The 94th Championship of Ireland Bands’ Contest was held on Saturday 22nd October 2011 in the Market Place Theatre, Armagh. The contest this year was adjudicated by Mr Steve Sykes.

The set piece for the Second Section Brass was “Variations on Maccabeus” by Kevin Norbury. The band worked very hard to prepare for this contest and came 3rd on the day.

Our congratulations go to all the winning bands today. A very special mention also goes to the Third Carrick Junior Band who were also placed 3rd in their section earlier in the day.

Results are as follows:

Fourth Grade Brass

Test Piece: THE NORTHUMBRIAN SUITE (Stuart Johnston)

1st place: Dungannon Silver – Conductor: F Mitchell 83 points
2nd place: Poyntzpass Silver – Conductor: D Watson 81 points
Warrenpoint Silver – Conductor: M McCabe 80 points
Banbridge Silver – Conductor: A Cooke 79 points

Grade 5/Unaffiliated Brass

Test Piece: OWN CHOICE

1st place: Greystone Silver – Conductor: E Dalton 82 points
Letterbreen Silver – Conductor S Crooks 81 points
Aughnaskeagh Silver – Conductor: G Shields 78 points

Youth Brass Band

Test Piece: OWN CHOICE PROGRAMME

1st place: 1st Old Boys Junior – Conductor: Mrs J Bingham 83 points
2nd place: Roughan Silver – Conductor: K Anderson 82 points
3rd place: Third Carrickfergus Junior Band – Conductor: P Arthurs 81 points
Omagh Academy Brass Band – Conductor: S O’Hare 80 points
St. Michael’s College – Conductor: B Quick 78 points
Laureldale Brass Ensemble – Conductor: B McIlveen 76 points
Downshire Juniors – Conductor: M Alcorn 76 points

Third Grade Brass

Test Piece: DIMENSIONS (Peter Graham)

1st place: CWA Brass – Conductor: S Cairns 83 points
2nd place: Comber Silver – Conductor: W Thompson 82 points
3rd place: Wellington Memorial Silver – Conductor: J Kitchen 80 points
St Mary’s Silver – Conductor: T Doherty 78 points
St. Mark’s Silver – Conductor: C McBride 77 points
Newtownards Silver – Conductor: K Hillier 76 points

Second Grade Brass

Test Piece: VARIATIONS ON “MACCABEUS” (Kevin Norbury)

1st place: St. Joseph’s Brass – Conductor: N Barr 92 points
2nd place: Drogheda Brass – Conductor: TBA 90 points
Third Carrickfergus Band – Conductor: D Graham 88 points
Roughan Silver – Conductor: K Anderson 87 points
Ballyduff Silver – Conductor: W Hill 84 points

Best bass section: St. Joseph’s Brass
Best cornet section: St. Joseph’s Brass

Championship Brass

Test Piece: JOURNEY INTO FREEDOM (Eric Ball)

1st place: Laganvale (Metal Technology) – Conductor: E Ruddock 92 points
2nd place: 1st Old Boys’ Silver – Conductor: M Fowles 91 points
Murley Silver – Conductor: W Hill 90 points
Downshire Brass – Conductor: M Alcorn 88 points
Strabane Concert Brass – Conductor: TBC 87 points

Best Instrumentalist: Mark Ruddock – Soprano cornet – Laganvale (Metal Technology)

Conductors Prize: E Ruddock

Best Performance of the Day: St. Joseph’s Brass (Second Section)