Desertmartin Accordion Band marks 65th anniversary with launch of new book charting band's progression
Desertmartin Accordion Band to launch book celebrating 65th anniversary
The band has been part of the life of the local community from 1961 to 2026 – the music, the friendships and the memories have been carried from one generation to the next.
This new anniversary book, Marching Forward with Purpose, written by John Woodward, celebrates that journey.
The book brings the story of the band together through photographs, stories, poems and articles. It looks back on the people, occasions and memories that have shaped 65 years, while keeping an eye firmly on the road ahead. At its heart is a simple idea: Honour the past. Cherish the present. Encourage the generations still to come.
An accordion band is more than instruments and tunes. It is people coming together, learning from one another and keeping a musical tradition alive.
That sense of community runs through the anniversary book and through the celebration itself.
The anniversary is not only about looking back. Sixty-five years provides a moment to remember what has gone before, but also to think about what comes next. New musicians, new memories and new chapters can carry the tradition far beyond 2026. The music has a past, but it has a future too.
The anniversary book will be launched at the band's coffee morning at St Lurach’s Church Hall, Maghera, on Saturday, November 14, from 10am until 12 midday.
With coffee, something sweet on the table and plenty of conversation, it is an opportunity to mark 65 years of Desertmartin Accordion Band and celebrate the launch of the new book. Book price: £10.