Monaghan band for Ballykeel's parade

With seventy two bands at last years annual parade held by Ballykeel Loyal Sons of Ulster Flute Band, the third largest event in the province is expected to welcome some new faces this year from the Republic of Ireland on Saturday, May 22.

Drum Accordion are a very well respected outfit from County Monaghan on the border, these fellow Ulstermen and women are looking forward to the big night in Ballymena and expect it to be the highlight of their year. From the small village of Drum, this south Ulster band has its practice every Friday night in Drum Protestant hall, through out the year.

The big night in May will see up to seventy five bands taking to the streets of the town and amongst them will be Ulster’s finest marching bands. One of the parade organizers Rodney Quigley said: “Ballykeel have worked hard to attract the quality bands to Ballymena in May, we always carried great pride with the quality of the bands on parade, but for the past couple of years we are very lucky to have quantity also.

"Our band has attended over 60 events in every corner of our country in the last year from small festivals to large charity events to encourage the other bands to come back to the town but the icing on the cake has to have been the Festival of Ulster’s band in the Ulster Hall.

“This parade is our main collection opportunity of the year and without it we wouldn’t be able to travel to all the other bands and therefore the spectators would not have this opportunity to see them on their door step. The generosity of the local people over the years has been staggering and the local band takes great pride in representing them every weekend at all the various events we attend.

“More local bands out in their own area or town is the usual comment from the vast amount of spectators and over the past few years a lot more have taken this great opportunity to let the local folk see them. The shop window for them to attract new members to boost their ranks is there and we all hope to see many more local bands parade Ballymena regularly. In recent years our own band has benefited from local parades and has led to many younger people coming along and taking a keen interest in an instrument.

“Ballykeel would like to give an open invitation to all the local bands to come along and help promote the marching band scene in Ballymena on May 22 and if we can return the favour by helping with something which is organized by that band we will. Again this year the host band and the local police will be operating a no on street drinking policy, up to now this has been a great success and has helped to bring back the families to watch this colourful event.”

As always this parade will start promptly at 8.00pm from the Wakehurst Road and go around the Waveney Road too Pentagon and up Wellington Street, Ballymoney Street, William Street and then down to Harryville Bridge again and will finish at Wakehurst. It is advised to come along early and give all the visitors and good hearty Ballymena welcome. It is hoped that all the local bands will start to form from 7.30 to allow the travelling bands as much time to make their journeys.

The Stephen Parkhill Memorial cup will be presented to the best overall band on parade for the second time with last 2009 winners, Cookstown SOW keen to keep it for another year in their own trophy cabinet. Many others have a space cleared for this coveted award and the local band hope that plenty of spectators come along to make their own judgment.