Major Sinclair Memorial have announced that Glenn Cupples (pictured above) will lead the band as Pipe Major for the 2027 season. This follows an announcement from P/M Nigel O’Neill that he is stepping down from the role.
In a statement the band expressed their gratitude to Nigel for his commitment and expertise over the last five years which has seen the band go from strength to strength.
He ends his tenure as one of its most decorated Pipe Majors in the band’s history leading them to titles such as Grade 3B British Champions 2022, Grade 3A Champion of Champions NI in 2025, Ulster Champions 2025, All Ireland Champions 2026 and a third place in Grade 3A at this year’s Worlds.
Glenn Cupples comes to the band with a wealth of experience having won four Worlds titles and nineteen RSPBA Major championships between 2002 and 2007 with Field Marshal Montgomery. He was also Pipe Major of Grade 1 Ballycoan and played with Cullybackey in several Grade 1 Worlds finals.
He has also been heavily involved in the PSNI and Cleland Memorial bands. Glenn will lead the band into their 70th year in 2027. Anyone interested in joining the band in this exciting new era should contact their Facebook page or contact John Fittis on 07817646849.
Irvine Memorial have announced that Simon Quee has accepted their vacant Pipe Major position. Simon brings a wealth of experience to the band having played at the highest level of competitive piping with Grade 1 bands such as the Royal Ulster Constabulary, Cullybackey, Ballycoan and Seven Towers.
As Pipe Major he had great success leading Geoghegan Memorial to the Grade 3B Worlds as well as the British and European Championships.
Pipers or drummers interested in playing in the Irvine Memorial should contact Simon on his social media or mobile 07713178968 or Leading Drummer Gary Doherty through the band Facebook page.
The band were led by Pipe Major Alan Glenholmes through recent seasons and they would like to place on record their sincere thanks for the hard work and expertise he put in over the past seasons, not only in the competition band but in the band’s tuition programme.
Banbridge Pipe Band held an Open Night on October 8th in Ballymoney Orange Hall. They welcomed former members, learner pipers and drummers, and others with a passing interest in joining the band. It was an informal night mainly to discuss the potential of reforming a band for next season.
Banbridge was formed in 1952 and sadly went off the road over a decade past. It would be great to see this sort of initiative succeed as it has done with bands such as Markethill and Queen Elizabeth.
The late Walter Porter and the recently deceased Will Lyons both led Banbridge band and worked tirelessly for it so it would certainly honour their efforts if it were to be revived.
Tullintrain Pipe Band celebrated their centenary recently. The White House Hotel in Campsie, Londonderry, was packed with members, former members and supporters of. The full band played a selection and then a smaller group played some tunes with organ accompaniment.
There were also performances from the Limavady Highland Dancers and a tune from nine year old Luke Neely one of the band’s learners and the grandson of a former Pipe Major. Throughout the night various former members shared their reminiscences. The band distributed an informative booklet entitled ‘A Century of Piping & Drumming in the Foothills of the Sperrins’.
The band currently practice in the YMCA at Drumahoe, and they are exploring the possibility of returning to the competition arena for 2027. The band competed quite successfully in the past and amongst their achievements were All Ireland and Ulster wins in Grade 4A in 2013, while back when they were competing in Grade 3B they won an Ulster title in 2001 and drumming title in 2000.
Legendary drummer William John (Jack) Seaton passed away at his home in Inverness on the 14th September. His interest and enthusiasm for pipe band drumming was apparent as from the age of 13 or 14 when he went to school with a pair of drumsticks down his socks and he practised at lunchtime.
In 1950 he won the Ulster Juvenile drumming championship and later joined Ballycoan playing in a corps with Kit Reynolds and Bobby Rea. He then joined Robert Armstrong Memorial winning numerous band and drum corps titles with both bands.
As a solo drummer he claimed the All-Ireland Senior solo title in 1955 and 1960 and a second place behind Alex Duthart in the World Solo Drumming Championships in 1961. While attending the Cowal with Ballycoan in 1957 he met his wife to be, Catriona, a Highland dancer.
Jackie’s life would change forever in 1958 as a result of attending meetings at the Great Victoria Baptist Church in Belfast. He would go on to become an evangelist with the Open Air Mission and eventually settled in Inverness, Scotland, where he ministered with Inverness Reformed Baptist Church for thirty two years until February 2002.
Former RSPBA Adjudicator Harry Stevenson told me that around five of the Robert Armstrong Memorial Pipe Band members went on to become preachers.
- If you have any news from the NI piping and pipe band scene you’d like to pass on to Gilbert, please email him here. More reports from him to follow.
