Photos courtesy of The Savannah Pipes and Drums.
The sound of bagpipes filled the air among ancient oak trees and centuries-old brick columns on Saturday, April 17, 2026, as the Savannah Pipes and Drums performed during the Kirkin’ O’ The Tartans at the ruins of Old Sheldon Church in Yemassee, South Carolina.
The Kirkin’ O’ the Tartans is an American tradition among Scottish descendants, a religious ceremony that includes a blessing of the family tartans of those present. The word “Kirk” is Scottish for church, and the tartan, with its distinctive cross-lined patterns, represents specific Scottish clans, families, regions, and regiments. The tradition carries deep roots. After the Scottish Jacobite defeat in 1745, the wearing of tartans and playing of bagpipes were banned by the English, and Highlanders would secretly carry hidden swatches of their clan tartan to church, where ministers would slip a quiet blessing over them. That act of defiant faith is what the Kirkin’ ceremony honors to this day.
The Savannah Pipes and Drums, founded in 2007, brings Scottish and Irish culture to the Lowcountry and has become a beloved presence at ceremonies and festivals across the region.
