In wet and dull weather conditions today at Lurgan Park in County Armagh, Northern Ireland, St Laurence O’Toole Pipe Band (SLoT) won the 2019 United Kingdom Pipe Band Championships. The Dublin-based band also took the drumming prize.
Twelve bands competed in Grade 1.
Also of note, all the top prizes from the adult grades were won by bands from Ireland or Ulster. It was also two-in-a-row in Grade 2 where Closkelt followed on from where it left off last month in Paisley by winning Grade 2.
It was the second of five major championships in the the RSPBA season, with the next being the European at Bught Park in Inverness, Scotland, on June 29th. The United Kingdom Pipe Band Championships returns to Lurgan Park for 2020.
RESULTS:
Grade 1 – 1. St Laurence O’Toole Pipe Band; 2. Field Marshal Montgomery; 3. Inveraray & District; 4. ScottishPower; 5. Boghall & Bathgate Caledonia; 5. Police Scotland Fife
Judges: Harry Stevenson and Tom Brown (piping); Ciaran Mordaunt (drumming) and Jim Baxter (ensemble).
Grade 2 – 1. Closkelt; 2. Ravara; 3. Manorcunningham; 4. Mackenzie Caledonian; 5. Royal Burgh of Annan (ensemble preference); 6. Buchan Peterson.
Judges: Jim Semple and Mark Faloon (piping); Alexander Russell (drumming) and Gordon Lawrie BEM (ensemble).
Grade 3A – St Marys, Derrytrasna; 2. St Joseph’s; 3. Battlehill; 4. The Highlanders (4 SCOTS); 5. Matt Boyd Memorial; 6. Concord (ensemble preference).
Judges: William Garrett and Maurice Rhodes (piping); Mark Wilson (drumming) and John Moles (ensemble).
Grade 3B – 1. McNeillstown; 2. Tullylagan; 3. Major Sinclair Memorial; 4. Milngavie; 5. Oban High School; 6. Ayr Pipe Band Society.
Judges: Colin Moffett and Ross Walker (piping); Alexander Steele (drumming) and Jennifer Hutcheon (ensemble).
Juvenile – 1. Dollar Academy; 2. George Watson’s College; 3. George Heriot’s School; 4. Preston Lodge High School; 5. Boghall and Bathgate.
Judges: Harry Stevenson and Tom Brown (piping); Ciaran Mordaunt (drumming) and Jim Baxter (ensemble).
Grade 4A – 1. Augharan; 2. Cullybackey; 3. Glenrothes and District; 4. Arklow; 5. Gransha; 6. Cloughfin.
William Garrett and Maurice Rhodes (piping); Mark Wilson (drumming) and John Moles (ensemble).
Grade 4B – 1. Carlow; 2. Strathendrick; 3. Broughshane and District; 4. Mountjoy; 5. Syerla and District; 6. Camelon and District.
Judges: George Wilson and Donald MacPhee (piping); Gordon Parkes (drumming) and Alan Ronaldson (ensemble).
Novice Juvenile A – 1. Dollar Academy; 2. West Lothian Schools; 3. Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia; 4. George Watson’s College; 5. Stirling and District Schools; 6. George Heriot’s School.
Judges: George Wilson and Donald MacPhee (piping); Gordon Parkes (drumming) and Alan Ronaldson (ensemble).
Novice Juvenile B – 1. Lochgelly High School; 2. Preston Lodge High School Pipe Band; 3. Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
Judges: George Wilson and Donald MacPhee (piping); Gordon Parkes (drumming) and Alan Ronaldson (ensemble).
