Tartan Talk: World titles up for grabs in Glasgow as pipe bands set for two days of top competition
As you read this article the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow will be well under way with Manawatu Scottish from New Zealand leading off the Grade 1 MSR at 9.30am and Medley section at 11.50am.
In the afternoon the Juvenile section will compete to as late as 7pm followed by a prize giving.
Last week I reviewed Grades 1, 4A , 4B and 3B and today I will cover 3A and 2.
Grade 3A has 30 bands and is divided into two heats. Kildoag, Major Sinclair Memorial, Cloughfin and Matt Boyd Memorial go in Heat 1 while Irvine Memorial, Cullybackey and McNeillstown are in Heat 2.
There are 21 bands in Grade 2 and they play both MSR and Medley. Tullylagan are our only NI Branch representatives, with Manorcunningham and St Jospeh’s Clondalkin from the IPBA.
There are 48 drum major entrants in three sections. In the junior section, 11 of the 13 entrants are from Northern Ireland, as are nine of the 12 entrants in the juvenile section. The adult section is by far the largest with 23 entrants, of which nine are from Northern Ireland. It will also be highly competitive with no less than five former World Champions in the line-up.
Both the Friday and Saturday Grade 1 competitions are being streamed live.
The Friday is available on YouTube with details available on Glasgow Live’s World Pipe Band Championships webpage, while on the Saturday it is streamed live by BBC Scotland with expert commentary from RSPBA adjudicator Bob Worrall.
There will be no march past as in previous years – instead, there will be a massed band tribute to the chieftain followed by the prizegiving, including the 2025 Champion of Champions awards.
The target for wrapping up the contest is 7pm which I must admit is a major improvement.
Newcastle contest ends 2025 NI Branch season
Last Saturday the Heart of Down Pipe Band Championships took place at Donard Park, Newcastle, bringing to a conclusion the local outdoor pipe band season and along with it the Champion of Champions contest.
Importantly the weather was very good and that encouraged a large attendance, which was augmented in the evening when the street parade took place.
IPBA bands Youghal [Grade 4B] and Black Raven [Grade 4A] dominated the prizes in the lower grades while Syerla & District [Grade 3B] and Major Sinclair Memorial [Grade 3A] did the same in the middle grades.
Tullylagan [Grade 2] and Ravara [Grade 1] each demonstrated why they have been elevated to such levels within the pipe band movement.
The Champion of Champion titles – as illustrated in the results – went to bands and drum majors who have been the most consistent throughout the season.
During the proceedings at the close of the evening the Turkington family made a presentation of a trophy in memory of a family member which was used for the Best Pipes in Grade 3B.
The RSPBA NI Branch then presented Long Service Certificates to Upper Crossgare stalwarts Kenny Crothers, Wilby Hanna and Derek Mack, who have a combined service totalling over 200 years to their band, the County Down Section and the RSPBA NI Branch.
Following the finale the majority of bands paraded from Donard Park to the Causeway Road junction before progressing down the promenade led by RSPBA NI Branch officials Betty Booth [president], Andrew Graham [chairman], Drew Bingham [chief steward] and Chieftain of the Day Cllr Phillip Campbell.
Full results can be found on the RSPBANI Branch website.
Bands
Grade 4B: 1st Youghal [also Best Pipes, Drums & Bass Section], Best M+D: Down Academy. Champion of Champions: Band: Queen Elizabeth, Drums: Bready Ulster Scots. Bass Section: Queen Elizabeth.
Grade 4A: 1st Black Raven [also Best Pipes, Drums & Bass Section], Best M+D: Cottown. Champion of Champions: Band & Drums: Moneygore. Bass Section: Down Academy.
Grade 3B: 1st Syerla & District [also 1st MSR, Best Drums], 1st Medley & Best Pipes: Upper Crossgare. Best Bass Section: Drumlough. Best M&D: William Kerr Memorial: Champion of Champions: Band & Drums: Syerla & District. Bass Section: Drumlough.
Grade 3A: 1st Major Sinclair Memorial [also 1st MSR, Best Pipes, Drums, Bass Section & M&D], 1st Medley: Matt Boyd Memorial. Champion of Champions: Band, Drums & Bass Section: Major Sinclair Memorial.
Grade 2: 1st Tullylagan [also 1st MSR & Medley, Best Pipes, Drums, Bass Section & M&D]. Champion of Champions: Band & Drums: Tullylagan. Bass Section: Manorcunningham.
Grade 1: Ravara [also 1st MSR & Medley, Best Pipes, Drums, Bass Section & M&D]. Champion of Champions: Band, Drums & Bass Section: Ravara.
Drum Majors
Novice: 1st Holly Gracey [also Champion of Champions].
Junior: 1st Willow Rose Elliott, Champion of Champions: Jorja Turkington.
Juvenile: 1st Carys Graham [also Champion of Champions].
Senior: 1st Charlotte Ruddock [also Champion of Champions].
European Pipe Band Championship results
While most of our bands and drum majors were competing at Newcastle a small number travelled to Perth to participate in the European Championships.
A band prize was secured by Field Marshal Montgomery [2nd in Grade 1].
In the Drum Majors there was success for Lydia Todd [European Junior Champion], second places went to Jorja Turkington [Junior] and Jamie Lee Wilson [Juvenile], while Louise Smiton was placed third in the Juvenile.