Success for Field Marshal Montgomery
Pipe Bands by Mervyn McConnell
IT was a successful weekend of piping and drumming recently for Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band as they performed for the first time in the 2009 season playing at the Guildhall in Londonderry on the Saturday evening and the Ulster Hall in Belfast on the Monday.
The Saturday evening concert was part of the first ever Foyle Piping Festival which saw the band play alongside St.Laurence O'Toole and other performing artists.
Amongst the concert sets were also two solos from Ryan Canning and Andrew Carlisle with the Field Marshal Montgomery drum corps lead by Leading drummer Keith Orr performing a drum salute.
The two bands united at the Finale to play together under Pipe Major Richard Parkes and Pipe Major Terry Tully.
Monday night's concert was at the re-opening of the Ulster Hall in Belfast where the band appeared alongside the West Ocean String Quartet which featured pipes, cello, whistles, piano and keyboards and also saw a performance from singer Brian Kennedy. Cullybackey Pipe band hosted their 22nd annual solo piping and drumming competition on Saturday April 4.
Taking top place in the senior piping was Andrew Carlisle who pipes with the Grade 1 Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band. Fellow band member Ashley McMichael took runner up place with Kevin Rodgers from St. Laurence O'Toole the third place prize.
In the open drumming competition two Cullybackey men secured the first and third places. William Glenholmes was first with Jason Hoy third and Paul Brown from St. Laurence O'Toole winning the runner up prize.
The Ulster Solos will take place on Saturday April 25 in Monkstown Community School with piping starting at 10am and drumming at I lam. Pipers must sign in from 9.30am and drummers from 10.30am. Catering will be available during the day.
Some closing dates for bands to note are the Co. Down section's annual indoor pipe band championships where entries will close on April 11. This event will take place on Saturday May 2 in Banbridge High School, Primrose Gardens Banbridge.
The entries for the Co. Tyrone Pipe Band Championships close on April 18. The competition is to be held on Saturday May 9 in the Rugby Club Grounds Dungannon.
Then the first of this year's five major championships will be the Scottish Championships which will take place on Saturday May 16 in Dumbarton Scotland.
Results of Cullybackey Solos
Novice Chanter U14 -
Gold award - 1st. Jake Walker. 2nd. Joshua Truesdale.
Silver awards - Lewis Rodgers.Tineke Westerhuis. Matthew Johnston.
Bronze awards - Emma McDowell. Alan Rainey.
Advanced Chanter U16 -
Gold award - 1st. Hugh O'Donnell.
Silver Award - Pamela Starrit
Juvenile Piping U14 - 1st. John O'Donnell. 2nd. Emma Sands.
Juvenile Piping U16 - 1st. Ross Hume. 2nd. Andrew Hegan. 3rd. Adam Kinley.
Under 18 Piping - 1st. David Kirkpatrick. 2nd. William Wallace.
Junior Piping - lst. Grahame Harris. 2nd. Alan MacPherson. 3rd. Alastair Murray.
Intermediate Piping - 1st. Michelle Walker. 2nd. Emmett Conway. 3rd. Conor McCallion.
Senior Piping - 1st. Andrew Carlisle. 2nd. Ashley McMichael. 3rd. Kevin Rogers.
Novice drum pad U14 -
Gold award - 1st. Ryan Martin. 2nd. Jonathan Pentland. 3rd. John McLean
Silver awards - Gareth Rea, Leah Rodden, David Porter, Jamie Gillespie
and Christopher Sands.
Bronze awards -Matthew Millar, Colin Bell, Callum McVeigh, Nathan
McLeister and Stephen Speers.
Advanced Drum Pad under 16 - 1st. Matthew Cole. 2nd. David Ashe. 3rd. Emma Rea.
Juvenile Drumming under 14 - 1st. Dean Smyth. 2nd. Eoin Rogers. 3rd. Andrew Thompson.
Juvenile Drumming
under 16 - 1st. Matthew McCahon. 2nd. Matthew Shaw.
U18 drumming - 1st. Callum Gibson. 2nd. Clarke Campbell.
Junior - 1st. Aaron McLean. 2nd. Glen Faloon. 3rd. Gregory Patton.
Open Drumming - 1st. William Glenholmes. 2nd. Paul Brown. 3rd. Jason Hoy.
Ulster Star
10/04/2009
