News Archive
27th October 2007
New addition to the Connolly family.
Congratulations to Roy and Gillian Connolly on the new arrival of their 2nd son.
Lewis Robert Connolly who was born on Saturday 17th November 2007 weighing in at 7lbs 2ozs.
27th October 2007World Solo Drumming Championships.
So the boys arrived safe and sound in Glasgow and for a bonus point got there with loads of time to prepare – the only problem was the room they were allocated to practice in was a broom cupboard (apparently someone asked for a space to change into a Superman outfit but no-one owned up)!
Saturday was obviously a big day for everyone so the plan for Friday night was early to bed with lights out at 10.30pm; apparently it was lights out for Bryson at 4 in the afternoon though after a few apple juices on the ferry, but that’s another story. The remainder tried to keep to the regime and prepared as if they were competing in a marathon except none of them could run the length of themselves and definitely wouldn’t look that great in lycra so it was a light meal of deep fried pizza, chips and a couple of mars bars each for good measure.
They say breakfast is the main meal of the day so the boys took that literally (there’s a pattern developing here as you’ll note) and had a hearty mixture of rolls and square sausage with a splash of fried egg on the side, all washed down with a bucket of tea and they were fired up ready to go. The hotel was just across from the University so even our guys couldn’t get lost but to be safe they tied a thread to Nigel and sent him out first, he did find the practice room (the broom cupboard above) but managed to get that changed to a smaller space so they could put all those yoga sessions to good use.
Competition start time and they were on in three different sections; Aaron came third in his section and got through to the semi final with Nigel and Neil playing well enough in their groups but not getting through. So they could all watch the final with feet up and slippers on, the final had a truly international feel with competitors from bands all over the world - as it turned out Barry Wilson won through and congratulations to him and ScottishPower for a great achievement.
The après-ski is such a key part of male bonding on these weekends so the boys spent a fair bit of Saturday night getting well and truly bonded! I wouldn’t say they’re not trusted away from home but as you can see from the photograph there was always a WAG on hand to make sure there was no misbehaving.
The evening ended and everyone was tucked up in bed dreaming about roll movements, drag runs and flams……well Pinky was, the others crept back out of bed and headed out again without telling him.
Special mention has to be made of Ian Bryson’s chivalrous behaviour lending his footwear (which were brand new and a really dodgy shade of beige) to a needy band colleague thus rendering himself shoeless in the pouring rain on a puddle filled Sauchiehall Street – who says there’s no Gentlemen left in the world!
The boys say their prize for playing beyond all expectation and showing potential on a par with the winner goes to Willie Wilson, a player worth keeping an eye on, a really nice guy and absolutely no delusions of grandeur at all…..
The journey home was uneventful and the boys spent the time talking through the previous day’s competition and where they might’ve gone wrong. Roll on next year!
25th October 2007
The journey to the World Solo Drumming Championships.
We have three lambs being thrown to the lions in Glasgow this weekend along with their sticks and a piper or two for good measure.
Good luck to Aaron, Neil and Nigel for the event but before all that they have to negotiate the journey to Glasgow - so boys please see below a checklist as a reminder for the trip:
- Boat/train tickets
- Drum sticks
- Drum
- Harness
- A piper
- Glasgow Street map (you country boys are bound to get lost)
- Money (remember they don’t accept livestock as part payment in the big smoke)
- Toothpaste (for Nigel according to his new fiancée) congrats again by the way
- Apple juice (for Bryson)
- Headache tablets (for Bryson after the apple juice)
If anyone finds one of our guys lost in Glasgow please return them to the address printed on their coat. Kidding aside, good luck from all in the band…..more to follow, if they actually get there in time to compete…..
20th October 2007
So another good man has finally fallen. Nigel Anderson (drummer) & Kathryn Mattison have got engaged. "Anders" refused to take on board all the good advise given to him by his fellow bandsmen.
He took Kathryn to 'Bloody Bridge' in the Mountains of Mourne, outside Newcastle and went for walk up the stream over the rocks and boulders etc, got half way up and came to a lovely romantic spot beside an old foot bridge (Awhhhhh) got down on one knee (the romantic in him) and popped the question. She said yes straight away.
Congratulations to you both and we hope your date does not affect the competition season!!!!!
28th September 2007
Aaron & Annemarie get engaged.
Congratulations goes to Aaron Turkington & Annemarie Lugton on their recent engagement.
Annemarie is from Ormiston, near Edinburgh.
'Turkey' took her to the Giants Causeway at Portrush and got down on one knee. The wedding is planned for 6th june 2009 in Edinburgh.
Well done Turkey, made it at last. Now get that date changed to a non-competition day!!!!!
15th September 2007
All Ireland Solos, Dublin. (Results)
Congratulations once more goes to Scott Barr who WON on Saturday at the All Ireland Solos. Scott moved up a grade to compete in the Under 14's as he was the only entry in the Under 12 section. He beat off some serious competition including players currently competing in Grade 1 regularly. This is a fantastic achievement and just goes to show what practice does!!!!
At the back end (so to speak), despite all our entrants playing well the drummers didn’t pick up placings in the prize list so Scott’s trophy came home on it’s own this time. Good luck to Aaron and the boys at the World Drumming Solos in Glasgow next month.
8th September 2007
Congratulations to Scott Barr.
Continuing his solo successes from the start of the season, Scott lifted 4th place at the Under 15 Young Piper of the Year! A great result setting him up well for this coming Saturday as he moves up a grade to compete for the Under 14 All Ireland Title. Best wishes for a good run.
Oh and nearly forgot to mention folks......he also lifted the trophy for best dressed piper on the day! Not just a good set of fingers then :-)
25th August 2007
COWAL Championships. (Results)
We couldn’t make the trip to Dunoon due to another commitment however that didn’t stop us from keeping an eye on how the contest unfolded. It was more of the same for the last Major of the season in the top two grades – Field Marshal Montgomery lifted 1st place to round the summer off with an incredible 4 out of 5 Major Championship wins! In grade two, Cullybackey finished off a very successful season taking 1st prize with Seven Towers following up in second place. As always congratulations to all who took part and came away with a prize.
So all in all a great season for some bands, not so great for others and with a Major win under our belt this year we’re happy to be up there among the prize winners. Good luck with all the hard work coming up in the winter….
18th August 2007
North West Championships. (Results)
How do you follow a weekend in Glasgow where everyone enjoyed themselves and no-one fell off the boat? Portrush was the last stop on the band contest calendar for us and we wanted to play well, go out on a high and stay dry if possible - we didn't achieve all three but none the less had a good day trying.
Playing in competitions this year has been like learning to swim all over again only with a drum strapped on and although the forecast promised brightening up in the afternoon what we got was drizzle and showers with some rain in between. We knew what to do and at this stage in the season we were used to playing in wet suits; our preparation was going well and things were taking shape.
Draw time came and we served and volleyed our way through the performance on the tennis court and really enjoyed playing our medley for the first time in a long while in competition. The finale saw us take second place behind Cullybackey with Seven Towers and Killeen third and fourth. Well done and congratulations to them.
Ian Young picked up third in the Senior Grade Drum Major contest and Emma Barr second in the Novice Grade and they're both topping off really good seasons.
So our competition season is over for this year and all eyes are on working hard over the winter to come out lean, mean and right on our fighting weight for the start of next season. We also hope to welcome some new members into the band and encourage anyone thinking of joining to get in touch.
See you on the line next year…..
11th August 2007
The World Championships. (Results)
So it's been and gone and we left the field with a big raindrop trickling down back of our necks - what a day, even for Glasgow this had to be seen to be believed. I've never known a "Worlds" like it! In saying that, the weather didn't put the real opportunist ice cream vans off who actually seemed to be doing a roaring trade to be fair and then there was the guy in the stall who brought 150 umbrellas with him and sold the lot!
The early birds among us were up catching worms and got to the venue on the coach at 7.30am, the remainder lay blissfully asleep in their beds. When they woke up some actually thought they'd been hibernating because it had turned into winter overnight. We got a warm coffee and a hearty breakfast alfresco into us and were ready for action.
Qualifying was first on the agenda and we had a decent enough run so although the wait for the final draw was a way off we were quietly confident about getting through. Sure enough we'd done enough to get through so our next objective was to play our best, do ourselves justice and hope that would be enough to push into the prizes.
As it turned out we didn't play as well as we can and coming off, there was an air of dissatisfaction among the guys; that feeling soon vanished along with our thirst as we sampled some light refreshments in the comfort of the mud bath that had formed inside the beer tent.
Our instincts were telling us we hadn't done enough and although we're proud of the 4th place we got we had hoped to play better. Ahead of us were The Band Club in third place, Seven Towers in second and the winners Cullybackey. They all deserve congratulations and we wish them all the best. Special congratulations to Field Marshall Montgomery who retained their Grade 1 World Champion status, a fantastic achievement! Arlow won Grade 3a and Cullenfad won Grade 4a to continue really good runs and well done to them.
Closer to home our Drum Major Ian Young came through in 4th place in the Senior Drum Major contest and well done to Ian from the band.
The Worlds are also about the après ski so it would have been rude not to visit the residents bar in our hotel and to be fair a few of the boys visited a number of bars to make sure the local brew was up to standard before hitting their pillows; indeed the sore heads verified the brew was bang on the next morning and meant that for some of the journey to the boat the coach was a wee bit quieter than normal.
Cant wait till next August….
4th August 2007
Ulster Championships. (Results)
We're a week closer to the "Big One" and with the benefit of previous trips behind me I can just hear all the Rab C Nesbitt impersonations on the bus as we meander our way to Glasgow on Friday (as a Scotsman this doesn't bother me at all…..honest). Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself that's next week and here we are just in from Moira.
I did a good deed (Samaritan wise) for a man in need earlier in the day and thought that might swing it with the Yin and Yang thing and we'd get rewarded with a 1st place later in the afternoon - however it didn't work out that way…..
MSR was the order of the day and we were drawn last. Our preparation seemed to be on track, on we went and our approach was steady and controlled; a good start and were on our way. After the performance the vibe was good so we waited for the march past with a positive outlook.
Yin and Yang? You can forget any more good turns; no more Mr Nice Guy! We got third behind Cullybackey and Seven Towers and joking aside, well done to them and good luck for next week. There was some silver lining though with our wee star Emma Barr picking up third place in the Novice Juvenile Drum Major grade and Ian Young lifting second in the Seniors.
So our eyes are on qualifying for next weeks Worlds Final - if we do that and play the best we can, do ourselves justice then who knows. Good luck to all bands next week, especially those from our side of the water.
1st August 2007
Congratulations to Sam and Sharon Cleland on their new arrival.....making a lovely family of four girls.
Rachel Helen Cleland, who was born on Tuesday 31st July 2007 weighing in at 10lbs 7ozs.
28th July 2007
European Championships. (Results)
Although the band didn’t make the journey to Inverness we did have representation there in Emma Barr (Junior Drum Major contest). Regular visitors to this site will know Emma has consistently been among the top prize winners so far this season and on Saturday all the hard work and dedication paid off, she won the European Championship in her grade! A fantastic achievement and congratulations go to Emma and her family from everyone associated with the band.
Band wise, the Northern Ireland contingent also did very well with Field Marshal Montgomery coming through as Grade 1 Champions and Seven Towers winning Grade 2 with Killeen nipping in behind them to take second place. Annsborough won through in Grade 3A and Cullenfad picked up the 4A prize. Slightly further a field; mention should go to St. Laurence O’Toole who got in among the top 5 in Grade 1. Well done to them and all the winners and runners up from us!
21st July 2007
North Down Championships. (Results)
Is it really two weeks since Newcastle? It's almost as though we were never away and to be fair given the head of steam we had built up in Ballymena and Newcastle we'd have taken an outing last Saturday to keep the momentum going.
Having lived in Bangor I knew the area (well a few of the local watering holes anyway) and the venue was looking really well. It was a later draw than normal, we weren't due on till after 4.15 but we were looking forward to staying amongst the prizes even if we would have to stay up later than we were normally allowed; that meant a later than normal start and a chance to review and sample all the low fat produce on sale - a few of the boys are on diets getting ready to show the six pack on the beach on their summer holidays after the season finishes so the burgers were few and far between. The drummers set about their work and were going well, word from the pipers was they were also going well so things were shaping up nicely.
We went on with a positive controlled attitude and got things moving in the same vein enjoying our performance all the way through. The nods between the guys afterwards told us we were happy with the performance. The nodding plus the Pipe Major's new brogues must've done the trick; we came 1st as a band with Cullybackey behind us and well done to them. As the results unfolded we were joint 1st in piping; 1st in drumming; won best bass section and got 1st in M&D. In the Drum Major competition Emma Barr came through 2nd in the Novice grade and Ian Young grabbed the same prize in the Seniors so a great day for the band all round!
We're not heading to Inverness next week but best of luck to all the bands who are and hopefully the Northern Irish bands will come home with some silverware to polish till next year.
Next outing for us is the Ulster Championships in Moira, see you there….
07th July 2007
ALL IRELAND Championships. (Results)
Aaaah, the smell of the sea in the air and the whiff of fish n chips - it must be Newcastle….I’m going to move away from the weather watch theme this time, but what I will say is we were all expecting to give our capes another airing; however the opposite was the order of the day and the buckets and spades could come out after all!
This was our first outing after winning the British Championships in Ballymena so we were looking to keep our noses in front of the pack and have a run to be proud of. Our preparation went really well and in final tuning all the right signs were there - even the temptation of an ice cream couldn’t put us off. We were playing MSR and were drawn last in the grade, on we went and got off to a strong controlled start and maintained our level throughout. We even managed a wee smile for the BBC cameras in the circle.
First place overall was plucked from us due to the Grade 2 Ensemble judge's decision, by Cullybackey and well done to them; we were second, Seven Towers were third and the trip across the water in their Pheonix Hondas was worth it for Glasgow Skye coming in fourth. We did tie first with Cullybackey in piping and won the drumming prize along with M&D. Ian Young came second in the senior grade and Emma Barr got fourth in the novice grade of the Drum Major contest so the trophy cabinet needs another shelf.
In grade 1, congratulations goes to St Laurence O'Toole who took home the 62nd All Ireland Championship title. Well done!!!!
23rd June 2007
BRITISH Championships. (Results)
Well folks, who would predict it? Yes you guessed it... the rain was on again! After a bright and hopeful start to the day the clouds appeared and just before Ravara were due to perform the heavens opened, and heavier it got as the performance went on. We were soaked to the skin.
It must have helped concentrate the efforts as we lifted 1st place, with Cullybackey close behind in second. Another home band, Seven Towers, also made the Top 6.
The contest was well run with ample parking, food and toilet facilities laid on. Those looking a break from pipe bands had only a few minutes walk down into the town.
The finale was another success for the second week running, with all the bands flowing through in quick succession once the march past began. The gathering was privileged to recieve an address from Northern Ireland's First Minister, Rev Dr Ian Paisely.
The price giving went well with plenty of silverware being shared between the Scottish & Irish. Well done to all those who received a prize. Special congratualations to our drum major Emma Barr on taking 6th place - definately shaping up to be the talent of the future!
16th June 2007
Co Down Championships. (Results)
No surprise on Saturday at Banbridge - the rain was on once again. A miserable day all round.
The attractions where plentiful to entertain those brave enough to venture out into the winter weather ranging from The Red Hot Chilli Pipers, Old Fashioned Cars, Irish Folk Groups and of course the Pipes and Drums themselves.
Ravara had an interesting day all round, disappointment for their Drum Majors but satisfaction with the band lifting first place in the MSR competition. Cullybackey came in a hot second and Killeen third.
FMM cleaned up in Grade one lifting both the MSR and Medley sections thought SLOT disrupted a clean sweep by taking the best drum corps prize.
The march past onto the finale was the best of the season to date and hearty congratulations most go to EVERY pipe major involved in urging their band on, so that for once we got away at a reasonable hour of the day.
Here's looking to next week when maybe just once we shall have nice dry weather that isn't too hot either for the pipes.... (Ravara is playing 3rd out of 17 entries, at 12.48hrs).
9th June 2007
Mid Ulster Championships. (Results)
A strange thing happened in Cookstown – for the first time in 2007 at a pipe band contest in Northern Ireland it was sunny! Not a cape or an umbrella in sight meant we could prepare in shirt sleeves and the gathering crowd were hoping the heat would fire all the competitors up.
We were looking forward to playing our medley selection with the plan to keep ourselves in among the prizes, when draw time came we felt the preparation had gone well enough and were raring to go. Another good start allowed us to settle into the run quickly and meant we were able to enjoy it to the finish. Both ends thought we played well and there was progression in the air which is one of our key intentions as the season unfolds.
The end result put us in second place behind Cullybackey, well done to them and as always the same congratulations to the winners and runners up in the other grades. We did keep up our good run in M&D taking first place and Emma Barr was also well deserving of her third place in the Novice Drum Major competition - keep it up Emma!
One thing for sure - the smell of sun cream definitely beats that of damp jackets drying. We might even need it again for Banbridge…
2nd June 2007
Co Antrim Championships. (Results)
Antrim was next on the calendar and was the first MSR outing of the season in our grade – so after the run of medley contests we had been working through the week on both MSR sets. On the day we took the opportunity to enter the Open contest with a medley selection so it was to be a busy afternoon.
So with cape in hand we set about our preparation sheltered in the trees till the forecast rain eased off. Although we started well enough we didn’t play as well as we’d hoped in grade 2 and after our run we broke for 15 minutes and began to get ready for the open contest trying to improve on the performance. The next run was better but still not quite what we were looking for and sure enough results on the day backed that up; 4th overall in grade 2 and 3rd in the Open contest. Winners and runners up in both competitions were Cullybackey and Seven Towers, congratulations to them and the other winners and runners up in all grades.
We didn’t leave the field empty handed though winning best bass section in our grade along with the M&D prize and a first in drumming and best bass section in the Open contest.
"Biggest smile of the day" prize goes to band member Alan Barr who saw daughter Emma continue her prize winning ways with 1st place in the Novice Drum Major competition, well done to Emma from everyone in the band!
Cookstown is calling and we hope to push ourselves back up the prize list – do you think there’s any chance of not wearing a cape on a Saturday (just once)?
26th May 2007
Co Fermanagh Championships. (Results)
The Dumbarton rainwater had just left the kilts and jackets when we had them back on once more on our way to Fermanagh; Enniskillen was next on the calendar. After last week's top six placing we were aiming to maintain the pressure and hopefully keep the band's name among the prizes.
Again we had an early draw with first on in the grade and up till around 3 o'clock the weather held as we'd hoped it would after two weeks of consecutive soakings but as we got to within 20 minutes of competition time we found out why Fermanagh is so green - it poured down. There was only one thing for it, get really wet again! Literally just as we approached the line the rain stopped but it was impossible to find a dry piece of tartan to wipe the hands on before we started to play; yet, straight into the medley with a good intro and we were settled into the performance. After we marched off and had the customary few words there was a feeling of buoyancy (not just because of the rain) in the ranks.
There was a collective reward as we got 1st place with Cullybackey close on our heels - congratulations and well done to all the prize winners and runners up in all grades.
A big well done also to Emma Barr for her 4th prize in the novice drum major competition.
The debate now starts as to whether we bring flippers and water wings to Antrim next weekend, given the recent form maybe that's not as daft as it sounds…
19th May 2007
Scottish Championships. (Results)
Like most of the bands travelling across the water our day started off in the early hours as we gathered in Larne. The ferry was due to sail to Troon but weather conditions meant a re-routed journey to Cairnryan and a late departure that would eat into time the other end. On arrival we got straight into the preparation looking to keep up the good run of recent performances – draw time came and we were on; after our run we played for the drum majors so the get together and post mortem was delayed for a few moments.
Our early draw meant we had a chance to listen to some of our competition as well as the grade 1 bands. The weather played a real part on the day and the P/M’s had to contend with constantly changing conditions to set their bands up.
Time for a few glasses of lemonade then we had to head off to catch the return sailing – the results came through on the coach and we were placed 5th overall, congratulations to Seven Towers for winning the grade. We did get placed 1st in ensemble so there were positives to take home and a real platform to work from.
Congratulations also goes to to Ian Young, our senior drum major for securing 1st place.
So the spoils of the first “Major” of the season were settled in Dumbarton in between the wind, rain and the odd glimpse of sunshine. Well done to all the winners and better luck next time to those who didn’t come away with what they hoped for.
Next stop Enniskillen, lets hope it’s a dry one!
12th May 2007
Malahide. (Results)
And so the Pipe Band road show really gets underway with a move from Banbridge to Malahide – the main differences being Banbridge was indoors and dry and Malahide was outdoors and soaking wet (more of that later)!
Fresh on the heels of the Banbridge performance we intended to keep the momentum with another good medley run and take the opportunity for a Dumbarton dress rehearsal.
The event organisers had pulled together strong fields in all grades for the 10th anniversary so we knew the competition would be keen.
First on and with a positive start we set our stall out early and got through the run with continued focus on the improved ensemble sound we’ve worked hard on through the winter. The talk between the guys after we played was optimistic and whilst we knew there were good bands to follow, we felt we had a chance of getting in among the prizes.
As it turned out we were second overall to Cullybackey (congratulations to them and the other grade winners also) but best drum corps and first in ensemble made the journey home more pleasant. On the whole, P/M Connolly felt the band’s continued progress augured well for next week, let’s hope he’s right!
For all those at the finale, well done for braving the weather – we all got completely soaked with first of all heavy rain then hail stones as global warming hit Malahide in a spell of 5 minute madness. The prize for ingenuity goes to Willie Jennings for turning the bass drum into a communal umbrella, at least 6 of the guys stayed reasonably dry.
Well done to our Drum Major Emma Barr, who took home 3rd place in the Novice Juvenile section.
Grade winners for the 10th anniversary of the Malahide Festival include: Grade 1 St. Laurence O'Toole, Grade 2 Cullybackey, Grade 3A Annsborough, Grade 3B Drumlough, Grade 4A St. Lawrence Howth, Grade 4B Dr. Wright Memorial.
So the spotlight moves across the water for the first Major of the season. Good luck to all the competitors from us.
5th May 2007
Banbridge Indoors. (Results)
Well folks, the season has begun!
As the band gathered in the ‘staff room’ you could feel an air of healthy expectation in the ranks. “Will my pipes strike at the first attempt? How will I cope with the move into Grade 2?”
As the pipers began to warm up, the sound was there and the anticipation mounted. Could we hold it on the stage?
After two solid intro rolls the band quickly settled. Tempos were just as we wanted them to be and we were holding it together. The sweat began to roll down foreheads as we entered the strathspeys with a positive accented beat. The judges looked up and all toes began to tap – did they like it? Time would tell. We finished with a well controlled reel – the best all day. Today the whole band felt the hard work put in to improve the ensemble sound over the winter months had paid off, everyone agreed this was a good start to the season.
P/M Connolly remarked ‘probably the best indoor performance he can remember by the band, really musical’ – he was happy. The ‘back end’ also felt that whilst there was room for improvement, as a first outing this was a performance to be proud of. The result was now out of our control and lay in the hands of the judges.
22nd April 2007
The Learners Class at Ravara is beginning to reap the rewards from those seeds that were planted a few years ago.
Scott Barr, Aaron Connolly, and Ben McKee made their Debut outing with the Band on Sunday 22nd April at a Church Parade in Ballygowan. Kitted out in McBeth for the 1st time, it was certainly a fantastic achievement for these young lads and a credit to all their dedication and commitment over the last couple of years, WELL DONE LADS !
It was especially a proud day for the Parents, and the Tuition Team, and we would like to thank the Parents for their continued support of their children and the Band, THANK YOU !
This now provides the incentive for the rest of the Learners, namely Hannah Cranston, Lauren Cranston, Travis Heaybourne, and Cameron McKee, and with continued commitment and hard work their Debuts are only around the corner, KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK LADS AND LASSIES !
21st April 2007
Ulster Solos.
Our young learners in the band have done themselves great justice during the pre-season solo competitions.
On 3rd March at Seven Tower Solos Scott Barr came 2nd in the U14 Chanter and Josh McKee 3rd in the U16 Piping. On 31st March at the Independent Ulster Solos Scott came 1st in the U14 Chanter and Josh got 1st in the U18 Piping 2/4 March. On 7th April at the Cullybackey Solos young Scott lifted another title coming 1st in the U14 Chanter.
Finally on 21st April at the Ulster Solos a new entrant Ben McKee came 3rd in the U14 Chanter and Scott Barr (now up a grade) got 2nd in the U16 Chanter.
Hearrty congratulations to all our young stars of the future!
Wedding Bells All Around.
CONGRATULATIONS!!! The members of the band would like to pass on their best wishes to two happy couples who tied the knot over the winter period.
Both David & Elaine Cleland and Alan & Isabel Taggart (both pipers in the band) are keeping the Ravara tradition alive! May we wish them all many happy years together.
Congratulations also goes to Ryan Robinson and Ashleigh on their engagement.
Finally, Alan Barr passed the big 40 point during the winter period - slippery slope from now on in chum!!!!!!
Welcome.
The members of Ravara would like to give a very hearty welcome to Debbie Whitten, Dean Faloon (coming from Battlehill PB) and Stuart McLees (from North Belfast PB) who have chosen to join the ranks for the 2007 season. We hope they enjoy their time with the band for many years to come!
We also bid a sad farewell to Claire Gibson, Robert Black and Neil Ussher who have moved on to new pastures. May we wish them every success in their new project and maybe someday we shall see them back again?
Lottery Grant Complete.
Well finally folks the Lottery grant is complete. Ravara would like to pass on their gratitude to the Arts Council for their excellent support. The band benefited from a substantial investment by the Arts Council, through a lottery award, in which we managed to purchase a complete set of the Latest Premier Drums including the Hosbilt Bass&Tenors, Drum Harnesses, 12 sets of Fletcher bagpipes, a set of Polypenco Pipe Chanters, a set of practice chanters and 2 Deger chanters to name but some items.
All this equipment is already in use with both the competition band and with getting the young learners on the floor. THANKS.
COWAL Championships 25th August 2007 |
|
Grade |
Winners |
| 1 | Field Marshal Montgomery |
| 2 | Cullybackey |
| 3A | Williamwood |
| 3B | Greater Manchester Fire Service |
| 4A | Manor Cunningham |
| 4B | Belgian Blend |
Last modified: 22 November 2007