The 99th Championship of Ireland Bands’ Contest was held today, Saturday 22nd October 2015 in the Market Place Theatre, Armagh. The contest was adjudicated by Mr Steve Sykes.

This is the 2nd year the Third Carrickfergus Band has competed in the Championship Section, this time with new conductor Mr Brian Connolly, where a 4th position was achieved – only 1 point behind the 3rd placed band on the day.

The set piece for the Champion Section Brass was Music for the Common Man by Kenneth Downie.

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

Special thanks also go to Mark Ruddock who ably assisted us on Soprano cornet.

Full results of the day are noted below.

Championship Brass

Test Piece: Music for the Common Man (Kenneth Downie)

1st place: Laganvale (Metal Technology) Band – Conductor: S Crooks 191 points
2nd place: 1st Old Boys’ Silver – Conductor: S Cairns 190 points
Downshire Brass – Conductor: M Alcorn 188 points
Third Carrickfergus Band – Conductor: B Connolly 187 points
Three Rivers Brass – Conductor: N Barr 186 points
Murley Silver Band – Conductor: W Hill – Withdrawn

Best Instrumentalist: Hannah Copes – Solo Cornet – Downshire Brass
Conductors Prize: S Crooks – Laganvale (Metal Technology) Band
Best Overall Performance of the Day: Laganvale (Metal Technology) Band
Laganvale (Metal Technology) Band will be invited to compete at the European Brass Band Championships (B Section) to be held in Utrecht in The Netherlands in 2018

Second Grade Brass

Test Piece: Evolution: Five states of change (P Sparke)

1st place: Drogheda Silver Band – Conductor: M Maher 182 points
2nd place: Roughan Brass Band – Conductor: K Anderson 181 points
3rd place: Lourdes Brass Band – Conductor: M Hannan 180 points
CWA Brass – Conductor: E Ruddock 178 points
Comber Silver Band – Conductor: W Thompson 177 points

Best Bass section: Roughan Silver Band
Best Cornet section: Drogheda Brass
Conductor’s Prize: M Maher

Third Grade Brass

Test Piece: British Isles Suite (J Bates)

1st place: Wellington Memorial Silver – Conductor: G Proctor 177 points
Dungannon Silver – Conductor: B Pinto 175 points

Youth Brass Band

Test Piece: Own Choice Programme

1st place 1st Old Boys’ Silver Junior Band – Conductor: J Bingham (Mrs) 177 points
Laganvale (Metal Technology) Youth Band – Conductor: A Pentland 175 points

Fourth Grade Brass

Test Piece: An English Suite (M Ball)

1st place: Dynamic Brass – Conductor: H Whan 175 points
Warrenpoint Silver – Conductor: M Numan 172 points
Poyntzpass Silver – Conductor: Wm R Davidson 171 points

Fifth Grade Brass

Test Piece: Own Choice Programme

1st place: Steadfast Shoes Brass – Conductor: M Numan 176 points
1st Larne Old Boys’ Silver – Conductor: W Clements 175 points