New Ross Pipe Band triumph in UK competition

NEW ROSS and District Pipe Band continued on their winning ways this season with a third place finish at the United Kingdom Pipe Band Championships which were held at Stormont in Belfast recently.

The New Ross band was the highest placed Irish finisher in their grade with first and second prizes narrowly going to Scottish bands. The band also won the prize for the Best Drumming in their grade – the New Ross drummers are now unbeaten this season.

The New Ross band competes at grade 3A level in the pipe band world which puts it in the top 25 per cent of bands. Most local town and village bands compete at much lower levels and only seriously minded bands who actively train and compete get to this level in the first place.

The New Ross band is now beginning to rise to the top of their 3A section and are looking forward to being competitive at the All Ireland Championships in Armagh in July and at the World Championships in Glasgow in August.

The band was delighted to show off its new Bass Drum at the UK championships on Saturday which features a full colour photo of the Dunbrody replica ship anchored in the Barrow river.

A Northern Ireland company has developed a technique of printing material on to drum heads without affecting the sound.

The local band were quick off the mark and secured sponsorship from Sean Connick and the Dunbrody Centre to feature the Dunbrody and New Ross on the drum heads.

This is seen as a great way for the band to promote its home town while competing in Northern Ireland and Scotland and while playing at the many international festivals it gets invited to. In the past, the band’s trips have included playing for the Pope in the Vatican, playing at the Festival Interceltique in Lorient, France, playing at festivals in Lithuania, Berlin, Toulouse (France), La Coruna (Spain), London, and Belfast.