Dungloe yesterday scooped the ‘Grade C section’ of the All Ireland Ulster Marching Band Association Competition in Bundoran.
The screams of joy echoed through the Great Northern Hotel, Bundoran, yesterday evening as the results was out – Dungloe band had won!
Dungloe Main Street was filled with many proud supporters, friends and family last night as St. Crona’s Band, Dungloe arrived home with the U.M.B.A All Ireland Cup!
The cavalcade with winning drum major, Chloe, heard the sound of cars echo through the town. If this was not a great enough achievement for the winning band, they also received numerous awards in their section, including ‘Best Drum Major, Best Marching and Drill Routine, Best Music, and Best Drum Corp’.
The standard was very high in the Grade C section, wherein Donegal and Ramelton Town Bands were St. Crona’s high-standard competitors.
Following the arrival of St. Crona’s Band back in Dungloe last night, the junior and senior Maghery Band’s followed, who were also celebrating victory, and took the courtesy of having a guard of honour for Dungloe Band as they made their way through Dungloe main street.
For over 25 years the Dungloe Band have competed in competitions such as the Donegal Marching Bands Association, where the band flourished as both junior and senior competitors.
It is now 27 years since the band won their very first All Ireland Fleadh. With the band having parted for just a few years, they returned with a brand new band to compete in competitions last year – and nobody can deny the progress the band has made.
Of course, none of this is possible without a solid committee who make this all possible. Running a marching band takes peoples time, effort, determination, and true grit, and they should be proud of themselves.
Also, the parents who give their children the be a part of a marching band, who bring their children to practice weekly, they deserve a special mention. A lot of people in Dungloe and surrounding areas know “the feeling” of winning as part of a band, and it is great to see the magic being passed down the generations.
Now for the superb young people in the band, it is the dedicated hard work of the Dungloe Band’s brilliant drum major, majorettes, flag girls, accordion players, drummers, glock player, and not to mention the important symbol and tambourine players, who go out there and put Dungloe Town back at the top of the hierarchy!
You are the young people who go out and bring these prestigious awards for your town and you should be extremely proud of yourselves. With so many talented musicians in the Rosses area, Dungloe really has got talent!
The band’s teachers should also be applauded for their contributions into making this all come together – thank you.
Well done to all of the band’s who competed in the All Ireland UMBA in Bundoran, everybody has done exceptionally well and are a merit to county Donegal.
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