It was 1997 and once again I had put the pipes under the bed. The phone rang and it was Big Jim Stewart. I think the conversation went something like the following. “Ringo, you bastard! I’m playing bass with Dofasco. Get your arse up here!” How could anyone resist such an invitation? Jamie Connolly was the Pipe Major and a master on achieving unison out of the pipe section. Jim, of course, handled bass and tenors. Sandy McKail put together a small but highly talented drum corps that provided excellent support. I’m pretty certain that we won most of the piping and ensemble that year. We capped the season off with a win at Maxville and then repeated again in 1998. I returned to NRPPB for the 1999, 2000, and 2001 seasons, as Dofasco moved into grade 1 (as Celtic Flair). I never regretted that move. NRPPB was a powerhouse in those years and could have easily won in Grade 1 on occasion. Anyway, all that drama aside, here are a couple of videos of Dofasco with Big Jim in the circle. Jim died on July 5 2019. There will never be another like him. 
