Bid to cement Northern Ireland pipe band championships in County Down
A call is going out to cement Northern Ireland’s pipe band championships in Co Down – while hosting them across more than twice as many towns.
The annual contest has been staged in Bangor and Newtownards on alternating years, but an Ulster Unionist councillor has launched a bid to have the championships travel around five towns in the district.
Alderman Mark Brooks wants to see the event rotated around Bangor, Newtownards, Comber, Holywood and Donaghadee on a five-year schedule.
They’re the five largest towns in the Ards and North Down council district, and Mr Brooks feels that having the popular championships travel between them could be a major tourist draw.
He’s now bringing his bid to the local council, hoping they’ll do a permanent deal with organisers, the Northern Ireland branch of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association (RSPBA).
His call comes after the province lost out on a UK-wide championship, which this year is being held outside of Northern Ireland for the first time.
The nationwide contest is moving to an events centre next to Edinburgh Airport on July 12, throwing most Northern Irish bands into a real dilemma – high-level musicians split over whether to stay for their traditional celebration or leave for the most important competition of the calendar.
Mr Brooks hopes to avoid any further division by cementing Ards and North Down as the permanent home of an annual provincewide competition.
“I want to see the annual pageant shared around five towns, enhancing it and widening opportunities for businesses and local communities,” he says.
His bid is to be debated at a council meeting within the next two weeks.