Successful solo competition at Cullybackey
THE 21st Annual Solo Piping and Drumming Competition organised by Cullybackey Pipe Band was held on Saturday April 12 in Cullybackey High School.
The 2008 competition brought another increase in entries with a total of 112 representing all areas of the province with additional competitors coming from Southern Ireland, Scotland and England.
This year saw a further development in the introduction of educational workshops covering all disciplines. A workshop for tenor drummers was added and proved to be a great success.
The new combined drum pad workshop proved to be really popular and initial comments received from tutors and parents would indicate that this is an area that will be developed further in years to come. The mythical thought that today's young people do not have the same interest in piping and drumming was certainly dispelled by the numbers represented in all classes. Credit must be given to those organisations and individuals who put so much time and effort into teaching our next generation of pipers and drummers.
Cullybackey Pipe Band would like to express their thanks to the Ulster Scots Agency and to Mr Leonard Wiseman for their financial support. Without this support the event would not continue to survive or develop from year to year.
The Full Indoor bands competition organised by the Saintfield Pipe Band and scheduled for Saturday April 26 has unfortunately had to be cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances.
Spokesperson Jonathan McCaughtry is hopeful that the event will take place again next year.
Young pipers Bradley Parker, who pipes with Cottown Pipe Band and Emmett Conway with Ballinderry Bridge, were very successful last week-end when they competed at the Inveraray Junior Piping solos in Scotland. Bradley, who competed in the 14 and under sections, won first place in the junior piping March, junior piping Strathspey & Reel, Junior Piping Jig, and took runner up place in the Junior Piping Piobaireachd. Quite an amazing achievement but one, which we have come to expect from this talented young piper from Portavogie.
Emmett competed in the junior piping 15 and under 18 section March Strathspey and Reel and won first place. Congratulations to both these lads on their successes.
The Ulster Piping and Drumming solos will take place on Saturday April 19 with a 9.30 am start, and the venue is Monkstown Community High School.
The final meeting of the Northern Ireland Branch of the RSPBA, before the start of the 2008 competition season, will be held on Saturday April 26 at 2pm in the Methodist Church Hall Knockmore Road Lisburn.
Results of Cullybackey Solos
Under 14 Drum Pad Class: 1st Jake Magill Cleland Memorial Gold, 2nd Aaron Melaugh Colmcille Gold, 3rd Jonathon Pentland Raffrey Gold, Eoin Rogers Annsborough Gold, Cameron Sharp Ballyboley Gold, Andrew Thompson Raffrey Gold, Matthew Cole Rasharkin Gold, Ryan Martin Cullybackey Silver, Alexander Wallace Upper Crossgare Silver, David Porter Bellaghy Silver, Martin Vance Letterkenny Silver, William Dowie Bellaghy Silver, Gareth Rea Cullybackey Silver, Mark Bacus Cullybackey Bronze, Nathan McLeister Cullybackey Bronze, John Mulholland Cullybackey Bronze, Curtis Mclllwaine Johnston Cullybackey Bronze, Curtis Parke Letterkenny Bronze, Matthew McKinney Letterkenny Bronze
Under 16 Drum Pad Class: 1st Oisin McNulty Letterkenny Gold, 2nd Wayne Campbell Cullybackey Gold, 3rd Robert Gamble Cullybackey Gold, 4th Luke Fullerton Quinn Memorial Gold.
Under 14 Juvenile Drumming: 1st Dean Smyth Cullybackey Gold, 2nd Blake McVeigh Gransha Gold, 3rd Dean Bingham Upper Crossgare Silver, 4th Matthew Shaw Upper Crossgare Silver, John Herron Gransha Silver, Gareth McCombe Bready Ulster Scots Silver
Under 16 Juvenile Drumming: 1st Clarke Campbell Bready Ulster Scots Gold, 2nd Ian McCombe Bready Ulster Scots Gold
Under 18 Juvenile Drumming: 1st Steven McGall Rasharkin, 2nd Robert Thompson Cullybackey, 3rd Cathy Callaghan Cullybackey, 4th Connor Murray Colmcille
Junior Drumming: 1st Sean Maloney Cullen, 2nd Jonathon Colville Cullybackey, 3rd Glen Falloon St Laurence O'Toole
Open Drumming: 1st William Glenholmes Cullybackey, 2nd Paul Brown St Laurence O'Toole, 3rd Chris Johnston St Laurence O'Toole
Under 14 Practice Chanter: 1st Joshua Truesdale Upper Crossgare Gold. 2nd Matthew Johnston Bellaghy Gold, 3rd Jake Walker RSPBA Gold, Nathan McGammon Aughintober Gold, Pamela Starret Ballymena Silver, Emma Sands Upper Crossgare Silver, Emma McDowell Cullybackey Silver, Tineka Westerhius Ballymena Bronze, Rebecca Quinn Letterkenny Bronze, Heather Hall Aughintober Bronze
Under 16 Practice Chanter: 1st Hugh O'Donnell Ballymena Gold, 2nd Ruth Hall Aughintober Gold
Under 14 Juvenile Piping: 1st Lee Gibson Letterkenny & District Gold, 2nd Andrew Heagan Clelland Memorial Gold, 3rd John O'Donnell Ballymena Gold
Under 16 Juvenile Piping: 1st Ross Hume Cullybackey Gold, 2nd Alan Glenholmes Cullybackey Gold, 3rd Dean Cinnamond Upper Crossgare Silver, Patrick Boyd Campbell College Silver, Lee Heggarty Letterkenny Bronze, Louise Heggarty Letterkenny Bronze
Under 18 Piping: 1st Neil Milliken Cottown, 2nd Mark Adair McNeilstown
Junior Piping: 1st Derek Boyce Killeen, 2nd Emmett Conway Ballinderry Bridge, 3rd Alan MacPhearson Cullybackey
Intermediate Piping: 1st Robert Black Cullybackey, 2nd Connor McCallion Ballinderry Bridge, 3rd Philip Tasker St Laurence O'Toole Senior Piping: 1st Glen Cupples Ballycoan, 2nd Kevin Rogers St Laurence O'Toole, 3rd Ken Stewart Altnaveigh Memorial
Ulster Star
18/04/2008
