FM Win First Outdoor of Season (Updated with Pictures and Full Report)

Ards & North Down Championship

Story by Gilbert Cromie
Pictures by John Kelly

Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band from Lisburn (pictured) won the first outdoor contest of the Northern Irish pipe band season today by taking first at the Ards and North Down Championships at Bangor.

The championship, the first pipe band contest of the 2018 season, was held at Castle Grounds, Bangor on Saturday 12^th May.  Hosted by the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association Northern Ireland Branch (RSPBANI) in conjunction with Ards and North Down Borough Council the event saw 40 bands and 46 drum majors take part.  The chieftain of the Day was Councillor Robert Adair (Mayor of Ards and North Down Council) who took the salute and presented the prizes.  A Highland Dancing Competition held in First Bangor Presbyterian Church Hall added to the Scottish flavour of the day in Bangor.

Results: 

Grade 1:
1^st Field Marshal Montgomery (also Best Pipes, Pipes and Bass Section)
2^nd St. Laurence O’Toole
3^rd Vale of Atholl
4^th PSNI (also Best M&D)
Here is the summary courtesy RSPBANI:
It shows FM well ahead of St Laurence O’Toole, Dublin.

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Grade 2:
1^st Closkelt (also Best Pipes)
2^nd Ravara (also Best Drums)
3^rd Manorcunningham (also Best Bass Section & M&D)
4^th Marlacoo & District

Grade 3A:
1^st Thiepval Memorial (joint Best Pipes])
2^nd Marlacoo & District
3^rd Matt Boyd Memorial (joint Best Pipes)
4^th Quinn Memorial
Best Drums: Drumlough. Best Bass Section: Upper Crossgare

Grade 3B:
1^st Battlehill (also Best Pipes and Drums)
2^nd St Mary’s Derrytrasna
3^rd Clogher & District
4^th Tullylagan (also Best Bass Section)
Best M&D Raffrey

Grade 4A:
1^st McNeillstown (also Best Drums)
2^nd Raphoe Ulster Scots (also Best Pipes & Bass Section)
3^rd Kildoag
4^th McDonald Memorial

Grade 4B:
1^st Bessbrook Crimson Arrow (also Best Pipes)
2^nd Broughshane & District
3^rd Gransha (also Best Drums & Bass Section)
4^th Wicklow
Best M&D Kirkistown

Drum Majors
Senior: 1^st Lauren Hanna, 2^nd Andrea McKeown, 3^rd Emma Barr, 4^th Jason Price, 5^th Vicki Singer
Juvenile: 1^st Jamie Cupples, 2^nd Kara Gilmore, 3^rd Kathryn McKeown, 4^th Rachel Lowry, 5^th Jason Nicholl
Junior: 1^st Kathy Hunter, 2^nd Abigail Wenlock, 3^rd Zara Cupples, 4^th Leann Crooks, 5^th Charlotte Ruddock
Novice Juvenile: 1^st Carys Graham, 2^nd Louise Smiton, 3^rd Jamie-Lee Wilson, 4^th Mia Buckley, 5^th Katie Clarke.

Check out the RSPBANI website here.

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