The 104th Championship of Ireland Bands’ Contest was held today, Saturday 22nd October 2022 in the Market Place Theatre, Armagh. The event had a good turn out of competing bands across the sections. Congratulations to all of today’s entrants in their preparation work, their conductors and, of course, to all the winners in their respective sections. Today’s contest was adjudicated by Seona Wade.

The intense preparation and dedication by the band and conductor, Mr Brian Connolly, paid off with a 2nd place result after impressing today’s adjudicator.
The set piece for the Champion Section Brass was Chivalry by Martin Ellerby.

Congratulations to 1st Old Boys Silver Band on their win in the Championship section and to all the other winning bands in their respective sections today.

Full results of the day are as follows:

Championship Brass

Test Piece: Chivalry (Martin Ellerby)

1st place: 1st Old Boys Silver Band – Conductor: Dr Jonathan W Corry – 98 points
2nd place: Third Carrickfergus Band – Conductor: Brian Connolly – 94 points
3rd place: Strabane Brass – Conductor: Charles Fyffe – 92 points
Laganvale (Metal Technology) Band – Conductor: Keith Anderson – 91 points
Downshire Brass – Conductor: Michael Alcorn – 90 points

Best Instrumentalist: Martin Britt, soprano cornet – 1st Old Boys Silver Band
Conductors Prize: Dr Jonathan W Corry, 1st Old Boys Silver Band
Best Overall Performance of the Day: 1st old Boys Silver Band

Second Grade Brass

Test Piece: Kaleidoscope (Philip Sparke)

1st place: Roughan Silver Band – Conductor: Stephen Crooks – 94 points
2nd place: Ballyduff Silver Band – Conductor: William Hill – 92 points
3rd place: CWA Brass – Conductor: Gary Proctor – 90 points
Drogheda Brass – Conductor: Brian Daly – 88 points
Lourdes Silver Band – Conductor: Cormac O’Haodain – 87 points
Comber Silver Band – Conductor: Wesley Thompson – 85 points
Wellington Memorial Silver Band – Conductor: David Hawthorne – 84 points

Best Cornet Section: Ballyduff Silver Band
Best Bass Section: Roughan Silver Band

Third Grade Brass

Test Piece: Valerious Variations (Philip Sparke)

1st place: Dynamic Brass – Conductor: Andrew McQuiggan – 86 points
St. Marks Silver – Conductor:: Bob Quick – 82 points
Poyntzpass Silver Band – Conductor: Stanley Lutton – 80 points