This Saturday’s (August 3) Ulster Pipe Band & Drum Major Championships will be held in Cookstown for the first time ever – and it is seen as quite a coup for Mid Ulster District Council as it was totally unexpected.
The event will be held in the grounds of Cookstown High School from 10am.
Speaking at a Development committee meeting on July 9, Cllr Trevor Wilson (UUP, Cookstown DEA) asked for last-minute support from the committee, so that preparations could be made ahead of the event:
“This year, for the very first time, the Ulster Pipe Band Championships are coming to Mid Ulster and indeed to Cookstown.
“This is the first time that a major competition has come to Cookstown. We run our own contest every year, but this one now is what they class as a ‘major’, and it’s the largest pipe band contest in Northern Ireland this year.
“Last week the All-Ireland were down in Dublin, but this is the largest one that we will have. We have got it because other councils have pulled out, but also because of the venue and the expertise that we have.
“I’m asking – and I’ve talked to the other group leaders on this – for us to hang our hat as a council onto this.
“I’m asking if the council could find £5,000 to put towards this competition. To be honest, it’s on the cheap when you think [to run this contest] could be anything from £35,000 up.
“So, between the Northern Ireland branch, between the Mid Ulster section, and now between the council, I would ask if we could find £5,000 for this competition.”
Committee chairman, Cllr Kyle Black (DUP, Carntogher DEA) said he was supportive of the request:
“Thank you for that, Cllr Wilson. I think it is a great opportunity for us to host a major in the locality, so I would be supportive of the request that you have made.”
Cllr Wilbert Buchanan (DUP, Cookstown DEA) echoed Cllr Black’s views:
“I just wanted to support what Cllr Wilson said there. It’s a great honour for the area and I think we should support it.”
Strategic director of Communities and Place, Ryan Black, confirmed the request to host the event had come at the last minute:
“This is not something that is currently within our budgets, but if the committee is minded to support the request I will certainly see how we can facilitate that.”
Cllr Black thanked the senior council officer for being so accommodating:
“Thank you for that Ryan. Unless there is any dissent within the committee [regarding] moving in that direction I think it’s a good event to try and support, if we can try the find the funds to do so.”
Cllr John McNamee (Sinn Féin, Cookstown DEA) asked for the same generosity of spirit to apply across the board, should other unexpected requests for events come in:
“I’m happy enough with the concept, as long as other events coming up in future at the last minute are considered as well.”
Cllr Black thanked Cllr McNamee for his support:
“I think, at the end of the day, every event will have to be considered on its own merit, but considering this one on its own merit I think it’s a good one to try and support, so thank you for your support on that.”
Cllr Wilson said he looked forward to what is set to be a major all-Ireland event:
“Bands will travel from all over Ireland to this event, so while it’s the Ulster [Championship] it’s right across the board.
“I think it’s something that we should be looking at next year when we go to set the rates, that something is there in case this crops up again.”