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Storming Field Marshal make it a clean sweep at Ulsters  

Pipe Bands by Mervyn McConnell

THE Northern Ireland Branch of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association held the 52nd Ulster Pipe Band and Drum Majors Championships last Saturday in Lurgan Rugby Club.

This was the final local competition of the 2003 season and Champion of Champions awards were also presented.

Last year the Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe hand equalled the record set up by the Robert Armstrong and Ballycoan pipe bands.

On Saturday they made a clean sweep of all the top prizes in Grade I and set up a new record of thirteen Ulster Championship wins. They claimed first place in the MSR and Medley, 1st for best pipes, 1st for best bass and 1st for best drum section.

In Grade 2 it was a victory long awaited for Pipe Major Trevor Connor and Upper Crossgare pipe band when they won 1st place in drumming and overall 1st placing to take the well deserved Ulster Championship title.

There were no major surprises in the 1st place winners in Grades 3A, 3B and 4A when Killadeas, Quinn Memorial and Seven Towers won the titles in their grades.

But three other bands are worth mentioning. Banbridge, with Leading Tip Keith Gourley, won the title for best drums in Grade 3A, and Manorcunningham from Co. Donegal had a hat-trick of wins in Grade 4B claiming 1st overall placing and best drums and best bass. Their Pipe Major is Gordon Carson.

Taking their first prize this year with a 4th place in Grade 4A was Battlehill from Co. Armagh. Their Pipe Major Dean Faloon must have been delighted with this trophy and this will encourage the hand as they seek to prepare this winter for next season. The Cowal Highland Gathering will take place this weekend from 28 to 30 August.

The World Highland Dancing finals, along with the Cowal Pipe Band Championships, will take place on Saturday when 148 bands and 54 drum majors will compete in the fourth of the five major competitions to be held this season.

The fifth event will be the European Championships, which will be held at Alden Biesen Castle Belgium on 13 September.

Congratulations to Monkstown Mossley Junior Pipe hand on their 4th place win in the Novice juvenile grade at this year's World Pipe Band Championships. As there was stiff opposition from 21 other bands, this was a good result for the hand under the leadership of Pipe Major Tom Buchanan.

The Drum Majors Annual General Meeting will be held on Tuesday 2 September at 8pm sharp in the Bridge Community Centre, Railway Street, Lisburn.

The Annual Meeting of the Branch and Section Officers will take place in the Railway, Hotel, Enniskillen on Saturday 6 September at 2pm, 1pm for lunch. All concerned should plan to attend this important meeting.

RESULTS OF ULSTER CHAMPIONSHIPS.

CHAMPIONS OF CHAMPIONS

 

Ulster Star
29/08/2003