Tullamore pipe band takes second at world championships

St Colmcille's Pipe Band from Tullamore has made history by storming to second place at the World Pipe Band Championships in Glasgow last Saturday. It rounded off a magnificent season for the band that's in its centenary year, following prizes at every competition entered this year and bringing their annual trophy haul to ten. With 52 bands in St Colmcille's grade, the Tullamore band had to take part in a qualifying heat on Saturday morning to win a place in the final proper. Having been drawn to play at 9.07am, the band began tuning up at 7am to prepare for the musical fight and their smooth performance saw them qualify comfortably as one of twelve finalists. A 3.56pm final performance was given in as smooth a manner as their first of the day, leaving band members confident they were in with a shot of prizes. Chief Executive of the Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association Ian Embelton confirmed this when he announced results to a gathering of approximately 30,000 including 8,000 competing pipers and drummers from 230 bands hailing from 16 different countries. St Colmcille's were beaten only by Closkelt from Co Down in their section, with the prize list completed by Achill from Co Mayo, Bo'ness from Scotland, Ogden Legion from Canada and Fivemiletown from Co Tyrone. A massive acheivement for Tullamore was that both piping judges placed St Colmcille's in first place. The Tullamore band played with just seven pipers, while other bands in the same grade had more than twice that number. To that end praise was given by the band to the tuition of Tony Healion from Cappincur, who taught six members of the pipe corps. After the result drum sergeant and band chairman Willie Currams said St Colmcille's Pipe Band has come a long way since 2008. "We re-started this band three years ago with absolutely nothing, no uniforms and no money, and we've come a long, long way," he said. "We have received so much support over the past three years and I'd like to think we've justified it. We're an extremely tightly knit group and this brings us even closer. What's more, this is only the beginning and we feel we can have an even better season in 2012. That's the most heartening aspect." Pipe major Joe Mooney added that local support has made a major difference. "Without the support of the people of Tullamore we wouldn't have been able to even get to Glasgow last Saturday, never mind achieve the result we did," he said. "This success is theirs every bit as much as it is ours." St Colmcille's, which also picked up silverware in competitions in Dungannon, Cobh, Newcastle, Lisburn and Stormont, plan now to perform in Tullamore next Saturday, with their full collection of trophies on display. To mark their centenary they also plan a gala concert in the Tullamore Court Hotel on November 11. Tickets for the event will go on sale shortly. Members of St Colmcille's Pipe Band who competed in last Saturday's competition are Joe Mooney (pipe major), John Leamy (pipe sergeant), Don Devine, Gary Mangan, Pat Middleton, Paul Mooney, Pat Nolan, Ollie Pyke, Martin Donnellan, Susan Feery, Leo Middleton, Willie Currams (drum sergeant), Michael Middleton (drum corporal), Ross Cannon and Brandon Troy.