Celebrations continue for world champion Michael
HELPED HIS BAND TO GLOBAL SUCCESS IN GLASGOW
Tuesday August 31 2010
PIPER Michael Roche is literally on top of the world these days after helping the St. Laurence O'Toole Pipe Band win a world title in Glasgow.
The band took the honours in the Grade 1 section of the World Championships. Michael, of Bolaney, Hollyfort, also plays with St. Michael's Pipe Band in Gorey, and was congratulated by all his Gorey colleagues this week.
'People are only reading about it now,' said Michael. The St. Laurence O'Toole Pipe Band is based in Dublin and includes players from across the country as well as Canada, South Africa and Scotland. Fellow piper Gerry Hanlon is also a member of the band.
' We train twice a week from February onwards, right up to the end of August' said Michael.
Michael (34) works in Heiton Buckley in Gorey, and comes from a farming background. His parents Bill and Mary were among the first to congratulate their son on his fine achievement.
' We gave a concert on the Wednesday night before the competition, to a packed audience in the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall,' recalled Michael. ' There was a capacity crowd of 2,400 people. Every year, a Grade One band gives a Pre World Championship Concert, and this year it was us.'
The band includes 24 pipers and around 21 drummers. This year, the competition saw a difference of 10 points between first and second place. ' Usually you would have two to three points between them,' said Michael. He said that there were eight judges in total - four in the March, Strathspey and Reel contest; and four in the Medley contest.
The Irish band beat the previous world champions, from Simon Frasier University in Canada, into third place, while the Field Marshall Montgomery Band from Belfast came second.
' We beat them in the All Irelands in Ballina, and in the Europeans,' said Michael. 'So it's been consistent all year.'
He put the band's success down to hard graft, and the work of Terry Tully, the Pipe Major. They beat 239 other bands from 11 countries to take the title.
Next up for the band is the final of the Five Majors at The Cowal Highland Games in Dunoon in Scotland.
Many past world champion bands in Grade 1 are from Scotland. Michael said it would be nice to go there and win at any grade, not to mention at the top grade.
He said he had received many calls and texts of congratulations, and sent a special thank you to his parents for their support.
- FINTAN LAMBE
