Celebrations to mark 60 years of the Mid-Ulster Pipe Band Championship

The Mid-Ulster Section of The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association Northern Ireland Branch celebrates its sixtieth anniversary this year and to help mark this milestone, the Mid-Ulster Championships for pipe bands and drum majors will be held in Cookstown.
By The Newsroom
Published 31st Jul 2014, 19:00 GMT
Pictured at the launch are, from left: Ray Hall, chairman of The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association Northern Ireland Branch; Desmond McLaughlin, secretary of the Mid-Ulster Section; Sam Glasgow M.B.E., president of the Mid-Ulster Section; and Wilbert Buchanan, chairman of Cookstown District Council.Pictured at the launch are, from left: Ray Hall, chairman of The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association Northern Ireland Branch; Desmond McLaughlin, secretary of the Mid-Ulster Section; Sam Glasgow M.B.E., president of the Mid-Ulster Section; and Wilbert Buchanan, chairman of Cookstown District Council.
Pictured at the launch are, from left: Ray Hall, chairman of The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association Northern Ireland Branch; Desmond McLaughlin, secretary of the Mid-Ulster Section; Sam Glasgow M.B.E., president of the Mid-Ulster Section; and Wilbert Buchanan, chairman of Cookstown District Council.

The events will take place on Saturday, 2nd August, commencing at 11.00 a.m., at the Mid-Ulster Sports Arena, Tullywiggan Road, Cookstown.

The Mid-Ulster competition is the longest running Section contest in Northern Ireland.

On this occasion, a total of forty-seven bands and forty-nine drum majors have entered for this prestigious musical extravaganza – a fantastic response from all the competitors.

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The entry in itself shows the high regard in which the hard working office bearers of the Mid-Ulster Section are held.

Indeed not too many contests will top the interest shown in this particular championship.

There will be three competing arenas at the Mid-Ulster Sports Complex, two for the six grades of pipe bands and one for the four sections of drum majors.

The honour of ‘Chieftain of the Day’ goes to Lowry Ferguson from Cookstown, who is a long serving and highly respected member of the pipe band fraternity, and indeed the Mid-Ulster Section.

He is currently chairman of the Section and is pipe sergeant of Pomeroy based Grade 3B band, Matt Boyd Memorial.

On hearing of his selection as chieftain, Lowry said: “My sincere thanks to the Mid-Ulster Section of The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association Northern Ireland Branch for bestowing on me the honour of being your ‘Chieftain of the Day’ at the Mid-Ulster Championships being held in the Mid-Ulster Sports Arena, Cookstown.”

A special fifty-two page souvenir programme has been produced to commemorate the sixtieth anniversary of the Mid-Ulster Section. It will be on sale at the contest for only £2.00.

The grand finale will commence at 4.45 p.m., with Aughintober, Ballybriest, Tullylagan and Quinn Memorial, taking up position in the centre of the arena to play for the march past of all the competing bands and drum majors.

The organisers are operating a shuttle bus, free of charge, to those attending the contest. The town centre shuttle bus will be available to pick up passengers at the front of the Mid-Ulster Sports Arena and transport them to The Burnavon Arts and Cultural Centre, Burn Road, Cookstown.

This service will be available from 12.00 noon to 4.00 p.m. and will be in operation at both collection points every thirty minutes.

So go along to the Mid-Ulster Sports Arena in Cookstown this coming Saturday and help the Mid-Ulster Section celebrate 60 years.