The Lourdes Brass Band from Drogheda traveled to the South of Ireland Band Championships in the beautiful town of Clonakilty.. The competition is now the most attended Brass and Concert Band competition in the country with a field of 28 Bands competing. The event is now an international competition, with entries from as far a field a Washington U.S.A.

With such serious competition the Lourdes Band had to perform at their peak, and thankfully that’s exactly what the Band done. Taking the 1st Place prize in the Senior section of the Competition. The awards were not to stop there either, with further trophies being awarded to the Lourdes Band. Our elite trombone section won the Robert Tiernan perpetual cup as the Best Trombone section of the day. The Band also took the award for the best celebratory piece of the competition.

The Band performed a very lively program featuring the Copacabana, The New Colonial March, Attack of the Killer Trombones and a melody of music from the Village People. The performance was enhanced by stylistic choreography and the Band providing a high energy Samba beat to take to the stage.

Not to be out done the Lourdes Youth Band also brought silverware home to Drogheda with their performance of Wonderful World being announced as the best musical arrangement of the competition. This is a piece that the Lourdes Youth Band’s musical director Mr. John Walsh arranged for the Youth Band and it received its first rendition at the South of Ireland Competition.

The Lourdes Band extends our thanks to Mr Kieron Gallagher and “Kada Ka Boom Arts” for all their help to us in arranging additional percussion to enhance the atmosphere within the performance hall.