HISTORY
Eighty years ago, Dungannon gave birth to a pipe band which was to become very much a part of the town's history and way of life. For three quarters of a century, the band members have been making their way through Market Square to attend the weekly practices. Initially named the Lord Northland Memorial Pipe Band, practices were held in Thomas Street under Pipe Major Hill with the band competing in it's first competition in a hall in John Street, Dungannon.
The band continued under this name until the outbreak of World War II, when it was to be reformed as the 4th Tyrone Battalion Ulster Home Guard Pipe Band, under Pipe Major Thomas Howard. In 1946, it took the name of the Pipe Major's late father to become The Howard Memorial Pipe Band.
Scotsman Harry Sawyers was appointed Pipe Major in 1947, steering the band to success in the Junior Grade of the North of Ireland Bands Association in the same year. These were difficult times in Northern Ireland with rationing causing the band to wear some old fire service tunics on occasion.
1955
1951 was a notable year for HMPB, for in that year Robert T. Cross was to become Pipe Major. A player of notable distinction, this quiet unassuming gentleman was to guide the Howard for over three decades and, in his own modest way, make these years a purple patch in the band's history. The late RT, as he was affectionately known, was in charge when the band was to become a household name throughout Ulster in the early 1950s. Competing in the top flight at this time HMPB became Senior All Ireland Champions in 1952, 1953 and 1955. Joining the Scottish Pipe Association in 1955, the band were the inaugural winners of the Open Grade at Cookstown.
EARLY 1960s
Regular train journeys were made from Dungannon to Belfast to record radio broadcasts for the BBC Ulster Bands Programme. Some of the surviving members can still recall the card games played on an upturned bass drum in the railway carriages! The band continued to compete fairly regularly during the 50s and 60s with mixed fortunes until, in 1971, the coveted world title was won at Lanark in Grade Three. As a result of this achievement the band accepted an invitation to play at the Canadian National Exhibition held in Toronto, winning the drumming prize at the Intercontinental Gathering.
LANARK 1971 - WITH THE GRADE 3 WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TROPHY
Promotion to Grade Two followed with more success, winning Ulster and All-Ireland titles and on three occasions in 1975, 1976 and 1978 were Grade Two Champion of Champions. It is interesting to note that in the year 2000 the band emulated the band of 1975, by becoming All-Ireland Champions in both piping and drumming. After another lean period, HMPB hit the winning trail again, becoming Ulster Champions in Grade Three in 1986 and 1987 and also Champion of Champions in 1987. Their pipe major on these occasions was Rob Moffett. In the early part of the 1990s, many of the senior members, sadly, decided to leave the band.
1987
After a brief attempt at "rallying", the band looked like it was at the end of the line. The future looked bleak with membership down to five pipers and one drummer by the winter of 1996. A major recruitment drive was launched with a good response shown. Many nights were spent introducing a hall full of young recruits to the intricacies of pipe band music. Initially, the piping was taught by David Cross and Raymond Stockdale, with Nigel Brady teaching the young drummers. No small mention can be made of the hard work that was put in, nor indeed the diversity of the tutors, with Raymond helping out with the drumming class! Slowly a "band" began to take shape and a selection of march tunes was put together with competing in Grade 4A the aim. Robert Kirkland was appointed Pipe Major, and by the spring of 1998 the "Howard" were back in business with George McCoo now leading the drum corps.
The first outdoor competition of the 1998 season was held in Ballyclare and, with a band greener than the grass they walked upon, the piping world held its breath. Thirteen novices were "blooded" on that day, and your author can clearly remember the excited little voices as we stood on the line, "Is this it, are we going to play now?" Regularly featuring in the prizes in this year, the "new look" Howard upstaged more experienced rivals and secured promotion to the more demanding Grade 3B after only one season - something never dreamt of up at Castle Hill. This was a huge step for such a young band, and after some initial trepidation! they knuckled down to the task of learning a medley selection and a march, strathspey and reel for the 1999 season.
Again, the hard work paid dividends, as in this season they won on two occasions and secured top four finishes in the Scottish, British and European Championships with the drum corps becoming Scottish Champions and Scottish Champion of Champions on a memorable day near Loch Lomond. Not content to rest on it's laurels, the band got "stuck in" to practising the next Tuesday night after the 1999 competition closed.
The new millennium was destined to be a "big" year for HMPB. No-one could have dreamt of such abundant success in the band's diamond jubilee year. Playing, arguably, the band's most appealing medley selection, 2000 got off to something of a fairytale start by taking 1st, 2nd and 3rd places at the prestigious Ulster Millennium Quartettes.
On a cold day in Ayr, HMPB became Grade 3B European Champions and embarked on a roller coaster ride of total dominance for the next nine contests. After three consecutive wins people were saying, "how long can this go on?" Winning the All-Ireland in both piping and drumming was another notable success in this Harvest of Silverware.
After nine straight wins, the world stage beckoned with the older hands looking back to a particular photograph on the band room wall, the 1971 World Champion Pipe Band. Starting as the hottest of hot favourites HMPB traveled to Glasgow to try to, for many of us, make a dream come true. This household name of piping with it's "young veterans" saved it's best performance of year 2000 for the biggest event in the piping calendar. The tension was tangible just prior to the Grade 3B result being announced and to hear the Scottish accented announcer say, "Millennium World Champions -Howard Memorial," was an unforgettable experience. Emotional scenes followed with something akin to a rugby scrum in the middle of Glasgow Green.
The season, however, was not yet over and the next week the band clinched the Ulster Champion of Champions award by taking second place at the Ulster Championships in Newcastle. For some bands, the season was over, but the Howard had still work to do by traveling to Scotland on two consecutive weekends. Second place at the famous Cowal Gathering in Dunoon gave the band a real chance of becoming Scottish Champion of Champions with just one more contest to go. The Scottish Championships signals the close of the competition season and a fifth place finish was all that was needed to give HMPB the Scottish Champion of Champions award for the first time in its history.
2000
As it turned Out, the 2000 competition season was destined to end on a high, just as it had started, with the band winning the grade outright, just for good measure. It is somewhat ironic that to celebrate its diamond jubilee, the lads and lassies of HMPB brought home a grand total of twenty-four trophies, the most ever won by the band in a single season. This is a fact that the band, past members and supporters have every right in feeling proud of.
Ricky Lucas
After the exploits in the year 2000,the band was upgraded to Grade 3A in 2001. Although only securing one win - the British Championships - the band was somewhat surprised to be upgraded to Grade 2 in 2002. The only success in Grade 2 came at the Ulster Quartette Piping competition. The rest of the year was a struggle in this competitive grade. Bearing in mind that most of the band were still comparitive 'novices' - it has to be seen as an amazing achievement however to rise from Grade 4A to Grade 2 in just 4 years.
At the end of the 2002 season the band secured the services of a new leading drummer - Graham Megarity. The drum corps now consists of 6 side drummers - including myself (out of retirement since 1992). Although still expected to be a struggle, the band hopes to improve on it's 2002 results.
One sad event in 2002 was the death of Pipe Major Kirkland's mother. One of her last wishes was that donations in lieu of wreaths should go to the band. Almost £1000 was donated to band funds as a result. To mark this kind and generous gesture, one of the band's young pipers - Gareth Currens(who had just composed a 6/8 March), decided to dedicate and name the March after Mrs.Kirkland. The photograph below shows the presentation of the new 'framed' tune - 'Mrs. Frances Kirkland' to P/M Kirkland's father - George.
John Clayton