Field Marshal wins British title at Banbridge
FIELD Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band were crowned grade one British Champions at Banbridge Rugby Club on Saturday.
The Lisburn-based band under Pipe Major Richard Parkes added the British to the Scottish title won at Dumbarton earlier in the season. The Field Marshal drum corps led by Keith Orr picked up the drumming award.
Northern Ireland bands enjoyed a lot of success with Castlerock and Matt Boyd Memorial winning titles in grades 3B and 4A respectively, while Thiepval Memorial, from Donegal, won the title for grade 4B.
Early rain gave way to a warm if overcast afternoon as thousands of spectators converged on Banbridge for the second major championship of the season, which had attracted entries from more than 100 bands and 50 drum majors.
Grade one was the highlight of the day's events and it didn't disappoint.
Field Marshal took first place ahead of House of Edgar Shotts and Dykehead, St Laurence O'Toole, Strathclyde Police, Scottish Power and Boghall and Bathgate.
Also competing in the premier grade were Ballycoan and Cullybackey and they were placed eighth and ninth respectively.
Inveraray and District swept the boards in grade two but they were followed in second place by Ravara, who set the standard in the grade playing first. Seven Towers were also in the silverware taking fifth place.
Grade 3A was the closest contested grade at the British Championhips with just three points separating the top five bands.
Scotland's Williamwood carried off first place closely followed by Killen, who edged Aughintober into third on ensemble preference, and Howard Memorial in fourth. Raffrey, from Co Down, took sixth place.
Castlerock, already Scottish champions, took the honours in grade 3B and won the drumming in the grade ahead of Banbridge in second. Manorcunningham, from Donegal, claimed fifth place.
Matt Boyd Memorial were declared champions in grade 4A ahead of Letterkenny and District, who won the drumming prize. Stockbridge took third place with Major Sinclair Memorial, Gransha and Quinn Memorial completing the prize list.
Thiepval Memorial have been the dominant force in grade 4B and that continued as they added the British title to the Scottish crown they already hold. A strong performance from local bands saw Lisnamulligan take second, William Kerr Memorial third, Ballyboley fourth and Tullylagan fifth place.
The drum major arenas were dominated by locals and all three British titles are now held by Northern Ireland drum majors.
Brian Wilson (Lomond and Clyde) took the honours in the adult grade to add to the Scottish title he already holds, while Samantha Gordon (Banbridge) won the juvenile and Emma Barr (Ravara) won the junior sections.
Results
Novice: 1, George Watsons College (also best drums); 2, North Lanarkshire Schools; 3, Johnstone; 4, Kintyre Schools; 5, Dumbarton and District; 6, Mackenzie Caledonia.
Grade 4B: 1, Thiepval Memorial; 2, Lisnamulligan; 3, William Kerr Memorial; 4, Ballyboley; 5, Tullylagan (also best drums); 6, Fraserburgh RBL.
Grade 4A: 1, Matt Boyd Memorial; 2, Letterkenny and District (also best drums); 3, Stockbridge; 4, Major Sinclair Memorial; 5, Gransha; 6, Quinn Memorial.
Juvenile: 1, Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia; 2, George Watsons College (also best drums); 3, Kintyre Schools; 4, Robert Wiseman Dairies Vale of Atholl.
Grade 3B: 1, Castlerock (also best drums); 2, Banbridge; 3, Black Bottle Isle of Islay; 4, Troon Blackrock; 5, Manor Cunningham; 6, Turriff and District.
Grade 3A: 1, Williamwood; 2, Killen; 3, Aughintober (also best drums); 4, Howard Memorial; 5, St Finbarrs; 6, Raffrey.
Grade 2: 1, Inveraray and District (also best drums); 2, Ravara; 3, Phoenix Honda Glasgow Skye; 4, Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary; 5, Seven Towers; 6, Lomond and Clyde.
Grade 1: 1, Field Marshal Montgomery (also best drums); 2, The House of Edgar Shotts and Dykehead; 3, St Laurence O'Toole; 4, Strathclyde Police; 5, Scottish Power; 6, Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia.
Drum Majors
Adult: 1, Brian Wilson, Lomond and Clyde; 2, Kathy Megarry Calvin, Upper Crossgare; 3, Ryan Ferry, Aughintober; 4, Paula Braiden, Ballycoan; 5, Alicia Dickson, Matt Boyd Memorial; 6, William Jordan, Dumbarton and District.
Juvenile: 1, Samantha Gordon, Banbridge; 2, Linzi Hamilton, Killeen; 3, Liam Renton, Kintyre Schools; 4, Iona Burns, Dumbarton and District; 5, Stephen Gilchrist, Killen; 6, Calum Brown, City of Sheffield.
Junior: 1, Emma Barr, Ravara; 2, Lauren Abraham, Seven Towers; 3, Lauren Hanna, Drumlough; 4, Rachel Caldwell, Bready Ulster Scots; 5, Matthew McKinney, Letterkenny and District; 6, Zoe McDowell, Lisnamulligan.
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Weather for Belfast
Tuesday 14 February 2012
Today
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Temperature: 6 C to 9 C
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