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The Willowfield Burns Night has become a fixture in the East Belfast cultural calendar and this year was as successful an event as ever. The Church was packed with enthusiastic souls who gleefully demolished the Haggis Neeps and Tatties which form the centrepiece of any good Burns Night.

Sadly, the Band was warming up when the vittels were being dished out - but the playing was its own reward tonight. Gilnahirk took the stage with 8 pipers, 5 side drummers, 2 tenor drummers and the bass. We had début performances from Leanne on the Tenor and Colin on the Pipes. Along with the rest of the team, they played brilliantly and we hope that they will be fixtures on the Gilnahirk Roster for many years to come!

The Band will now be concentrating on the Contest sets for the 2012 season - but it's not too late to come and join us! If you fancy giving it a go, contact us by email on join@gilnahirkpipeband.com or through Facebook.

Video footage of the night is live on YouTube but here is a taster....

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The Band would like to wish all our friends and supporters a very Happy New Year - and we hope that you all had a great Christmas break.

2011 was a good year for Gilnahirk, although not without its challenges. The Band made it back to the competition arena and we have a firm foundation on which to build for next year. Indeed, we should have a few exciting developments to announce over the coming months and hope that you will all keep checking back with us here or on Facebook for news.

Provided that we can all still fit into our kilts after the Christmas indulgence, the next outing for the Band will be at the Willowfield Parish Church Burns Night, which is to be held in the Church on My Lady's Road on Friday 27 January 2012. This is always a very well attended and enjoyable event - so why not come along and see us?

As the Band continues to build, we are still on the lookout for new members. If you already follow us on Facebook, you may have noticed that a few people have contacted us through there with enquiries about joining and/or learning. That is just one of the ways to get in touch - if you want to make direct contact, just drop us a line over there or email us at join[AT]gilnahirkpipeband.com. The more the merrier!

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Members and friends were welcomed by the Chairman, Stephen Jackson, and business was conducted in a friendly and enthusiastic manner. The Band would like to record its thanks to friend and bass-section guru, Greg McClean, who assisted ably with the election of officers.

The Pipe Major, Mervyn Mayes, was re-elected and seems undaunted by the task of steering the Band back up through the placings at next year's competitions!

As usual, discussions were lively and (mostly!) well-informed. Plans for next year include some revisions to the uniform and we should also be seeing some interesting developments in terms of the "branding" of the Band which should give us a whole new look!

One of the most positive features of the past year or so has been the injection of new blood into the Band. Even at the AGM itself, new members were being welcomed into the ranks - a trend which we would be delighted to see continue. If you fancy learning or re-igniting your passion for the pipes or drums, contact us on Facebook, Twitter, or drop us an email to join@gilnahirkpipeband.com.

Although the meeting itself is always enjoyable - it would be easy to be suspicious that the attendance is more because of the cup of tea afterwards - at least it is nice to see the Chairman mucking in!

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Thankfully, as the Band was playing at the opening of the Fair, the weather stayed fair until the patrons had been safely piped through the doors of the Hall - and the crowd had been in appreciative form as they lined up in anticipation of snatching a few bargains.

Although the Band was missing a few players, the turnout was good and it was great to see Piper James finally kitted out in full uniform and playing well. Not to be outdone, the drummers were pleased to welcome another James (Hughes) into the ranks for his first outing. Uniform shortages meant that he was bedecked in the uniform of Ballygowan Band - but we'll have that sorted out well in advance of the season starting.

We had a few approaches from people interested in joining and will hopefully see a few of them at practices over the coming weeks.

The Band Annual General Meeting is this Monday (17th October) and then it will be down to regular Monday night practices through the Winter. If you fancy joining us, why not drop a line to join@gilnahirkpipeband.com ?

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The re-emergence of Gilnahirk was greatly aided by those members who have joined over the past couple of years, including Jérémy who came to Gilnahirk all the way from Canada!

We would love to say that the lure of the Band is now sufficient to draw international players from overseas, but the truth of it is that Jérémy was a student at The Queen's University who found that his musical talent needed an outlet! Jérémy had played with a Band in his home country and soon became an invaluable and reliable member of the Gilnahirk piping corps.

Sadly, Jérémy's university course concluded this year and that has brought to an end his sojourn in Northern Ireland. The Band recorded its gratitude to him with a small presentation at one of his last practices and also took the opportunity for a cup of coffee together and a few sticky buns!

We all have fond memories of Jérémy's time with the Band and would be delighted to welcome him back in the future, should his travels bring him back in this direction. In the meantime, we would just like to record our thanks and best wishes to Jérémy as he returns to Canada - we hope to see you again soon. For now - Au Revoir!

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The weather forecast thankfully proved pessimistic when the bands gathered in blustery sunshine at Portrush for the domestic curtain call. Unfortunately, the newly crowned Grade One World Champions, Field Marshal Montgomery decided to give the local scene a miss, but there was still plenty of colour and music to attract and entertain the large crowds.

Indeed, lowly Gilnahirk played to what was undoubtedly the band's largest crowd of the season, packed round the Grade 4B arena.

The performance itself was perhaps a little nervous but pipers and drummers were well pleased with the third time back in the competition arena after our very long "rest". Once again, the judges were not sufficiently impressed to have the Band's name called amongst the prize winners, but the sheets were constructive and complimentary about the return of Gilnahirk to competition.

Sadly, a number of players were missing from the ranks due to illness and other commitments and that difficulty was exacerbated by others having to head for home or work immediately after playing. Nevertheless, the joined with our friends in Ballydonaghy Pipe Band to walk on to the Finale - and for a very enjoyable (and entertaining) parade of the town. The Band would like to thank Ballydonaghy for "taking us in" - it seemed the experience was enjoyed by us all.

Once again, Gilnahirk would like to thank supporters and friends for the warm welcome back this year. We will be taking a very short break now, but practices will recommence at the start of October. Our first engagement is the Gilnahirk Presbyterian Church Autumn Fair in mid-October - of which more later!

If the skirl of the pipes has attracted you over this past season, there is no better time to start learning than right now - why not contact us on join@gilnahirkpipeband.com and we can take you through the process from novice to seasoned pro?

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Thankfully, the weather forecast proved accurate - or possibly even a little pessimistic. There was no sign of the predicted afternoon shower and the arena was bathed in golden sunshine for almost the entire event. The crowds seemed improved on last year and the only thing drawing complaint from the public seemed to be the enormous prices being charged for burgers and other refreshments!

The Band was drawn to play "lucky" thirteenth in Grade 4B and had a slightly more assured run than last week. A good solid couple of hours practice before entering the ring seemed to settle a few nerves and the positive crowd response was again gratifying. Gilnahirk has still to enjoy the sensation of being called up for a prize this season, but the progress which is being made is reward in itself at this point and sets out a good stall for the end of the summer and establishes a firm foundation on which to build next year.

Once again, the Band was delighted to hear from a lot of supporters (including a few "big names" from the Grade One Bands!) who were pleased to see us out on the grass again. We certainly hope that we can repay the compliments and good wishes with a little silverware.

In terms of the results from the Grade One arena, Gilnahirk would like to extend congratulations to the all-conquering Field Marshal Montgomery Pipe Band which continues to steam-roller its way through the 2011 season. Thus far, FMMPB has won every one of the Majors competed for and must surely be favourite for the World Championships in Glasgow in a couple of weeks. Well done and keep it up, FM!

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The weather was kind and the Band was drawn to play at 12.13pm in the main arena. After a slightly rushed warm-up, Gilnahirk strode to the line as Mervyn Herron from the RSPBANI welcomed one of the few remaining Belfast-based bands back to competition with some kind words over the tannoy. The performance itself was perhaps a little nervous, but the general reaction from the crowd afterwards was positive. Even some of the harshest critics were professing themselves reasonably impressed with the showing. Sadly, the judges didn't share that view - but that did nothing to dampen the Band's enthusiasm for the return to competition.

Quite a few players were experiencing the thrill of the competition arena for the first time - other "auld hands" were wondering why they wanted to put themselves through all this trauma again!

Special mention should be made of two players this time round. Firstly, David, our bass drummer - he joined the Band around this time last year and only recently "converted" to bass from snare drum. His performance was steady and drew good comments on both the drumming and ensemble sheets. Well done!

Secondly - Margaret - the Birthday Girl - during the finale, a special announcement was made of Margaret's birthday. We are all very pleased that she agreed to spend it in the sunshine of Bangor with Gilnahirk Pipe Band. Sadly, there was no birthday cake brought along, and we intend to save the "bumps" for Monday night practice!

Everyone in the Band was really gratified to receive such kind comments from spectators and other bands about our return to the grass. The good wishes and warm welcomes were very much appreciated. We have even been sent a few photos from friends and supporters which we will add to the photo gallery over the next few days. Our Facebook page has been getting more and more "likes" and it is proving a great way to send out news about the Band and to keep in touch with friends. Why not drop in there some time?

Our next appearance will be at Stormont next Saturday (30 July) for the European Pipe Band Championships. It should be another fun day and with all the "big" bands coming over from Scotland, there should be plenty of entertainment for everyone. Come along and say hello!

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This year's parade was in Comber and we were blessed with a beautiful day - perhaps even slightly too warm when you are carrying a drum, or puffing on a set of pipes! The Comber Parade had been selected as one of the Orange Order's Flagship events and the crowds had certainly come to join in the fun. Comber was jam-packed with locals and visitors, keen to take part in the carnival atmosphere. The Parade started at the Comber Rec grounds and looped through the town before returning to the playing fields where the usual Orange service took place. There was also a plethora of entertainment for young and old - along with plenty of food for those looking to build themselves up again after the long walk.

Gilnahirk would like to thank the Lodge again for the kind invitation and also extend a word of thanks to the supporters along the route and in the field who cheered and clapped us on our way - it was very much appreciated.

Next stop this year will be the Bangor Contest on 23rd July - we hope to see more of you there!

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Gilnahirk has entered for the North Down Championships in Bangor on Saturday 23rd June 2011 has been drawn Lucky Number 13 (!) for the European Pipe Band Championships at Stormont on Saturday 30 July 2011. We should be at the line in the Stormont Estate at 1554hrs. The full draw can be seen for the European Championships here. If you are able to make it to either venue, why not come over and introduce yourself to the Band?

If competitions aren't your thing, then the Band will be playing at the Twelfth of July Celebrations in Comber this year. Give us a cheer as we go past!!

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As usual, the Church was absolutely packed with ardent Ulster-Scots and the crowd greatly enjoyed the traditional haggis, neeps and tatties as they were treated to great singing from the Thompson Brothers.

Piper Stephen Jackson piped in the haggis at the start of the evening and the Band brought the evening to a conclusion with a few tunes from the stage. All in all the evening was a great success and Gilnahirk would like to thank George and all the folk at Willowfield for making us feel so welcome - hopefully we'll be back again in 2012!

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However, the rest of the year saw the band rebuilding and we look to be in very good shape for our return to the grass in 2011.

Practices will recommence at 8pm on 10 January at the Jack Britton Hall and you are welcome to come along and try your hand.

We would like to wish all our friends, fans and followers a Happy New Year - we will see you all at the competitions later in the year. Come and cheer us on!

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Pictured above, Mervyn Mayes receives the congratulations of Band Chairman, Stephen Jackson on his re-election to the role of Pipe Major, while Jeremy and Peter look on.

The AGM was a very positive meeting. The election of officers was conducted by long-serving President, Graham Cooper, and the mood was extremely upbeat throughout. Although the Band didn't compete last year, we are already working hard on the set for next year and much of the discussion centred around the desire to "hit the line" with a strong set for 2011.

Towards the year's end the Band has seen its numbers swell considerably and the blend of youth and experience bodes well for the year ahead. Each Monday night sees improvement and the Pipe Major has introduced a number of new tunes to the floor over the last few weeks.

Despite the positive outlook, there is no sense in which Gilnahirk is taking anything for granted. We are still very much in the market for players - whether "old hands" or novices. So, if you want to give piping or drumming a try, why not call up to practice some Monday night? We can assure you of a warm welcome!

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The Band has always had a great relationship with the Church and we still practise in the Jack Britton Hall every Monday night at 8pm.

There was already a long line queued to get in to the Fair when we started to play, just before 2pm and the crowd seemed to enjoy our short selection. Thankfully plenty of applause was generated! We didn't quite field our entire complement of players but there was a good turnout and a few of the newer members made their debuts.

We are keen to take part in local events and hope that the diary will continue to fill up over the remainder of the year and into 2011. We already have a few other performances lined up before the contest season starts in earnest and we will keep everyone up to date through the website, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

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We are continuing to develop our online presence through Twitter. Anyone who currently follows @gilnahirkpb will know that we have a fairly lively exchange with other Bands from all across the world and we can now bring you all the Twitter content in the form of a "Daily Newspaper", courtesy of paper.li - just click on this link to the Pipe Bands Daily.

How full the paper is will depend on the number of posts over the last 24 hours and the number of links which have been shared by other members of the List we maintain of Tweeting Pipe Bands.

We are also able to publish a paper under the title Gilnahirk Pipe Band Daily - which includes everyone we follow - not just the bands, for a more eclectic mix. So, if you are not on Twitter, why not give one of the papers a read to see what is going on in the Piping and Drumming World?

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