BAND HISTORY

CLOGHER PROTESTANT BOYS FLUTE BAND WAS FORMED IN 1980 BY THE MEMBERS OF CLOGHER ORANGE LODGE LOL 529 IN ORDER TO LEAD THE LODGE EACH 12th OF JULY. THE BAND, PRACTICE AT CLOGHER ORANGE HALL, MIDWAY BETWEEN THE TOWNS OF LURGAN AND DROMORE.

      ON THE 26th OF APRIL 1980, IN A FIELD BESIDE CLOGHER ORANGE HALL, THE UNIFORMS AND INSTRUMENTS OF CLOGHER PROTESTANT BOYS WERE DEDICATED. THE COLOUR OF THE NEW UNIFORM WAS DECIDED BY PURE CHANCE, WITH THE FRENCH NAVY MATERIAL BEING DONATED BY THE TAILOR. IT IS NAVY AND GREY COLOUR SCHEME THAT, EVEN KNOW, IS INSTANTLY RECOGNISIBLE AND HAS GIVEN THE BAND A DISTINGUISHED STYLE AND APPEARENCE. FROM THESE HUMBLE ORIGINS, THE BAND HAS GROWN BIGGER AND BETTER. THEY HAVE TRAVELLED ALL OVER ULSTER AND ALSO SCOTLAND AND ENGLAND WERE THEY PARADED AT THE EAST OF SCOTLAND 12th OF JULY DEMONSTRATIONS WITH ORANGE LODGES FROM BROXBURN AND WEST LOTHIAN. THEY ALSO HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF PLAYING IN THE GLASGOW RANGERS SUPPORTERS ASSOCIATION CLUB BESIDE IBROX STADIUM IN GLASGOW. AND PARADING IN THE ENGLISH EQUIVALENT OF OUR 12th DAY CELEBRATIONS IN NEWCASTLE IN 2000, IN WHICH WE HAD THE PRIVILEGE OF ACCOMPANYING DRUMLOUGH TRUE BLUES LOL 423 FROM HILLSBOROUGH. THE BAND CAN ALSO BE SEEN AT MANY MORE LOCAL ORANGE PARADES INCLUDING LISBURN MINI 12TH IN WHICH THEY ACCOMPANY LISBURN MECHANICS LOL 557, LURGAN MINI 12th IN WHICH THEY ACCOMPANY GIBSONS HILL TRUE BLUES LOL 91 CORCREANEY, PORTADOWN MINI 12th IN WHICH THEY ACCOMPANY DRUMNAHUNCHEON LOL 371 AND ALSOCORCREANEY APPRENTICE BOYS WHO THE BAND ACCOMPANY TO LONDONDERRY. THE BAND AS MENTIONED ABOVE ARE A LODGE BAND WHICH ALSO INCLUDES CLOGHER RBP 139, THE BAND WOULD LIKE TO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO THANK THE MEMBERS OF BOTH ORANGE AND BLACK LODGES FOR ALL THEIR SUPPORT OVER THE LAST 23 YEARS, THEIR SUPPORT AND ASSISTANCE OF EVERYONE MENTIONED ABOVE, AND ALL OUR SUPPORTERS HAS TURNED CLOGHER PROTESTANT BOYS FLUTE BAND INTO ONE OF THE PREMIER FLUTE BANDS IN ULSTER.

GOD SAVE THE QUEEN