banks of Loch Ness. The house was bought by Led Zeppellin guitarist Jimmy Page. Crowley is also on the Beatles album cover "Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club". |  Moina Mathers, born Mina Bergson (1865 – 1928), was an artist and occultist at the turn of the 20th century. She was the sister of Nobel Prize-winning French philosopher Henri Bergson. She is, however, more known for being a clairvoyant “seeress” in the Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, founded by her husband, Samuel Liddell MacGregor Mathers. After his death in 1918, She became the head of the Alpha et Omega, a successor organisation to the Golden Dawn. |
 One of the most important people in Highland history, Mary MacPherson was falsely imprisoned in Inverness in her 50's. This was the catalyst for an incredible body of work in songs and poetry. She became a leading light in the struggle for land reform and preservation of Gaelic language and culture. She is buried across the road from the bar. |  Newtonmore Shinty team. |  Highland Rugby Club were founded in 1922 and currently are flying high in Division 1 of the Scottish National League. Bar owner, Bruce MacGregor was a former captain at the turn of last century!! |
 The rivalry between the Highland's shinty teams is legendary. Newtonmore and Kingussie are two of the most succesful in the history of the game |
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