Aughintober’s World Champion honoured

The Mid-Ulster Section of The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association Northern Ireland Branch held a special celebratory event to honour Zoe McDowell (Aughintober), for being crowned world champion drum major in the junior category.
By The Newsroom
Published 29th Nov 2014, 21:00 BST
Pictured are officials of the Mid-Ulster Section. Back row, from left: Alan Ferguson, assistant child protection officer; Trevor Wilson, vice-chairman; Malcolm Wilson, assistant treasurer; Sam Glasgow M.B.E., president; Alex Crooks, vice-president. Front row, from left: Ray Hall, chairman Northern Ireland Branch; Desmond McLaughlin, secretary; Zoe McDowell, world champion; John Gilmour, treasurer; Lowry Ferguson, chairman.Pictured are officials of the Mid-Ulster Section. Back row, from left: Alan Ferguson, assistant child protection officer; Trevor Wilson, vice-chairman; Malcolm Wilson, assistant treasurer; Sam Glasgow M.B.E., president; Alex Crooks, vice-president. Front row, from left: Ray Hall, chairman Northern Ireland Branch; Desmond McLaughlin, secretary; Zoe McDowell, world champion; John Gilmour, treasurer; Lowry Ferguson, chairman.
Pictured are officials of the Mid-Ulster Section. Back row, from left: Alan Ferguson, assistant child protection officer; Trevor Wilson, vice-chairman; Malcolm Wilson, assistant treasurer; Sam Glasgow M.B.E., president; Alex Crooks, vice-president. Front row, from left: Ray Hall, chairman Northern Ireland Branch; Desmond McLaughlin, secretary; Zoe McDowell, world champion; John Gilmour, treasurer; Lowry Ferguson, chairman.

The event was held in the Royal Hotel, Cookstown, with officials of both the Mid-Ulster Ulster Section and Northern Ireland Branch in attendance.

Lowry Ferguson, chairman of the Mid-Ulster Section, congratulated Zoe on all her achievements throughout 2014. A special glass memento to commemorate her world title victory was then presented to Zoe by Desmond McLaughlin, secretary of the Section. The world champion then thanked the Mid-Ulster Section for inviting her to the function and the gift.

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Ray Hall, chairman of the Northern Ireland Branch, who is also secretary of the Fermanagh Section, congratulated Zoe on her world victory and all the other titles she won during the year. He also praised the officers of the Mid-Ulster Section for organising such an event. Zoe has had a remarkable season on the contest scene winning a total of twelve competitions. This year, she made it a hat-trick of world titles adding to her 2011 and 2013 successes.

To win a single world title is a major achievement in itself but to be on top of the world on three occasions is unique. She has brought credit to her band Aughintober, the Mid-Ulster Section, her entire family circle and indeed herself.

A complete list of her victories in the junior drum majors’ section during 2014 makes remarkable reading: World, European, United Kingdom, British, All-Ireland, Scottish, Ulster, Mid-Ulster, County Fermanagh, North-West, City of Lisburn and Borough of Ards.

As well as these competition wins, Zoe picked up the prestigious awards of Northern Ireland champion of champion and the Scotland Supreme champion of champion. Zoe has now been promoted to the juvenile grade and has a bright future ahead of her as a drum major.