Ravara Pipe Band

**Concert Tickets Now Available**

We are delighted to announce the tickets for our Concert on Saturday 27th April 2024 are now available to purchase through the Island-Arts Centre website!🎟️

Please use the link below:

https://islandartscentre.com/event/ravara-pipe-band-in-concert

**SAVE THE DATE**

The band are pleased to announce that we shall be performing live in concert next year in the Lagan Valley Island Centre in Lisburn!

Keep an eye on the Lagan Valley Island website for the release of tickets!

Well done to our Drummers representing the Band on an International stage this weekend at the 2023 World Solo Drumming Championships!

**World Solo Drumming Championships**

Best wishes to Leading Drummer Matthew Shaw and Tenor Drummer Jamie Blair competing in the World Solo Drumming Championships this weekend in the Glasgow Caledonian University.

Matthew plays at 1:29PM in Semi Final 2, hoping to qualify for the Final, while Jamie will be playing in the Adult Tenor Drumming Final at 10:24AM.

The Band will be performing tomorrow night in Rathfriland High School for an Ulster Scots Cultural Concert organised by Carson's Memorial Pipe Band, Annahinchago.

Looking forward to giving our sets one last run before the winters practice begins!

**2023 All Ireland Solo Championships**

Congratulations to our Drummers in the prizes at the 2023 All Ireland Solo Championships on Saturday:

- Jamie Blair(A Grade Tenor Drumming) = 1st🥇
- Craig Rogers(Open Bass Drumming) = 3rd🥉
- Matthew Shaw(A Grade Snare Drumming) = 4th
- Aaron Jess(C1 Grade Snare Drumming) = 6th
- Callum Freeburn(Under 14 Snare Drumming) = 6th

Special shout to Pipe Sergeant Thomas Connolly for accompanying the Drummers and playing 6 times!

Best of luck to our 6 Drummers representing & competing tomorrow in the 2023 All Ireland Solo Piping & Drumming Championships, held in Lusk National School, Dublin:

🥁Matthew Shaw(A Grade Snare Drumming)
🥁Aaron Jess(C1 Grade Snare Drumming)
🥁Callum Freeburn(Under 14 Snare Drumming)
🥁Craig Rogers(Open Bass Drumming)
🥁Jamie Blair(A Grade Tenor Drumming)
🥁Jack Semple (U12 Drum Pad)

Congratulations to Leading Drummer Matthew Shaw finishing 4th place in the 2023 United Kingdom Solo Drumming Championships last Saturday, and therefore automatically qualifying for the Adult Semi-Final of the World Solo Drumming Championships in October!

The Ravara Drum Corps pictured with our Senior Drum Major Jason Price after finishing the final show of the Belfast International Tattoo last night.

Missing from the photo are the 5 Pipers who also took part in the performances.

Best Wishes to all Ravara Pipers and Drummers playing a large part in the Massed Pipes & Drums at this years Belfast International Tattoo.

Special shout-out to our Drum Major Jason Price who will be acting as Senior Drum Major across the 3 shows!

**2023 World Pipe Band Championships**

The Band returned home on Sunday from the Worlds achieving 5th Place in the Grade 2 Competition, following a great Band MSR performance. Our congratulations to all Bands & Drum Majors who took home prizes!

Today the Band arrived in Glasgow for the grand finale to the 2023 Pipe Band Season tomorrow, the World Pipe Band Championships.

We play our MSR Set at 3:45PM tomorrow, playing 16th out of 20 Grade 2 Bands. Best of luck to all Bands and Drum Majors!

Tomorrow the Band will be in the Antrim Forum grounds competing in the 2023 Ulster Pipe Band Championships, playing in the Grade 2 MSR Competition at 1:24PM.

This is the last time the Band will be competing on Northern Irish soil this year as we head to Glasgow next weekend for the World Pipe Band Championships, and the finale to the 2023 Season. Looking forward to seeing everyone at home one last time!

**2023 Heart O’Down Champions**

The Band enjoyed a successful day on Saturday in Donard Park, Newcastle winning all prizes available in the Grade 1 & 2 Competitions at the Heart O’Down Championships:

- 1st Overall
- Best Pipes
- Best Drum Corps
- Best Bass Section
- Best M&D

Following the finale the Band took part in the Street Parade along Newcastle Promenade displaying our silverware.

The Band will be in the scenic surroundings of Donard Park, Newcastle tomorrow competing in the Heart O’Down Championships.

We’ll be playing our Medley Selection at 3:07PM in the Grade 2 Competition, and will be playing up into the Grade 1 Competition playing our MSR at 3:50PM.

The Band have an early start tomorrow heading across the water to Levengrove Park, Dumbarton to compete in the 2023 Scottish Championships.

We’ll be playing one of our MSR sets at 4:03PM, playing last in the Grade 2 Competition. Best wishes to all Bands and Drum Majors travelling over!

The Band continued our successful run on Saturday picking up all available prizes in the Grade 2 Competition at the Ards and North Down Championships in Newtownards Airfield.

We would however like to take this opportunity to pass on our sincere condolences to the Family of Pipe Major Alec Brown and Raphoe Ulster-Scots Pipe Band after Saturday’s tragic events. Known to many within Ravara and the wider Pipe Band community, Alec’s absence will be a great loss felt by many people.

Pipe Major Alec 'Eck' Brown Pipe Major Alec 'Eck' Brown It is with profound sadness that the Executive Committee of The Royal Scottish Pipe Band Association Northern Ireland Branch learned on Saturday afternoon at our championships in Newtownards that our esteemed friend, Pipe Major Alec Brown had tragically passed away despit...

With a break in the Competition season for 2 weeks, we return tomorrow to Newtownards Airfield for the Ards & North Down Championships, playing our MSR first in Grade 2 at 14:00PM.

You’ll notice our very own Ravara Piper Thomas Connolly as the poster boy for this year’s event!

Congratulations and best wishes to our Piping & Tenor Drumming couple Neil & Rebecca Badger who got married last Friday!

Wishing them every happiness for the future!

**2023 All Ireland Band & Drum Corps Champions**

The Band are delighted to have successfully retained our All Ireland title on Saturday at Ballymena Academy, winning all prizes available in the Grade 2 MSR Competition including:

- 1st Overall
- Best Pipes
- Best Drum Corps
- Best Bass Section
- Best M&D

Our thanks to Robertmcdonaldphotography for these fantastic photos of the Band!

We continue our Competition Season tomorrow at the 2023 All Ireland Pipe Band Championships held in the grounds of Ballymena Academy.

We will be playing our MSR set last in the Grade 2 Competition at 2:52PM.

**Queen’s Orange Society Concert**

While the Band was unable to attend the European Championships at the weekend in Aberdeen, we were kept busy participating in a special concert and evening organised by the QUB Orange Society, held in The Great Hall at Queen’s University Belfast.

This was a great evening of impressive musical talent from across Northern Ireland, with Kellswater Flute Band & Roughan Silver Band also taking part, and it gave us the chance to showcase our Competition sets, and as well as our Hornpipes and sets of 4/4 and 6/8 Marches.

Tomorrow the Band will be in Moira Demesne competing in the Lisburn & Castlereagh Championships. We’ll be playing in the Grade 2 Medley Competition at 2:48PM.

**2023 Grade 2 United Kingdom Champions**

A successful day for the Band yesterday winning the Grade 2 MSR Competition in Lurgan Park, and retaining our UK Champions title!🏆

Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council

The Band are looking forward to competing in our 1st Major Championships of the year tomorrow, the UK Pipe Band Championships held in Lurgan Park.

We’ll be drawing our MSR set on the line at 1:57PM, playing 4th out of 12 bands.

**2023 Mid Ulster Champions**

The Band enjoyed the perfect start to the new 2023 Season, taking a clean sweep of the prizes in the Grade 2 competition yesterday at the Mid Ulster Championships in Cookstown High School.

- Best Overall
- Best Pipe Corps
- Best Drum Corps
- Best Bass & Tenor Section.
- Best M&D

Our Drum Major Jason Price was also in the prizes finishing 2nd in the Adult Drum Major Final.

After a winters practice the Band are ready for the start of another Pipe Band Season, kicking off 2023’s at the Mid Ulster Championships tomorrow in Cookstown High School.

We’ll be playing our MSR first in the Grade 2 Competition at 2:30PM. Looking forward to seeing all Bands and Competitors again!

A great honour and privilege yesterday for our Drum Major Jason Price meeting His Majesty King Charles III & Queen Camilla on their 2 day visit to Northern Ireland!

Jason greeted the King & Queen on behalf of the Drum Majors in attendance in Armagh City, showcasing traditional and cultural Music, Song & Dance groups from within the Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council.

**2023 Ulster Solo Championships**

Congratulations to all of our Drummers for finishing in the prizes yesterday at the 2023 Ulster Solo Championships:

🥁Matthew Shaw(A Grade Senior Drumming)🥈
—Hornpipe & Jig 🥇
—MSR 🥈
🥁Aaron Jess(C Grade Junior Drumming)🥈
🥁Amy Baxter (C Grade Tenor Drumming)🥈
🥁Craig Rogers(Open Bass Drumming)🥉

Special thanks to Band Piper Thomas Connolly for his assistance and solid 5 runs for the Drummers!

Good luck tomorrow to 6 of our Drummers representing & competing in the 2023 Ulster Solo Piping & Drumming Championships, held in Lisnagarvey High School, Lisburn:

🥁Matthew Shaw(A Grade Senior Drumming)
🥁Aaron Jess(C Grade Junior Drumming)
🥁Craig Rogers(Open Bass Drumming)
🥁Amy Baxter (C Grade Tenor Drumming)

And also making their debuts -

🥁Jack Semple (Novice Drum Pad)
🥁James Cleland (Novice Drum Pad)

A special thanks to everyone who came last night and supported our Band Table Quiz! We were delighted to see such a great turnout with 19 teams entered and 150+ people taking part.

Our thanks to Ballygowan Presbyterian Church for the use of the Hall and facilities, and to our Quiz Master Alexandra for running a great quiz.

Congratulations to our winning Team “7 Smarties & A Tube” for coming out as victors on the night!

**Ravara Table Quiz Fundraiser**
We’re looking forward to welcoming everyone tomorrow night for our big Quiz Night! Hoping to see a good crowd in to support the Band, for what should be a fun night.

Some final details for everyone coming:

📍Ballygowan Presbyterian Church Hall (Comber Road)
🗓️ Saturday 25th February 2023
⏰ 7:30 PM
👥 £6 Per Person (Primary School age and below FREE)
🤓 6-10 People Per Team

Everyone needs to have a Team name and we have Prizes for:
-1st Place🥇
-2nd Place🥈
-3rd Place🥉
-Last Place🫣

We’ll also have an interval in the middle of the rounds, with some light refreshments served and a chance to rest your brains!🧠

**2022 All Ireland Solo Championships**

Congratulations to our Drummers in the prizes at the 2022 All Ireland Solo Championships on Saturday:

- Matthew Shaw(A Drumming) = 1st🥇
- Craig Rogers(Bass Drumming) = 3rd🥉
- Aaron Jess(C1 Drumming) = 4th

Special thanks to Band Pipers Thomas Connolly and William Laffin who were there to play for our Drummers.

Good luck tomorrow to our 3 Ravara Drummers competing in the 2022 All Ireland Solo Championships, held in Lisnagarvey High School, Lisburn:

- Matthew Shaw(A Drumming)
- Aaron Jess(C1 Drumming)
- Craig Rogers(Bass Drumming)

**Ravara Table Quiz Fundraiser**

Ravara Pipe Band would like to invite everyone near and far, along to our Table Quiz we are running on Saturday 25th February, in Ballygowan Presbyterian Church Hall.

This will be a fun night for all ages so why not come along and bring a team with you?!

Please feel free to share our poster below, and contact our page if you have any questions!

**Worlds Success Reception at Stormont**

On Wednesday 30th November, the Band was honoured to have been invited to Stormont Parliament Buildings, Belfast for a night to recognise the success of Northern Ireland Bands and Drum Majors at this year’s World Pipe Band Championships.

The night was organised by the Ulster-Scots Agency with fellow Pipe Bands, Field Marshal Montgomery, Major Sinclair Memorial, Matt Boyd Memorial, Gransha, Kildoag and Syerla also in attendance.

Our thanks to the Ulster Scots Agency for the invitation and their continued support.

Best wishes to Leading Drummer Matthew Shaw tomorrow competing in the 2022 World Solo Drumming Championships, held in Glasgow Caledonian University, Scotland.

He’ll be playing 15th in Qualifying Heat 2 at 10:52AM hoping to progress into the Semi-Finals.

On behalf of the Members, Officers & Friends of Ravara Pipe Band, a floral tribute was left in London today to mark the sad passing of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II last Thursday.

We send our condolences to the Royal Family, and our best wishes to His Majesty King Charles III.