The 100th Championship of Ireland Bands’ Contest was held today, Saturday 12th October 2019 in the Market Place Theatre, Armagh. The contest was adjudicated by Alan Fernie.

The band and conductor, Mr Brian Connolly, worked extremely hard as always in preparation for the contest and achieved 4th place in the championship section.

The set piece for the Champion Section Brass was Connotations by Edward Gregson.

Congratulations to Laganvale (Metal Technology) Band on their win and to all the other winning bands bands in their respective sections today.

Full results of the day are as follows:

Championship Brass

Test Piece: Connotations (Edward Gregson)

1st place: Laganvale (Metal Technology) Band – Conductor: Keith Anderson – 195 points
2nd place: 1st Old Boys Silver Band – Conductor: Stephen Cairns – 194 points
3rd place: Strabane Brass – Conductor: Charles Fyffe – 193 points
Third Carrickfergus Band – Conductor: Brian Connolly – 191 points
Murley Silver Band – Conductor: David Hawthorne – 190 points
Downshire Brass – Conductor: Michael Alcorn – 189 points
Drogheda Brass – Conductor: John Carpenter – 188 points

Best Instrumentalist: Louise Bell, cornet – 1st Old Boys Silver Band
Conductors Prize: Keith Anderson, Laganvale (Metal Technology) Band
Best Overall Performance of the Day: Laganvale (Metal Technology) Band
Laganvale (Metal Technology) Band will also secure an invitation to represent the nation in the Challenge Section of the 2021 European Championships in Malmo

Second Grade Brass

Test Piece: Purcell Variations (Kenneth Downie)

1st place: Lourdes Silver Band – Conductor: Michael Alcorn – 187 points
2nd place: CWA Brass – Conductor: Gary Proctor – 186 points
3rd place: Roughan Silver Band – Conductor: Stephen Crooks – 185 points
Comber Silver Band – Conductor: Wesley Thompson – 184 points
Wellington Silver Band – Conductor: David Hawthorne – 182 points
Ballyduff Silver Band – Conductor: William Hill – 180 points

Third Grade Brass

Test Piece: The Graces of Love (Oliver Waespi)

1st place: Dynamic Brass – Conductor: Andrew McQuiggan – 181 points
Dungannon Silver Band – Conductor: Boris Pinto – 180 points

Fourth Grade Brass

Test Piece: First Suite in Eb (Gustav Holst)

1st place: Poyntzpass Silver Band – Conductor: Robert Davidson – 172 points

Fifth Grade Brass

Test Piece: Own Choice

1st place: 1st Larne Old Boys – Conductor: William Clements – 168 points

Youth Brass

Test Piece: Own Choice

1st place: 1st Old Boys Silver Junior Band – Conductor: Jonathan Sharpe – 174 points