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 12th 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.

Ryan Cupples-Menendez (Field Marshal Montgomery) pictured receiving the Grade 1 Trophy from the Chieftain Councillor Robert Adair

Results

Grade 1:
1st Field Marshal Montgomery (also Best Pipes, Pipes and Bass Section)
2nd St. Laurence O’Toole
3rd Vale of Atholl
4th 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:
1st Closkelt (also Best Pipes)
2nd Ravara (also Best Drums)
3rd Manorcunningham (also Best Bass Section & M&D)
4th Marlacoo & District

Winston Pinkerton (RSPBANI President), Chieftain of the Day Councillor Adair and George Ussher (RSPBA President)

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

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

Raphoe Ulster-Scots Pipe Band pictured at Bangor. Included are P/M Rodney Goudie and the Chieftain of the Day, Councillor Robert Adair (both left) and Winston Pinkerton, RSPBANI President and P/Sgt Mark Spence (right)

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

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

Drum Major winners: Novice – Carys Graham (Upper Crossgare), Junior – Kathy Hunter (Manorcunningham), Juvenile – Jamie Cupples (MacKenzie Caledonian) and Adult – Lauren Hanna (Lomond & Clyde)

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

FMM salute the Chieftain

Check out the RSPBANI website here.


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