The New Ross and District Pipe Band
- a brief history
The New Ross and District Pipe Band was founded in 1974 and
since its inception has been consistently one of the top performing bands in the
country . The highlight of the band's career to date was undoubtedly the winning
of the All-Ireland Pipe Band Championships in 1987 but as well as that outstanding win , the
band won 2nd. prize in the 1986 All-Ireland and won 3rd. prizes in the same championships
in 1978 and 1984 . In 1986 the band became one of the few Irish bands to bring prizes out of Scotland when it finished 5th. at the Cowal Highland Gathering in a competition
which had an entry of 72 bands . The band has won the Leinster Championships on numerous
occasions as well as a host of minor championships .
The band has represented Ireland abroad on three occasions apart from
its numerous trips to Scottish competitions . In 1986 , the band represented Ireland
at an International Folk Festival in Northern Spain ; in 1987 the band was brought
to Wales by the BBC in order to play at the Welsh National Eistedfodd in Fishguard ( and
appeared on S4C and BBC television ) ; and in 1988 the band represented Ireland at
the Festival Interceltique in Brittany , France .
The band was absent from the contest scene for two years 1991/92 but since returning
to the scene in 1993 it has steadily built up its performance and has had a number
of notable successes especially the two prizes it took out of the North of Ireland
against very stiff opposition .
Over the past two years the band has spent some £9000 on up-grading
its equipment and uniform and members have taken out personal loans to purchase new
kilts at a cost of £3000 .
In 1995 the band won 6th. prize at the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow as
well as the prize for the best bass and tenor drum section . The band finished as
Champion of Champions in Grade 3 that year .
The band plays a very active part in the social and cultural life of New Ross
and members of the New Ross band have taught bands in Kilkenny , Carlow , Waterford
, and Durrow , Co. Laois . The Pipe Major of the band , Brian Mac Mahon , is principal of the national College of Piping and Drumming which is sponsored by the Arts Council
and which runs courses on piping,drumming and musical theory throughout the country
. Brian is also the National Secretary of the Irish Pipe Band Association and Chairman of the South East Branch of the same Association and is a recognised piping judge
. Another member of the band , Margaret Saunders , is the Treasurer of the Pipe Band
Association .
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