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Ravara go marching on in Grade Two 

Pipe Bands by Mervyn McConnell

RAVARA Pipe Band under Pipe Major Sammy Connolly continued their domination of Grade 2 when they won yet again on Saturday at the Mid-Ulster Pipe Band Championships in Cookstown.

Ravara took 1st place and won the best drums trophy as well as the Marching & Deportment trophy. Their drum major, Ian Young, also had a successful day when he lifted the Mid-Ulster Drum Majors cup in the senior grade.

It was a proud day for Dermott Bell from Ballinderry Bridge Pipe band, when he acted as Chieftain of the Day at this year's 51st celebrations of the Mid-Ulster Championships.

Dermott has been involved in pipe bands for over 60 years both as a player and as the band's president and he has enjoyed every minute of it.

Secretary Gloria Patterson was delighted not only with the beautiful weather but with the 56 bands and 39 drum majors who took part in this the longest running competition held in Ulster.

The winners in the Championships were: - St. Laurence O'Toole in Grade 1; Ravara in Grade 2; Seven Towers in 3A; Annsborough in 3B; Castlerock in 4A and Raffrey in 4B.

The Co. Down section of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association have joined forces with the National Trust to promote a major piping and family festival at the prestigious Castle Ward Estate on the shores of Strangford Lough on Saturday 18th June

A full programme of entertainment is planned with up to 60 bands, 50 drum majors, traditional music and children's activities.

The event takes place from l lam to 6pm on Saturday 18th June with admission fee of £5 for adults with children free. For further information please contact Castle Ward on 4488 1204.

The second of this year's major championships will be the European, which will take place in Banbridge on Saturday 25th June.

With over 140 bands taking part this will be biggest ever number of entries for a major championship event here in Northern Ireland.

Then on Saturday 2nd July the All Ireland Pipe Band Championships will be held in Newcastle Co. Down. This event will be recorded by the BBC television to be televised in the near future.

There will be a break of two weeks for the holidays in the middle of July with no competitions scheduled for the 9th and the 16th, but they will commence again on the 23rd July with the North Down championships at the Castle Grounds, Bangor.

Saturday 30th July will see the third of the major events with the British Championships taking place in Tain, Aberdeen where some of our bands will travel over to compete.

Results

Ulster Star
17/07/2005