On Saturday 16th June, the Stormont estate in Belfast was for the last time the venue of the UK Pipe Band Championships, having played a fine host for the past 4 years. Over a 100 Pipebands made the journey to Northern Ireland to battle it out in their various grades.
It was the turn of the March, Strathspey & Reel discipline for Grade 1 and the band secured a top 4 position overall playing the following tunes:
March - The 93rd Highlanders Farewell to Edinburgh
Strathspey - Devlinside
Reel - Charlies' Welcome
You can listen again to the full set by clicking here ScottishPower MSR. Thank you to Dronechorus for continuing to record all these performances in such high quality, it is very much appreciated by all the pipeband community.
The band were pleased to draw and play this set which included a new Strathspey and Reel for the 2018 season. In particular the Reel, as it is a setting arranged by the famous Pipe Major Angus MacDonald. (Pictured below) Who incidently played with the band many years ago before retiring from competiton. So we are honoured to play it and keep this great setting alive.
Congratulations to championships St Laurence O'Toole from Dublin for winning overall and also for taking the best drum corp title.
The full Grade 1 prize list was as follows:
1st - St Laurence O'Toole - Eire
2nd - Inveraray and District - Scotland
3rd - Field Marshal Montgomery - Northern Ireland
4th - ScottishPower - Scotland
5th - Police Scotland Fife - Scotland
6th - Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia - Scotland
