Kieron Cooney talks to Kathy Oxtoby about the rejuvenating power of playing the bagpipes in a Celtic rock band
As the music of his bagpipes resounds through the excited crowd, GP Kieron Cooney looks at the sea of smiling faces and clapping hands and feels elated. And that joy stays with him long after he leaves the stage and returns to his GP practice.
Cooney is a senior GP partner at St Helen’s Medical Centre on the Isle of Wight, where he has worked for 35 years. He says his role as leader of Celtic rock band Wight Hot Pipes has helped him to continue to thrive at work well beyond retirement age.
“And none of this would be possible without the support of my wife, advanced nurse practitioner Vicky, who stands by me through everyday challenges, as well as inspiring me and being my number one groupie when …