Dunoon Argyll Pipe Band

Well, Cowal Games have come and gone for another year.  Once again, the Band had a busy week leading up to the Championship, with P/M Jim Prentice playing for Dancing competitions on the Thursday, and the Band performing at the Thursday Night event in the town.  Friday saw several band members involved in stewarding for the solo piping competition, before Saturday dawned for another great day of pipe band competiton.  The Grade 4 band did very well to qualify from a tough heat through to the finals, but sadly, could not find their best form for the final.  The grade 3 band had made several changes to the drumming line up, and despite not really being 'match' fit, decided to take part in the MSR competition anyway.  Sadly, their performance had too many problems with it to present any challenge for the prizes this year, but it was better taking part than missing out on such a special day in our own town.  It will all be there to do again next year!

Despite the disappointments on the competition front, the atmosphere in the pipe band hall was excellent, with McClure's Bar set up in there, and tables and chairs outside under gazebos, which were most welcome at the start of the day when it was raining.  Corona beer had sponsored the Cowal Gathering this year, and also sponsored the band (as well as the whole town by the looks of things), so we deviated from our usual uniformed appearance for the parade through town at the end of the day, and sported bright yellow teeshirts for the sponsors.  Some of the troops invested in Sombrero hats, to finish off the mexican look, and a great time was had by all.  The band would like to thank the town for their warm, loud displays of appreciation toward us as we played down the street.  Everyone in the band was getting tired, but was lifted by the atmosphere in the crowds lining the street, and felt like celebrities again, as we had experienced a few weeks before in Lorient, Brittany.  We hope the people who support us week in and week out felt our gratitude for this.  Our performances in the parade were for you!

Here are a couple of pictures of the day - the first one shows our Drum Major, Florian Faust, from Frankfurt, Germany, who competed at Cowal for the first time.

 

 

Both grade 3 and grade 4 bands travelled to Stirling and had a good time there, with the grade 3 band getting in amongst the prizes.  the next weekend, the grade 4 band went to Loch Lomond Games, and were delighted to get 4th prize in the grade 4 competition.  The day however, belonged to their drummers, who WON the grade 4 drumming prize.  They have been close a few times this season, but this was a sweet victory, and one that was celebrated by all. 

Now our energies are going into preparing for our trip to Lorient - did anyone notice we are going again??  Anyway, several of this seasons players have not been before, so it will be a great experience, and those who went last year KNOW how great it will be, and can't wait!!

DAPB has just returned from a GREAT trip to Ireland, where the grade 4 and grade 3 bands both had good performances in their competitions.  The Grade 3 band was especially pleased to end up 9th equal, and were 6th overall for piping.  For a newly formed band, this is very pleasing to all involved.  Outwith the competition, we had a brilliant time!

And here are the drummers!

And now for something COMPLETELY different!  What does your band do in 'down time?'

"Do you's like my band?"

 

LESSON OF THE TRIP - NEVER FALL ASLEEP ON THE FERRY

'What happens in your band if you mess up?!?

 

Both competing bands travelled to GIRVAN, where the constant rain affected performances once again.  We did however, lift our first silverware of the 2007 Season, which was very pleasing.  the picture below shows our Committee member, Alan McQuillian being brave enough to stand in the rain for a photo shoot!

 

 

 

ARDROSSAN was a very enjoyable event for DAPB, not least of all because the weather was GREAT!  Both bands gave their best competing performances to date for this season, and can see improvement being made by both bands with each turn out.  Once again the grade 4 band finished one position out of the prizes, tying for points with 4th place, but missing out on Piping Preference.  The grade 3 band did enough to take 4th place in their own grade, and were 2nd in the very small grade 2 competition.  Remembering that they are playing with a new drum corps who have not played together before, this was a nice experience, and something that was well celebrated.  The icing on the cake wasn't playing as centre band with Ayr, although this was good, but the real treat of the day was getting the Chieftains special award for the Best Overseas Band!  Ardrossan is the only games which acknowledges our special status in this way, and we think this is Great!  Here is a momento of the day.

The grade 4B band had a difficult day at the Scottish Pipeband Championships in Dumbarton due to very changeable weather - one minute sunny, the next very windy and raining.  Despite this, they were justly rewarded for their efforts by qualifying for the Finals.  This meant however, that they had 5 hours to wait before competing again, which is difficult to do.  Anyway, they were delighted for the drum corps, who finished 2nd in the competition! Congratulations to Joost, Jim, Mick, Tjapko, Mairi and Louise.  The band as a whole narrowly missed out in being placed in their first Scottish Championship, finishing 7th.  So far, in the 3 competitions they have taken part in this season, they have finished one position out of the prizes every time!  One day guys!!

 

DAPB has managed to turn out 2 small bands for the 2007 season, one in grade 4B and one in 3A.  We are rebuilding both bands, and are happy to be ready to start the season with several new members.  In the grade 4 band, a big welcome is extended to tenor drummer, Louise Cooper, who took part in her first ever competition at Mull of Kintyre - it isn't always that cold and windy - promise!  Also new to the grade 4 band is Ashley Battersby, piper, and Jemma McLeod, piper, also taking part in her very first competition at Gourock.  Returnees include Sammy Black, a 'weil kent face', adding a bit of seniority to the band, whether they want it or not! The grade 4 band has finished 5th in both competitions so far, just outside the prizes, so they have plenty to aim for!

The grade 3 band would like to welcome Emma-Louise Kerr, leading tip and Michael Connelly, snare drummer.  Michael is the youngest guy in the band at 15 years, while Catriona Gilmour, tenor, and our youngest player at 13, has moved up from the grade 4 band to the grade 3 band after only 1 season (not even a full one at that).  The older brother of Michael is Sean Connelly, and he is a very welcome addition to the pipe corps, as are more returnees, Frank Ray and William Gordon.  The other returnee is a long term member of DAPB, Michael Cullen, on the bass drum.  No band is complete without one maverick personality, and he's ours!

While we don't have the biggest and best bands on the competition season, we have a happy, enthusiastic group of musicians who are enjoying what they are doing.  They hope to be a credit to the town of Dunoon, and value the support of local people.  When we travel to Lorient again in the summer for the world's biggest interceltic festival in the world, we will represent Dunoon at the 2007 Year of Scotland with pride.

Dunoon Argyll's pipers had a very successful trip to sunderland on Saturday 24th March 2007, where they competed in Trio Piping competitions in grades 4, 3 and 2.  Four trios entered in tota, with two from each of our competing bands.  Between them they won 5 first places, which was very pleasing to the band as a whole.

 

 

 

This picture shows 2 pipers from the grade 4 band preparing to take part in their first ever Trio Piping competition.  They are flanked by P/M Colin Prentice on the right, and P/S Duncan McLeod on the left.

2008 Season Competing Band - Grade 4B                                              

Pipers                                                   

Pipe Major Colin Prentice                          

P/S Duncan McLeod

 Jim Prentice

 Steven Cole

 David Buchan                                        

 Ashley Battersby

 Robin Beck

 Gary Anderson

 Sammy Black

 Jemma McLeod

Frank Ray 

Jennifer McVicar

Grace Clark

Emmet Lannaghan

Des                                              

Drummers                                             

Leading Tip Joost Heijgelaar

Emma Louise Kerr

Scott Sanborn  

Michelle McLeod  

Kenny McLeod

Ashley McVicar

Lianne McVicar

Caitlin Cudihy                                                                      

 Tjapko Heijgelaar