Elite Irish Guards piper William Lyons BEM played for Queen and many heads of state, mourners hear

He is survived by his wife Ida, and children and their partners William (Meaghan), Neil (Sterenn), Ian (Carol), Sharon (Marc).

He was also the “much loved granda” of Aaron, Kirsten, Shoshanna, Zeb, Riley, Lara and Brewen, and a loved brother of Madeline (Raymond).

The service at Ballydown Presbyterian Church, Banbridge today opened with a piper playing in his memory.

William's family requested that the eulogy was read by fellow piper Gary McDonald, who described him as “my pipe major, my mentor, and my friend”.

He added: “If I was to use a single word to describe Will, it would be immaculate,” he said. “Because he was exactly that in every facet of his life, just immaculate.”

Born in May 1940, William was taught to play the bagpipes in Corbett Pipe Band as a young boy. In 1957, he enlisted in the British Army as an infantry soldier and a piper in the Irish Guards.

His first piping instructor in the Army was Pipe Major KG Rowe of the Scots Guards who retaught him how to play again “from scratch”.

While on leave at a young farmer's dance in Rathfriland on a July 13th night he met Ida, whom he later married.

From 1969 to 1970, under the instruction of Captain John McClelland, William completed the pipe major's course at Edinburgh Castle.

“It is the highest formal piping standard in the British Army, and one of the most demanding piping courses in the world,” said Mr McDonald.

Eventually, Will became pipe major of the first battalion of the Irish Guards, where he remained until his Army service ended in 1977.

“During that distinguished Army career, Will was a piper to the royal household, arranging music for high profile state and international events.

“He often recalled to me, and to my band colleagues, the morning duties that he performed for the late Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.

“But he also piped for the late Queen Elizabeth II herself, and the Duke of Edinburgh, and Prince Charles, now King Charles, and for most other senior royals, as well as countless heads of state, and visiting global dignitaries.

“It was the ultimate who's who of the world that Will piped for. Ultimately, he was decorated for his services to piping in the British Army when he was awarded the British Empire Medal.”

On leaving the Army he joined the RUC, where he served for 17 years.

During this period he took up duties as pipe major of Banbridge Pipe Band, “which he led with distinction for a trophy-laden decade”.

Once at a contest in Cookstown, the band got confused leaving the arena and exited “in a jumbled hotchpotch”.

“But the judges assumed this was a special new Will Lyons manoeuvre” and they won the relevant trophy for the sixth year running.

William always said his greatest achievement with Banbridge came the year after when the band took second place overall for the best band at the March Past into the stadium in Dunoon in Argyll at the famous Cowal Games.

“It made Banbridge the first, and so far, the only civilian band in the history of the Cowal Games to win a trophy that had been forever the domain of the military bands.”

Mr McDonald added: “Will was a staunch, upright, no-nonsense man, which worked well with teaching young players, many of whom went on to play at the highest level at grade one and can still do so until this very day. That is an immaculate legacy from Will.”

His sons Neil and Ian took up the drums and pipes respectively, with both going on to win multiple world championship titles with Field Marshal Montgomery, as well as countless other major championships.

“We can only imagine the immense sense of pride, which he must have had when he saw his boys come to the line at those world championships in whatever tartan they were wearing.”

Gary went on to read a poem written by William's daughter, Sharon 30 years ago, after she emigrated to Australia at just twenty years of age. It was entitled simply, Dad. In it she recounted her dad’s strict discipline, but on reflection appreciated him for it.

She concluded with the line: “I thank you, Dad, for being my friend; And in this poem, my love, I send.”

William's son, also William, read 'Ode to a police officer' in honour of his father, which included the line “rest in peace, friend and colleague”.

In his address, Rev Liam Rutherford said it was a day “to remember William's life and all that he meant to you” and also to “reflect on the fleeting brevity of life”.

He added: "God will bring to judgement both the righteous and the wicked... Everything that we have said and done in this world will be accounted for on that last day. So, let's live in light of that fact.

"Let's give up the pretence that this does not affect me or that this is something I don't need to bother with right now, for time marches on, and we are not in control of the tempo. That belongs to the conductor and He lives on high."

The cleric said Christ’s message is: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die.”