Northern Ireland pipe bands are world class

Ulster pipe bands are among the best in the world, as confirmed by the results at the various championship contests at home and overseas over the summer. Forty-four bands from Northern Ireland had a significant presence alongside the several hundred other bands at the annual World Pipe Band Championships at Glasgow Green in Scotland on Saturday August 12 and they came away with a number of notable awards.

Our Province's competitiors won three band firsts, three seconds, one fourth, two fifths, and one sixth in the six adult grades. In grade one, the much-acclaimed Field Marshal Montgomery band from Carryduff was the overall winner (in march; strathspey and reel), ahead of the Simon Fraser University band from Canada, and some of the leading Scottish combinations. Cullybackey band was a creditable fifth in grade two. Aughintober band from Castlecaulfield in Co Tyrone, won grade three (B), just ahead of Cottown band, from Newtownards.

Killadeas band from Co Fermanagh won grade four, with Saintfield second and Moneygore, from Rathfriland, fourth.

In grade four (A), Raffrey band from Co Down finished in fourth place, with Co Antrim band McNeillstown in sixth. In grade three (A), Battlehill from Portadown, took second, and Annsborough from Castlewellan, fifth.

In the drum major classes, Alistair Patterson from the Field Marshal Montgomery band won the adult senior category, followed by Brian Wilson of Dungannon band Syerla, and Ian Young, of Co Down band Ravara.

J. Graham, of Battlehill was champion juvenile drum major, and L. Hamilton, of Armagh band Killeen won the junior class.

In the European Pipe Band Championships at Greenock in Scotland on Saturday July 29, Northern Ireland had 25 band entries and commendably won 12 awards.

Field Marshal Montgomery came second in grade one, Seven Towers from Ballymena won grade two; Battlehill from Portadown won grade three (A).
Ulster competitors won various awards in the drum major classes, with Paul Braiden of Ballycoan pipping Alastair Patterson of Field Marshal Montgomery in the adult senior.

  * The various contests in Northern Ireland over the summer were well supported, with the Ulster-Scots Agency a sponsor for the Ulster Championships at Newcastle on August 5.