Ulster-Scots music raises the tempo for fans

Ulster-Scots music is helping to get Northern Ireland football supporters into the mood for internationals at Windsor Park.

  Next Tuesday's (November 15) Northern Ireland against Portugal game will be marked with a 20-minute pre-match performance of the Ulster Youth Ensemble plus half-time entertainment.

  The performances are being sponsored by the Ulster-Scots Agency, which also provided some pre-match entertainment from Willie Drennan's 'Nae Goat's Toe' for the Northern Ireland / Wales game on October 8.

  George Patton, Agency's Chief Executive Officer, explains why the Agency is providing the sponsorship: "There are 14,000 men, women and children who regularly attend Windsor Park for internationals and we think that Ulster-Scots music, song and dance can prove to be an excellent way of both entertaining the home fans while giving the visiting team and fans a more authentic introduction to Northern Ireland.

  "We will have the chance to show off the very best of young pipers, drummers, drum majors and Highland dancers from the Ulster Youth Ensemble and we hope that the fans will be as proud of their home-grown musical talent as with their team.

  "If this is received as well as we hope it will be, Ulster-Scots culture could be a regular feature of Northern Ireland internationals.  The only pity is that this friendly international is not televised here but, hopefully, at least Portuguese football fans may be treated to a glimpse of our young pipers and drummers," he says.